St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-03-28
THE LAST FRUITS OF TREASON.

Our w aShlnSton correspondent on
Saturday telcgraphed the alarming ill.,
tclligence that Fort Sumpter was near
ly destitute Of provisions, and that
the garrison there must be either inn
mcdiatcly reinforced or withdrawn.
His letter Of to-day gives fuller par
ticulars Of the report. The little
body of gallant men under Major An
dcrson must starvc to death within II
few weeks, or DC rescued from their
pcrllOus condition by the interference
Of the Government. But to reinforce
the fort at this time is said to be near
ly impossible. The defensive work
erected by the South Carolina rebels
on Sullivan and Morris Islands COM
mlnd every access to the harbor, and
a ship Of war could not make its way
to the fort without an awful expcndi-
ture Of life. Whether the Admins
tration will undertake the task with
the limited means which it wiclds at
present, is Il question which the Cabl-
net is now considering.
If it should conclude it worth while
to sustain Major Anderson, it will
doubtless be supported by the sentl-
mcnt of the whole nation. Every
man who respects his country and its
government feels that the evacuation
of the fort, at this time, would be the
deepest humiliation and disgrace. Our
Government is the wretchcdest apollo
w for a Government if it cannot pro-
tcct its own property and enforce its
laws. But if it should be found inn
practicable in the dcmoraIizcd condi-
ton of the military departments and
the finances, to assert the federal su
prcmacy, the blame of the dlshonoN
must fall upon Mr. Buchanan. H'
had it in his power, a few month:
since, when the treachcry of the South
crn politicians was yet IN It's shell, to
crush the viper by a single decisive
step. lie could have reinforced eve
ry southern fort within the space of a
month. Hundreds of men stood ready
in this city to accomplish the work al
weeks notice. But his completely
with the traitors and his imbccility
defeated all action.
In spite Of the urgent recommends
tions of Generals Scott and Wool, ant
of the manly energy of Dix and Holt
he refused to do anything until it was
too late to act with efficiency. lie no
only cvisccratcd the government o
all viwor, but he has pcrpctually dc
ceivcd the people by false reports a
to the state of Fort Sumpter. 1t ha
all along been given out, by the Off
cial organs, that Major Audcrso
needed no reinforcement, that his SUI
; plies of provision and ammunitio
were sufficient, and that his men wcr
in the best of spirits. We contr;
dctcd these reports on the authorlt
of private letters, but the Prcsidcr
has persisted in his folly. The Go,
crnment, indeed, was completely pa
alyzed by his stubborn inaction an
cowardicc.
We do not know that it is yet who
" impossible to save the honor of til
nation the military advisers of Il
Cabinet, who are competent to for
s an opinion, will decide upon tn;
point but we do know that if Maj
Anderson is ordered to beat an ign
minious retreat, the act will produce
general howl of Indignation. No re
American, we care not what his po
tics, will consent to see his nation d
= graded and dishonored, without a v
hcment protest. True it is said tn
the withdrawal of the garrison fro
= Fort Sumptcr will have good etle
!. in the border States that it will q
". prive the sccessionists there of the
no principal means of inhaming the po
'' ular passions but such pleas a
d. both useless and cowardly. The b'
der States do not mean to leave t
nt Union their people have given G
"a. dcncc enough of the fact ; and it
he but poor compliment to their patri
ON ism or their honor to say that tn,
in. adherence can only be purchased
,m sacrifices which involve the lasti
ia disgrace of the Union. Let it be l
M derstood that the Union can only
as saved by vacating the General G'
al ernmcnt Of all its functions, and
hn question will arise whether it is wo
in saving at all.-N. Y Ere. Post.