Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-07-12
PREsEDENTs MESSAGE.
-teh0'e cHi=rns IF tie .Scnatc and House Of Rep.
rpSs1t,fiy4S.


dinary occasion. as authorized by the
Constitution, your attcn1;cn is not called
to any ordinary subject Of legislation,
At the beginning Of the present Prcsi
dental term, four menths ago, the func-
tious OF the Federal Government were
found to be generally suspended within
the several States of South CAroiina
G Georgia. Alabama Mississippi, houis-
lana and Florida, excepting only those
of the Postofice Department Within
the States the forts arsenals. docks. har-
bdrs, custom houses. aul the Ike, in-
cluIirg the movable and stationary
property in AMI about them, h,d been
seized, anl were held in open hostility
t".the q Government, excepting only Forts
Pickens, Tavtor AMI Jefferson, on ami
l,uaf the Florida coast, aud Fort Sumter,
in t'har!eston harbor, ). e. The forts
lr,ls seized had been put in an improved
dlldition. new ones had been built, and
we're organizing, all ayowedly with the
snine hostile purpose. The forts rem iin-
ing in the possession of the Federal
Government in aud near tho States
were either hcsie.ed or meuaced by war
like preparations, and especially Fort
Sumter Was nearly surrounded by we'll
protected hostile batteries, with guns
equal in quality to the best Of its own,
aud outnumhering the latter perhaps ten
tnio on a lisrrorcrtionaie share Of the
Federal muskets and rifles had somehow
found their way into these States, and
had been clzcd to be used against the
Government Accommodations of the
public revenue lying within them had
cen seized for the same object. The
,ayy WIS scattered in distant seas, leIV
ing but IA very small part within the I'M
mediate use OF the Government. The
"f1iccrs of the Federal army and navy
had resigned i'll great numbers, and O..
those resigning a large proportion has
taken up arms against the Government
simultaneously and in connection with
all these purposes, to sever the Federal
Union was openly ayowed. In accord
;.nce with this purpos >. an ordinance had
leen adopted in cash of the States, de
ciaring the States respectively to be
separated from the National Union
a formula for combining and instituting
of these States had been
promul gated, and this illegal organiza-
ton, in the chaIa ter of Confederated
Sta tes, was already invoking recognition,
aid, and Intervention from foreign
powers Finding this condition OF
thing. and believing it to be an impera-
tive duty upon the incoming Executive
10 prevent, if possible, the consumma-
ton of such attempts to destroy the
Federal Union choice of means to that
end became Indispensable. This choice
was made and declared in the inaugura!
address. The policy chosen looked to
the exhaustion of ali peaceful measures
Iefore resort to any stronger ones. 1t
sought only to hold the public places
and property not already wrested from
the Government, and to collect the rere-
nne, relying for the rest on time, discus
sion and the bailot-box. 1t promised
continuance of the mails at Government
expense to the very people who were re-
sisting the Go ernment, and it gave re-
peated pledges against any disturbance
Ia any of the peop'e or any Of their
rights; of all that which a President
hight eonstitutionally and justifably
do in such case. Everything was for
l.ornc without which it was believes
possible TO keep the Government on foot.
On the 5th of March, the present incum
leut first full day Of office, letter of
Major Anderson, commanding at Fort
Sumter. written Oh the 2Sth Of February,
and received at the War Department Oh
the 4th Of March, was by that Depart
lnent placed in his hands. This letter
expressed the professional opinion OF
the writer that reinforcements could not
lie thrown into that fort within the time
for his relief, rendered necessary by the
limited supply Of provisions, and with a
lew of holding possession of the same
with force ef less than 10000 good
and disciplined men: this opinion was
concurred in by all the officers of his
ronmand, and the memoranda on the
subject were made enclosures Of Major
Anderson letter, and the whole was
immediately laid before LieuteaAnt
General Scott, who at once concurred
with Major Anderson in opinion. On
reflection, however, he took full time for
consultation with other officers, both of
the army and navy; end at the end of
four days, came reluctantly, but de-
cidedly, to the same conclusion as be-
fore. lie also stated at the same time
that such sufficient force was not at the
control of the Government or could be
raised and brought to the ground within
The time when the provisions i'll the fort
would be exhausted, ina purely military
Point of view, aud this reduced the duty
ofthe Administration in the case to the
mere matter Of taking the garrison
safely out of the fort. 1t was felieveds
however, to abandon that position, unf
der the circumstances, would be utterly
ruinous; that the necessity under which
it was to lie done would not be fully IN
dcrs;ood; that by many it would be con-
strued as part of voluntary policy; that
at home it would discourage the friends
Of the Union, enbolden its adversaries,
and 90 far to insure to the latter rec
nenitien abroad; that in fact it would be
our national destruction, if consumma
ted This could not be allowed: starva-
ton was not yet upon the garrison, and
ere it could be reached, Fort Pickens
might lie reinforced. This last would
lie clear indication of policy and
would better enable the country to ac-
cept the evacuation Of Fort Sumter as &
military necessity.
An order YVES at once. directed to be
sent for the landing Of the troops on
the steamship RroohIgn into Fort Pick
ems. This order could not go by land
but must take the longer and slower
route by sea. The first return news
from the order was received but one
week before the fall Of Fort Sumter