The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-08

to-day Sunday, the 30th) been taken by force of
arms 1t is estimated that the munitions of war
belonging to the United States in this Arsenal are
worth half million of dollars.
Comment is needless. After this information,
nave only to add, that whilst it is my duty to de-
lend Lort sumter, as portion of the public
properly OF the United States, against hostile at
tacks from whatever quarter they may come by
such means as 1 may possess for this purpose,
do not perceive how such a defence can be con-
strued into menace against the city of Charles
ton.
with great personal regard, remain yours, very
respectfully. JAMES BUCAANAS.
"To Hon. Robert W. Barnwel, James II. Adams,
James l.. Orr"
''The Commissioners reply under date of January
lst, alter some explanation about minor points in
previous correspondence they proceed: Seeing
very early that this question of property diff
cult and delicate one, you manifested desire to
settle it without collision. You did not reinforce
the garrison in the harbor of Charleston. You re-
moved a distinguished and veteran officer from the
command of Fort Moultrie because he attempted to
increase bis supply OF ammunition. You refused
to send additional troops to the garrison when
applied for by the officer appointed to succeed him.
ou accepted the resignation of the oldest and
most eminent member of your Cabinet, rather than
allow the garrison to be strengthened You COM
PEELED an officer stationed at Fort Stunt ter to return
Immediately to the Arsenal forty muskets, which
he had taken to arm his men. You expressed, not
| to one, but to many of the most distin-
guished of our public characters, whose testi-
mony will be placed upon the records, when
ever 1T is necessary, your anxiety for peaceful
termination OF this controversy, and your willing
ness not to disturb the military status of the forts
II Commissioners should be sent to the Government
whose communications you promised to submit to
Congress You received and acted on assurances
from the highest official authorities of South Caro-
lima that attempt would be made disturb your
possession of the forts and property of the United
States If you would not disturb their existing con-
dition until the Commissioners had been sent, and
the attempt to negotiate had failed. You took from
the members of the House of Representatives a
written memorandum that such attempt should
be made, provided that no renorcements shall be
sent into those forts and their relative military
status shall remain as at present. And although
you attach no force to the acceptance of such pa
per-although you considered it as nothing more
in effect than the promise of highly honorable gen.
| tlemen, obligation one side without a
corresponding obligation the other, it must be
| remembered (if we are rightly informed) that you
were pledged, if you ever did send renforcements
to return it to those from whom you had received
1t before you executed your resolution.
"4 ou do not deny it now, but you seek to escape
from its obligations on the grounds, first: That
terminated all negotiation by demanding, as pre-
liminary, the withdrawal of the United States
troops from the harbor of Charleston; and 3D. That
the authorities of South Carroll, instead of ask
ing explanation, and giving you the opportunity to
vndcate yourself, took possession of other proper
ty of the United States. We will examine both.
SIN the first place, we deny positively that we
have ever, in any way, made any such demand
Our letter is in your possession; it will stand by
this on record"
The Commissioners then recapitulate some por-
tions of their first letter above published, and
proceed:
"In relation to his with rawal of the troops from
the harbor, we are compelled, however, to notice
one passage of your letter. Referring to it, YOU
say: 'Ihis cannot do This will not do. Such
an idea was never thought of by in any possible
contingency. No allusion to it had ever been made
in any communication between myself and any
human being
"ln reply to this statement, we are compelled to
say it, that your conversation with us left upon
ovr minds the distinct impression that YOU did seri-
ousy contemplate the withdrawal of the troops
from Charleston harbor. And in support of this
impression We would add, that We have the posi-
tive assurance of gentlemen of the highest possible
public reputation and the most unsullied Integrity
men whose name and fame, secured by long ser
vice and patriotic achievements, place their testi-
mony beyond cavi-that such suggestions had been
made to and urged upon you by them, and had
formed the subject of than one earnest discus
sion with you. And it this knowledge that in
duced us to urge upon you policy which had to
recommend it, its own wisdom and the weight of
such authority.
GAS to the second point that the authorities of
South Carolina, instead of asking explanations and
giving you the opportunity to vidicate Yourself |
took possession of other property of the United
States, we would observe, first that even if this
were so, it does not avail you for defence for the
opportunity for decision was afforded you before
on ednesday. The news from Major Anderson
reached here early on Thursday and was imme-
dlately communicated to you. All that day men
of the highest consideration-men who had striyep
successfully to lift you to your great ofice-who
had been your tried and true friends through the |
troubles of your Administration, sought you and
entreated you to act, to act at once.
