The Van Buren press., 1861-06-12
MESSAGE OF
p RE s I'D ENT DAVIS.
Congress Of the Confederate states of
America.

1 Congress OIL the Confederate states of
America
/ (Concluded.)
1t was not until the 18th of the month
! that they officially addressed the Secretary
Of State, informing him of the purpose Of
their arrival. and stating, in the language
/ of their instructions, their wish to make to
the Government of the United States over
lures for the opening of negotiations, ASSN
ring the Government of the United States
]. that the President, Congress and the people
of the Confederate States honestly desire a
] peaceful solution of these great questions
that it is neither their interest nor their
wish TO make any demand which is not
founded ON the strictest principles of Justice
tnr to do any act to injure their late coh-
!. H-o this communication no formal reply
as received until the 9th of April. Dur
Ing the interval, the commissioners consen-
ed to wave all questions of form. with the
4 arm resolve to avoid war, if possible they
Event so far as to hold, during that long
3 aperiod, intercourse through an Intermediary.
s whose big position and character, inspired
! the hope of success, and through whom
sficonstant assurances were received from the
5. government of the United States of peace
4 ful intentions of it's determination to
1I evacuatc Fort Sumter and further that no
= measures changing the existing status preiu-
i dicially to the Confederated States should
/ be inaugurated that in event of any change
! in regard to Fort Pickens, timely notice
would be given to the commissioners
1 The crooked paths OF diplomacy can
scarcely furnish an example SO wanting in
: courtesy, candor and directncss as was the
course of the United States towards our
commissioners in Washington. For proof
of this, refer to the annexed document
marked, taken in connection with further
facts, which / now proceed to relate:
Early in April. the attention of the whole
Ecountry was attracted to extraordinary prep
aration of an extensive military and naval
expedition in New York and other northern
ports. These preparations commenced in
secresy for an expedition whose destination
was concealed, and only became known
when nearly completed, and on 5th, 9th and
9TH of April, transports and vessels of war
with troops. munitions and military sup
plies, sailed from noGthcrn ports bound
southwark.
Alarmed by so extraordinary n demon
stration. the commissioners requested the
delivery of an answer to their off cial COM
muncation of the l2th of March. and there
upon received on the Sth of April reply
dated the 18th of the previous month"; from
which it appears that during the whole in
terval, whilst the commissioners were rccei-
wing assurances calculated to inspire hope
. Of the success of their commission, the sec
Ixrs~asy er stat. and iiIc President OF the
+ United States had already determined 20
hold no intercourse with them, whatsoever
ff,r r.,f,, al =. -
hal to make, and had profted by the delay
created by their own assurance, in order to
prepare secretly the means for effective hos
tile operations.
That these assurances were given has been
virtually confessed by the government oil
the United Suites, by its act of sending a
messenger to Charleston. to give notice OF
It's purpose 20 use force If opposed in its
purpose OF supplying Fort Sumter.
No more striking proof of the absence of
good faith in the confidence of the govern
ment Of the United States towards the Con
icdcracy can be required. than is contained
in the circumstances which accompanied
this notice.
According to the usual course of naviga-
ton, tho vessels composing the expedition
to, and designed for the relief of Ft Sum
ter, might be looked for in Charleston Har-
Dor on the 9th of April yet with our COM
missioners in Washington, detained under
assurances that notice should be given OF
any military movement, the notice was not
not addressed them, but a messenger was
sent to Charleston to give notice to the gov
ernor of South Carolina ard the notice
was SO given at a late hour on the Sth oi
April, the eve of the very day on which the
fleet might be expected to arrive.
. That this manuver failed in its purpose
was not the fault of those who controlled it
e y heavy tempest delayed the arrival of the
expedition, and gave time to the command
er of our forces at Charleston to ask and re-
ceive instructions Of the government. Even
then under all the provocation incident tc
: the contemptuous refusal to listen to out
4 commissioners. and the treacherous course
1 of the government of the United States, ]
was sincerely anxious to avoid the cffusion
OF blood, and directed proposal to bc
made to the commander of Fort Sumter
, who had avewed himself to be nearly Out
S directing our fire on Sumter. if he" he waol iro
promise not to open fire on our forces mn.
y less hrst attacked. This proposal was re-
iused. Ihe conclusion was that the design
{ o! the United States was to place the besic-
gInS force at Charleston between the stimuli
taneous fire of the fleets The fort should
OF course, at once be reduced. This order
was executed by Gen. Beauregard with
skill and success, which were naturally to
be expected from tho well-known character
OF that gallant officer and although the
battle lasted some thirty three hours, our
flag dld not wave over the battery walls till
after the appearance of the hostile fleet of
Charleston
Fortunately not life was lost on opr
side, and we were gratiiied in being prepar.
ed. The necessity Of an useless eit,,e;on -
blood by the prudent cautioEs Of tho of,;'.1
ers who commanded the fleet in absta;n;nn
from the evidently futile effort to enter tbe
harbor for the relief of Maj. Anderson. was
) spared. %
| refer t. the report of the secretary Of
war, and the papers accompanying it for
iurther particulars of this brilliant affair.
In this connection cannot refrain fro,,
a well deserved tribute to the noble State
the eminent soldier qualities of whose neo.
PIE were conspicuously displayed. The
people OF Charleston. for months, had been
irrltatcd by the spectacle of fortress held
\ N hntr