The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-07-13
National Affoirs.
The Presidents MESSAGE.

The Message Of the President was sent to
Congress on the 5th ult and is worthy of an
attentive peruSal. 1t is manly and patriotic
in its tone, and altogether destitute Of the
usual statc-paper stiffness. 1t cannot fail to
commend itself to the public heart, and we
therefore, give copious extracts from it. The
President after reviewing the events imme-
diately preceding the attack on Fort Sumter.
by the government of South Carolina, thus
states
ITS OBJECT.
1t is thus seen that the assault upon and
the reduction of Fort Sumter was in no sense
a matter Of defense OIL the part of the assail-
ants. They will knew that the garrison in
the fort could by no possibility commit ag-
erosion upon them. They knew-they were
expressly notified the giving Of bread to the
few brave and hungry msn Of the garrison
was all which could, on that occasion, be
attempted, unless themselves by resisting so
much should provoke more They knew tina;
this Government desired to Eeep this garrison
in the Fort; not to assail them. but merely
to maintain visible possession, trusting, as
herenbelore stated, to time, discussion, and
the ballot for final adjustment. And they
assallcd and reduced the fort for precisely the
reverse object--to drive out the visible au.
thorty of the Federal Union, and thus force
it to immediate dissolution
That this was their object, the Executive
well understood; and having said to them in
the Inaugural address, you can have no
conflict without being yourselves the aggres.
sors," he took pains not only to keep this
declaration good, but also to keep the case so
free from the power of ingenious sophistry
as that the world should not be able to mis-.
understand it. By the affair at Fort Sumter
with its surrounding circumstances. that
point was reached. Then and thereby the
ASSISTANTS of the Government began the con-
flct Of arms without gun i'll sight or in
expectancy to return their fire, save only the
Few In the fort, sent to that hs rbor years before
for their own protection. and still ready to
give that protection in whatever was lawful
In this act, disca,dng all else, they have
forced upon the country the distinct issue
immediate dissolution or blood. And this
issue embraces more than the fate of these
Uuited States. 1t presents to the whole
family of man the question whether a Con-
st:tutional Republic or Democracy-a govern
mcnt of the people by the same people-can
or cannot maintain it's territorial integrity
against its domestic foes. 1t presents the
question whether discontented individuals,
toe few i'll numbers to control the AdmistItion
according to the organic law in any case. can
always, upon the pretences made in this case
or any other pretencc. break up their govern
ment, and thus practically put an end to the
frctst government upon the earth. 1t forces
us TO ask Is there in all Republics this
inherent and fatal weakness? Must a gov.
ernment Of necessity be too strong for the
liberties of its own people or too weak to
maintain its own existence z So viewing
the issue, no choice was left but to call on,
the war power of the Government. and so tc
resist the force employed for its destruction,
by force for its preservation.
lie states the course pursued by Tirgni'
and adds:
The people Of Virginia have thus allowed
giant instruction to make it's nest within
her borders. ard this Government has nc
choice left bnt to deal with 1t where it find
il, and it has the less regret as the loyal citi