"They told you that every hour complicated your |
position. They only asked you to give the assur- |
ance that if the facts were so-that if the Com |
mander had acted without and against your orders
and IN violation of your pledges that you would |
restore the status you had pledged hour honor to |
maintain. You refused to decide. Your Secretary
OF War-your immediate and proper adviser in |
this whole matter-waited anxousv for your de- |
cision until he felt that delay becoming dis |
honor,
''More than twelve hours passed, and two Cabinet
meetings had ad dOurned, before you know what the |
authorities of South Carolina had DONE and your |
prompt decision at any moment of that time would |
have avoided the subsequent complications But
if you had known the acts of the authorities of
South Carolina, should that have prevented your
keeping your faith? What was the condition of
things? For the last sixty DAYS you have had in |
Charleston harbor not force enough to hold the |
forts against an equal enemy. Two of them were
empty; one of those, too the most important in
the harbor. 1t could have been taken any time |
\ Iou ought to know better than anv man that it |
would have been taken but the efforts of those |
who put their trust in your honor.
"Believing that they were threatened by Fort
Sumter especially, the people were with difficulty
restrained from securing, without blood, the pos |
session of this important fortress. After many and
reiterated assurances given on your behalf, which
we cannot believe unauthorized, they determined
to forbear, and in good faith sent on their Comms-
sloners to negotiate with you. They meant you no
harm; wished you no i'll. They thought of you
kindly; believed you true; and were willing as far
as was consistent with duty, to spare you unneces
sary and hostile collision. Scarcely had their |
Commissioners left, than Major Anderson waged |
war. No other words will describe his action
"lt was not peaceful change from fort to an
other; was hostile act in the highest sense and
only justified in the presence of superior enemy
and in imminent peril. He abandoned his position |
spiked his guns, burned his guncarriages, made |
preparations for the destruction of bis post and
Withdrew under cover OF the night to safer posi-
ton. This was war. No man could have believ- |
ed without your assurance) that any officer could
nave taken such a step, "not only without or |
ders, but against ORDERS" What the State did |
was in simple self-defence; for this act with all
ITS attending circumstances, was much war as
nrlng yolley; and war being thus begun, until
those commencing it explained their action and
dlsavowed their intention, there room
for delay, and even at this moment, while we
are writing, it is than probable from
the tenor of your letter, that renforcements are
hurrying into the conflict, that when the first
gun shall be fired, there will have been on your
part one continuous consistent series of actions
commencing in demonstration essentially war |
like, supported by regular reinforcements, and
terminating in defeat or victory. And all this
without the slightest provocatiop: for, among the
thing you cannot say-you have waited anxiously
for news from the seat of war; in hopes that DELAY
would furnish some excuse for this precipitation
"But this tangible evidence of design to pro-
ceed to hostile act the part of the authorities
of South Carolina which is the only justification
of Major Anderson, you are forced to admit shas
not yet been alleged. Bat you have decided |
You have resolved to hold by force what you have
obtained through our misplaced confidence, and,
by refusing to dsavow the action of Maor Ander-
son, have converted his violation of orders into
! Legitimate act of your Executive authority.
"Be the issue what it may, of this are assured
that if Fort Moultrie has been recorded in history
| as memorial of Carolina gallantry, Fort Sumter
Will live upon the succeeding page as an imper ish-
able testimony of Carolina faith.
"By your course you have probably rendered
civil war inevitable. Be itso. If you choose to
ma will accept it, and relying upon Him who is the
God of Justice well the God of Hosts will |
endeavor to perform the great duty which lies be-
| fore her, hopefully, bravey and thoroughly
'Our mission being one for negotiation and peace,
and your note leaving us without hope of with
drawal Of the troops from Fort Sumter, or of the
restoration of the status quo existing at the time of
our arrival, and intimating, We think, your de-
termination to reinforce the garrison in the harbor
of Charleston, we respectfully inform you that we
purpose returning to Charleston tomorrow after
noon.
owe have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully,
your obedient servants,
ar. W. BARNwELL,1
~. II. ADAMS, Commissioners
"JAMEs L. ORR.
''To his Exceency, the President of the United
States.
The following was the endorsement on the