The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-07-09
LINCOLN,S MESSAGE.

Message delivered to the Northern Congress on the 4h
last. 1t telegraphed TO the Columbia Carolinan,
from which paper of Sunday copy it. II will be seen
that he still for war; and that he thinks that the party
which had the power elect the President ought
maiatan the Union that is, whip the secessioniss In
order to- justify his tyranncal and unconstitutional
ton, he fasifes the record and msrepresents public
sentiment the South.
WASHINGTON, July 4-The message ofLincoln to the
northern Congress SAYS that at the beginning of the
present Administration, the Government was found
be suspended in several States except In regard to its
postal functions The national property, except Forts
Pickens, Taylor Jefferson and Sumter had been seized
and put in offensive position; other forts had been
built army organized and being organized with hos
tile intent, and the federal forces in those States be-
seged menaced. disproportionate amount Of arms
and munitions of war had somehow found Its way into
the rebeous States; the accumuaons OF the national
revenues within the rebel borders was sezed the fed
era navy scattered and the federal army and
officers had gned in great numbers. Ordinances de-
carng their separation from the U. States had been
passed. and these States under the title OF the Confsd
crate States applying to foreign powers for recog
milton and assistance. The incoming Administration
believed it to be imperative duty to prevent the
threatened ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Union In the choice
of towards this indispensable policy that method
was chosen which indicated in the inaugural The
Government had exhausted all peaceful measures be-
fore it would to coercion 1t seeking only
hold the public places aud property, and to continue
the unrestricted collection of the relying upon
time discussion and the ballot box for the rest pro-
missing in the meantime the continuance of the mails
Everything was to be forborne compatible with keep
ing the government on foot
On the 4th of March, letter received from Maj
Anderson of Fort SUMTER stating that the place could
not be held. On further consultation, Gen Scott con-
sdeled that the force at the disposal of the government
not adequate to the relief of Fort Sumter without
Immediately yictuaing it. The duty of the Admins
traton thus reduced to the safe withdrawal of the
garrison. 1t believed however that the abandon
ment of Sumter would be utterly ruinous that the
ton would be eiscouraging the friends
of the Union and embodenng its enemies, and encour-
the recognition OF the Confederate States abroad
that in fact i; would be national destruction If this
course vodabe previous to Sumers starvation
Fort Pckens might be reinforced thus indicating the
policy Of the Administration and preparing the public
mind for the evacuation of Sumter military neces-
sr. Orders Immediately issued for the reinforce
ment of Pickens, aud it impossible transmit
these orders by land, they by The first
this order received the week before the
fab of Sumter. The Brooklyn, under Buchauans quasi
armstice, refused to land troops reinforce Pckens
before the crisis should be relieved at Sumter.
In order to prevent the evacuation of Sumter before
Pickens could be reinforced the government planned
expedition to sictual Sumter, to be used
circumstances might require. Contingencies requiring
the consummation of this plan, Gov Pickens mott
fed that if the yctuaing not resisted attempt
would be made to throw in men, arms or ammunition
without giving him notice. The fort however,
taken without waiting for the victualing expedition;
thus the attack Sumter be said be in self
defence. The assailants knew that in no could
Fort Sumter be mischevous and they notified THAT
feeding hungry men was the only Obect that the gov
eminent only wished to maintain nominal possession,
thus preserving the Union from dissolution trusting to
time and the ballot box for final adjustment The fort
assaulted for object: drive federal author
ity and force immediate dissolution. This the Execu
tive understood and having inaugurated hostilities,
they brought the conflict by being the aggressors.
President Lincoln took pains to keep this declaration
good in the circumstances surrounding the Sumter
affair. Then these Confederates began the conflict;
they forced upon the country the destructive issue
of immediate dissolution, embracing than the
fofo Of I'm Ininn crlr fho hath
government of the people maintain the integrity
of its territory against domestic foes, and whether
band of individuals too few to control the Administra
ton by organized law can break up the Government,
this question, must government be too strong for the
liberty of people, or too weak to maintain its own
existence2 No choice left but call the
power of the Government to resist the force employed
for its destruction. The response the call for troops
surprised the most sangulne expectations Delaware
alone however of all the slave States responding.
few regiments have been raised in slave States by n-
dividual enterprise, and accepted.
The Border States uniform in their action
The taken by Virginia is the most remarkable
and important Convention to consider this question:
in session when Fort Sumter fell, with large Union
majority went over and carried the State of the
Union. They made extensive military preparations
seized the Federal property received large bodies
Confederate troops, entered into a treaty with the Con-
ederate States sent Representatives to the Confederate
Councils and permitted the insurrectionary Govern
be transferred to the capital of Virginia. The
Government has choice left in regard TO Virginia
and does with the less regret from having been called
to protect loyal citizens there whom it is bound to
sustain.
Other Border States favor armed neutrality that
is, arming to prevent Union dsanon troops from
occupying their soil. This would be disunion
plete; fguratively speaking, it would be building an
impossible wall along the line of separation. This
right, under the guise of neutrality, would tie the
hands of the Cnionists and feed the nsurrectionstS
taking all the trouble from the secession hands except
what arises from the external blockade would give
the malcontcnts dsunon without any struggle of their
own. 1t recognizes fidelity TO the CONSTITUTE
obligation to maintain the Union While many loyal
isis favored it, it is very injurious.
Recurring to the action of the Government. 1t first
called for u, 0J0 troops, proclaimed a blockade of the
denounced prvateering and made
cali for three years troops and large additions to the
army and navy. These measures yentured upon
under the popular demand and public necessity, trust
ing to their ratification by Congress Soon after, it
was considered duty to authorize the commanding
Generals suspend She writ of ha6eaS corpus where the
public safely required it. This necessary the
execution Of the laws. The continuance of the law
made in such extreme tenderness of the liberty of the
citizen, practically relieved of the guilty thar the
innocent To state the question directly Are all
the laws but be unexecued and the Government
60 to pieces lest be violated But it believed
that this suspension of the writ of hd6Sas not
The forbearance Of the Government had been cx-
traordinary and long continued to induce foreign
nations to shape their action the suppostion of an
early dissolution The Administration concerned
about this, but is happy state that the
eighty of the Union Is everywhere practically
spected. and sympathy with the Government mani
tested throughout the world.
The reports of the Secretaries will give detailed
Information, and the Executive and departments
ready to supply omissions necessary to guide
recommend the adoption of measures
aka he ElInrf and nd