The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-06
the PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

FsILoT GrHzSs ras SENATE HOUSE, REPRESENTA-
T-vZs-
Having beea convened extraordinary occasion,
as authorized by the constitution, your attention
Is no. called to sly ordinary subject OF
legislation A. ths beginning Of the present Presidcntial
term, sour mcnths ago. the functions or the federal
Gorsrnnan. were found 20 be generally suspended
within the several States OF South Uarviiua,
Georgia, Alabama Mississippi Louisiana and Florida,
excepting only those Of tie Post Office Department.
Within these States al the forts areenals, dockyards
ous,cnn houses and tho like, including the move
able aad sts.ionary property in and about them,
had been seized, and held in open
hostility to This government, excepting only Forts
P.okens Taylor and Jefferson and the Florida
coass, aad Fort Sumter, In Charleston harbor South
Carolina. The forts thus seized had been put IN i'm.
proved condition, bad been built aud armed
forces had been organized and organizing
all ayowsdly with the Same hostile purpose The
fcrta remaining In the possession Of the fede-
re, government In and near those States were
either beeieged or menaced by wariike pre-
psrations, and especially Fort Sumter nearly
surrounded BY well protected hostile batteries with
guns equal in quality 70 the best Of It's own, ard
outnunbering the latter as perhaps, ton TO one. A
dsproportorste share OF tho federal muskets aad rifles
had somehow found their way Into these States and
hRd been seized to be used against the government
Accommodations OF the public revenue lying within them
had been seized for the obes.; the navy was
scattered in distant seas leaving but very small part
OF witd!n the immediate reach Of the government;
officers OF the federal army had resigned In
great numbers, ard OF those ressnng a
large proportion had taken up arms against
TIE government. simultaneously, In connection
with all this the purpose to the federal Union
openly avpwed In accordance with this purpose,
drAlce had been adopted In each Of these
the States respectively 10 be separated from the
national Urioa. A formula for nsttuiing combined
government. OF those States had been promulgated,
aud this illegal organization, In the character or the
Moderate Atee already invoking recognition aid
ard intervention from foreign Powers. Finding this
ooSdit.on OF things, and believing II to be an impera
Awe orty upon the incoming Executive TO prevent
possible the Of such to destroy the
feceyai III ,on choice OF means TO that ED became
int Hpersshlo
PoRBzARAscy TIE CONVENIENT
This choice made ard wss declared in
the inaugural address The policy chosen looked
to toe exhauston OF al peaceful before q
reeor, to any strorger sought only 70 hold the
pablo psoee and property not already wresed from the
government % collect the revenue relying for the
rest on time discussion and the ballot 1t promiset
continuance Of the mails at government expense to the
vegy people who reeistg the govssrment and
repeated p dges against any disturbances to any OF the
peotIe any their rights OF al that Witch Pres
deet might consttutonaily and justlsbiy do in 81 h
OIL ever thing was forborne. without which |, be
III ved possible 70 keep tie government on foot.
90 tho 9Th OF March, the present iucuubsnps nrst
full day In Office letter from Major Anderson, CON.
audios q Ft Sumter. written on the 2sth Of FeSru