The national Republican., 1861-07-06
Presidents Message.
Fsl,o,o.ci,isens cfhe Senate

and House Of Representatives.
Having been convened on an extraordinary
occasion, as authorized by the Constitution,
your attention is not called to any ordinary sub.
ject Of oflegislation.1a. .1,n ...H. ffr. e -'
At the beginning of the present Presidential
term, four months ago, the functions Of the Fed.
eral Government were found to be generally
suspended within the several States of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
ana, and Florida, excepting only those of the
Post Office Department.
Within these States all the forts, arsenals,
dock-yards, custom houses, and the like, in.
cluding the movable and stationary property
in and about them, had been seized. and were
held in open hostility 10 this Government, ex.
cepting only Forts Pickens, Taylor, and JEFF
ferson, on and near the Florida coast, and Fort
Sumter, in Charleston harbor, South Carolina.
The forts thus seized had been put in improved
condition; new ones had been built, aud armed
forces had been organized, and were organizing,
oil avowedly with the same hostile purpose.
The forts remaining in the possession of the
Federal Government in and near these States
were either besieged or menaced by warlike
preparation, and especially Fort Sumter was
nearly surrounded by wellprocctcd hostile bat.
teries, with guns equal in quality 10 the best of
haps ten 10 one. A disproportionatc share Of
the Federal muskcts and rifles had somehow
found their way into these States, and had
been seized to be used against the Govern
ment. Accumulations Of the public revenue,
lying within them, had been seized for the same
object. The navy was scattered in distant
seas, leaving but very small part of it within
the immediate reach Of the Government. OFF.
GERS Of the Federal army and navy had resigned
in great numbers; and Of those resigning, a
large proportion had taken up arms against the
Government. Simultaneously and in connec.
ton with all this, the purpose to sever the Fed.
with this purpose, an ordinance had been
adopted in each Of these States, declaring the
States, respectively, to be separated from the
National Union. A formula for insttuting
combined Government of these States had been
promulgated, and this illegal organization, In
the character of Confederate States, was al.
ready invoking recognition, aid, and interven.
ton, from foreign Powers. ..f
Finding this condition Of things, and believ-
ing it to be an imperative duty upon the incom-
ing Executive TO prevent, If possible, the con.
summation Of such attempt to destroy the
| Federal Union, choice of means to that end
became indispensable. This choice was made
| and was declared in the inaugural addre ss
The policy chosen looked to the exhaustion Of
| all peaceful measures, before a resort to any
stronger ones. 1t sought only to hold the pub,
| lie places and property not already wrested
| from the Government, and to collect the reve
| nue.; relying for the rest on time, discussion,
and the balotbox. 1t promised continuance
Of the mails, at Government expense, to the
very people who were resisting the Govern.
ment; and it gave repeated pledges against
any disturbance to any Of the people, or any
Of their rights. OF all that which President
might constitutionally, and justifably, do in
which, it was believed possible to keep the
Government on foot % -e "0. .r.g
! On the 9Th Of March, (the present incum
bent's first full day in office,) letter of Major
Anderson, commanding at Fort Sumter, writ
ten on the 18th of February, and received at
the War Department on the 4th of March, was,
by that department, placed in his hands
This letter expressed the professional opinion
of the writer, that reenforcements could not
be thrown into that fort within the time for
his relief, rendered necessary by the limited
supply of provisions, and with a view of hold.
ing possession Of the same, with force Of less
than twenty thousand. good and well.disci
plined men. This opinion was conquered in
by all the officers of bis command, and their
memoranda on the subject we're made enclo.
sures of Major Anders on's letter. The whole
was Immediately laid before Lieutenant Gene
raj Scott, who at once concurred with Major
Anderson in opinion. On reflection, however,
he took full time, consulting with other officers,
both Of the army and navy, and at the end of
four days, came reluctantly, but decidedly, to
the same conclusion as before, He also stated
at the same time that no such sufficient force
was then at the control Of the Government or
could be raised and brought to the ground
xto< III Al r.
would be exhausted. In purely military
point Of view, this reduced the duty of the
Administration in the case, to the mere matter
of getting the garrison safely out Of the fort.
1t was believed, however, that 10 80 abandon
that position, under the circumstances, would
be utterly ruinous that the necessity under
which it was to be done would not be fully un.
derstoodj that by many, it would be construed
as part of voluntary policy; that at home,
it would discourage the friends of the Union,
embolden its adversaries, and 60 far to insure
to the latter, a recognition abroad that, in
fact, it would be our national destruction con.
summated. This could not be allowed. Starv.
alton was not yet upon the garrison and ere
it would be reached, Fort Pickens might be
reinforced. This last would be clear indica.
ton of policy, and would better enable the
country to accept the evacuation Of Fort Sum.
ter, as a military necessity. An order was at
once directed to be sent for the landing of the
troops from the steamship Brooklyn, into Fort
Pickens. 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 just one week before the fall Of Fort
Sumter. The news itself was, that the officer
commanding the Sabine, to which vessel the
troops had been transferred from the Brooklyn,
acting upon some quasi armistice Of the late
Administration land of the existence of which
the present Administration, up to the time the
order was dispatched, had only too vague and