Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-07-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
Fs''o~ dn,or, Of tie Snafs and House Q
Representatives.:

subject Of legislation.
Al the beginning Of the present Presiden
tisl term, four months ago. the functions oI
the Federal Government were found TO b
generally suspended within the several
States Of South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama,
Mississippi. Louisiana. and Florida. except.
ing only those Of the post odico department
Within these States. oil the forts. arscnals
ock.yards. custom.houses. and tho like,
including the movable and stationary prop.
erty in and about them, had boen seized
and were held in open hostility to this gov
srnmcnt. eIcep, only Forts Piekens, Taylor,
and Jefferson. on and near tho Florida coast,
and For, Sumter. in Charleston harbor. 5.
G. The forts thus seiIed bad been put 10
improved condition, and new ones had been
bull, and armed forces had been organit.
ing a,owsdIy with tho same hostile purpose.
Tho iorts remaining In the possession OF the
Federal Government In and near these States
were either besie,ed or menaeed by warliks
preparations. and especially Fort Sumie'
was nearly surrounded by we'll protected
hostile batteries, with gun. equal in quality
to the best Of its own. and ouinumberins
the latter. as perhaps ten TO one; . dspro'
/ poriiona,e share Of tho Federal musse,s and
rides had somehow been seized for the same
object. The navy wa. scattered in distant
seas. leaving but . very small par, Of 1t with.
In the immediate reach Of the Government,
0acers Of the Federal army and navy had
resigned in grea, numbers, and OF those re.
signing. alarse proportion had taken uT
arm. agains, the government simultaneous
ly. And In concert with all this. the pur.
pose to sever the Federal Union was openly
ayowed.
In accordance with this purpo'e. an ordi.
nance had been adopted iu each OF these
States. declaring the State, respectively "a
be separated from tho National Union. A
formula for ins,l,utine y combined govern
men, Of these States had been promulgated,
and thi. illegal organization in ths charac
ter Of tho Confederate States. was already
invoking recognition, aid and intervention
from foreign powers.
Finding this condition OF thing. and be-
lieving 1t to b, an imperative duty upon the
incoming executive to prevent II possible
the consumma,ion Of such attemp. to des-
troy the Federal Union, choice Of means
TO that end became indi'pen'iele
The choice vas made and Va. declared ia
the inaugural address. The policy chosen
looked TO the exhaustion OF all peaceful
measures before resort TO any stronger
ones.
I, .oush, only to hold tho public placc'
and property not already wresied from 'h'
government. and to eollec. the revenue, re
lying for the res, in time, discussion anC
the ballot, boz. I. promised the con,inu
ance Of The mails. Mt great expense. to :h'
very people who wcro resisting the govern
men,. and |. gave repeated pledges against
any disturbance to any Of the people or any
Of their rights; Of oil that which pre-i
den: nigh, consti,u,ionally and ju''ifably
do in such case. Everything was foreborn'
without which il was believed possible tC
keep the government on foot.
On the 5th Of March, tho present incum
len,'s fret full day in otics, letter OF Maj
Anderson. commanding at Fort Sumter
written on the 2sth OF February. and rc
ccived at tho War Department on tho i.i
Of March. wa. by that Department places
IN my hands.
This letter expressed the rroie'siona
opinion Of tho writer. that re,nforc men'
could not BE- thrown into that tort, within
the time for hisreliei. rendered necessary By
the limited supply OF provisions. and with
view Of holding possession Of the same will
q forco Of lee, than 10000 good and vel
disciplined men.
The opinion was eoncurred in BY oil tn
officers Of hi, command, and their memor'
anda on the subject were made enclosures
u Mai. Anderson's letter. The whole was i'm
media,ely laid before Lieut.. Gen. Scott
who at once concurred with Maj. Anderson
In opinion. On reflection however he tool
full time. consulting Eve other eficers boil
Of tho army and tue navy. and at the en'
Of iour days came reluctantly but decided!
70 the same conclusion as before.
Ile also stated at the same time that NJ
such sufficient force was at the control o
Government. or could be raised and brough
to the ground within the time when tb
provisions Of tho fort would be exhausted
In . purely military point OF view this 's
duced the duty Of the Administration In sb
case to the nero matter Of getting the gar
rison safely out Of the fort. II vas belisv
Cd. however. that TO 90 abandon this posi-
ton under tho circumstances would be q,
itsrly ruinous; that the necessity unds
which IL was to bs dono would not DO foil
understood; +; that BY many would DO con
s,rued as part Of voluntary policy; 'ha
at home |, would discourage the friends Q
tho Union. and embolden its adversaries
and go far TO insure the lattor recognition
abroad; that In fact Il would bs our na
tional destrustion consummatsd.
! This could not bs allowed. Starvation
Was no. yet upon the garrison. and ere
. could b, Fort Picksos might 30 reinforced
. The last would be . clear indication OF poll
! cy, and would better enable the country !
, sccep, the evacuation Of Fort Sumter as
military necessity. An order was at ono