Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-01-16


into those forts, and their relative military
status shall remain as Mt present.
JOHN MCQUEEN.
NJ. l.. B0NHAM.
W. w. BOYCE.
LAURENCE NJ. KIETT.
Washington, gM December, 1850.
And here l must, in uaticc TO myself, re-
mark that, at the time tie paper was presented
to me, objected to tie word "rrorided," " as
it might be construed into an agreement on
my part which ! never would make. They
said that nothing was further from their i'll.
tention-tbey did not SO understand il, and
| should not s. consider it. 1t is evident
they could enter into no reciprocal agreement
with me on the subject. They did not pro-
less to have authority to do this, and were
acting in their individual character. | COIL
sidered it as nothing more in effect than the
promise of highly honorable gentlemen TO
exert their influence for the purpose ex.
pressed.
The event has proven that they have faith.
fully kept tler prumiae, although have
never since received = line from any one oil
them, or from any member uf the Convention.
On the subject. 1t is well known it was my
determination, and this freely expressed,
not to reinforce tic forts in the llarbor and
thus produce collision, until they had BEEN
actually attacked, or until had certain cvi-
drrce that they were about 10 be attacked.
This paper received mcst cordially, and con-
sidcred it as happy omen that peace might
still be preserved, and that time might be
thus given for reelection. his is tie whole
foundation 10: the alleged pledge. But ac-
ted in the same manner as would have done
had entered ntoa po tive and li.,nal agree
-nnent viii i;., iio, cap.y., uf .ur;Tact,:s
Though such All agreement would have been
ON my part, from tie nature Of my official
duties, impossible. The world knuws that
have never sent any rrinfnrce'n,n:s to the
forts in Charleston Earbor. and have Ger
tainly never authorized any change 10 bc
made in their relative military status. Bear
ing upon tLis subject, refer yoa TO an order
issued by tie Secretary uf War, ON the llti!
inst, to Major Anderson, lu: hot brought to
my notice until the 2lst instant. 1t is as
lulnws:
:" Memorandum Of Verbal Instructions 10 .Na-
jar anderson lst 1iHiicyy, Commanding
Fort .uOuiiyie, South Carolina:
You are aware If the great anxiety Of tic
Secretary Of War that collision Of the troops
with the people Of this State shall be avoided
and Of his studied determination to pursue Il
course with reference to the military force
and forts in this !Iarbor which shall guard
against such a collision. lie has, therefore
carefully abslained from increasing the 70: ce
at this point, or tuki:ig any measures which
might add to the present excited state Of the
public mind or which would throw any dprbt
on the confidence he feels that South Carolina
will not attempt by violence to obtain pos
session of the public work, or interfere with
their occupancy.
But a. the counsel and acts uf rash nnd
impulsive ptrsurs may possibly diSappont
these expectations of the Government, lie
deems it proper that you should be prepared,
tingency. lie has, therefore, directed Inc
verbally to give you such Instructions.
you ure carefully to avoid every act which
would nee,ilessy tend toproyoke aggression,
and for that reason you are not without ne.
cessity, to tuke up any position which could
be construed into the assumption Of ! hostile
attitude: bu, you ure to hold possession ol
the forts in this harbor, and if attacked you
are to defend yourself to tie last extremity
"Ihe snalness Of your force will not per.
mi; you, perhaps, to occupy more than one ol
the three lurts, but M attack on, or a;teinp,
to take pu>ocssiun Of either Of them, will be
regarded as all act Of hostility and you may
then put Your camInsnd into either vi them
which you may deem most proper, to increas.
it. power IF resistance. You are also author
izei to tuke similar steps whenever YOU have
tangible evidence o; design to proceed to q
hostile act.
d. p. BUTLER,
Assistant ALjuiant- t-Cirucral."
"FoRr MorLrRlE, 5. c., Dec. III, 1902.
This is in conformity to my Instructions tc
Msj1r Buell..
JOHN P. FLOYD,
"Secretary OF War"
These were the last instructions transmit.
tel t, Major Anderson before his removal t.
Fort Sumter, with single exception, in re.
gard to particular Which does not in any
degree affect the presen, question, Under
these circumstances. it is clear that Major An
derson acted upon lis own responsibility and
without authority, unless, indeed, he had
Glangibe evidence OF y desisa to proceed tt
II hostile act" on the part OF the authorities
ofSoulh Carolina, which has not been allecel
Still he is a brave and honorable officer, and
Justice lcq.lircs that hc Sh, ud NOT he coz.
,lerne, without fair hearing
Be that as it may, when learned that Ma
jor Anderson had left Fort Moutrie and pro-
creded to Fort Sumter, my first promptinss
were 10 command him to return to his former
position and there to await the contingencie.
presented in his instructions. This would
only have been done, with any degree ol
safety to the command, by the concurrence
of South Carolins authorities. But before
any steps could possibly have been taken in
this direction, we received information that
the palmetto flag hoated out to the breeze
at Castle Pinckney, and u large military f,rcc
went over last night (thc 2Ith) to Fort Moul'
trir."
Thus, the authorities of South Carolina
without waiting or asking for any cxplana'
tions, and, doubtless, believing as you have
EXPRESSED it, that the officer had acted mo-
only without, but against my orders. on The
very next day alter the night when the reno
val was made, seized BY a military force, two
of the three Federal forts in tho harbor o
Charleston, and have covered them under