Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-05-11

previous month, from whichit appears that,
during the whole interval whilst tho Com.
missioners wcrc receiving assurances, calcula-
ted to inspire hope of the success of their
mission, the Secretary of State and the Pres
ident Of the United States had already deter
mined to hold no intercourse with them
whatever; to refuse even to listen to any
proposals they had to make, and had proftcd
by the delay created by their own assurances,
III order to prepare secretly the means for
effective hostile operations.
That these assurances were given, has been
virtually confessed by the Government of the
United States by its sending n messenger to
Charleston, to give notice of its purpose to
use force, if opposed in its intention Of sup,
plying Fort Sumter. No more striking proof
of the absence Of good faith in tho conduct Of
the Government of the United States towards
the Confcderacy can be required than is con-
tancd in the circumstances which accompa-
MED this notice According to the usual
course of navigation, the vessels composing
the expedition designed for the relief of Fort
Sumter, might be expected to reach Charles
ton harbor on the 9th of April; yet, with our
Commissioners actually in Washington, de-
taioed under assurances that notice should be
given of any military movement, the notice
was not addressed to tcn,, but messenger
was sent to Charleston to give the notice to
the Governor of South Carolina, and the no.
ticc was SO given ut late hour on tho 9Th of
April, the eve of the very day on which the
fleet might be expected to arrive That this
man"uvrc failed in its purpose was not the
fault of those who contriyed it.
A heavy tempest delayed the arrival of The
expedition, and gave time to the commander
Of cofG bo, l.
the instructions of this Government Even
contc,nptuous refusal to listen to our Commits
sioncrs, and the tortuous course of the Gov
ernmcnt of the United States, was sincerely
anxious to avoid the cffusion of blood, and d.
rectcd proposal to be made to the command
cr of Fort Sumter, who had a, owed himself to
be nearly out Of provisions, that we would
abstain from directing our fire on Fort Sum.
ter if he would promise not to open fire on our
forces unless first attacked. This proposal
was refused, and the conclusion was reached
that the design of the United States was to
place the bcsicging force at Charleston be-
tween the simultaneous fire of the fleet and
fort There remained, therefore, no alterna-
tive but to direct that tho fort should at once
be reduced q
This order was executed by General Beau
regard, with the skill and success which were
naturally to be expected from the well known
character of that gallant ofiiccrj and although
the bombardment lasted but thirty-three
hours, our flag did not wave over its battered
walls, until after the appearance of the hostile
feet off Charleston. Fortunately, not life
was lost on our side, and we were grotificd in
being spared the necessity of useless cffusion
ofblood by the prudent caution Of the officers
who commanded the fleet, in abstaining from
the evidently futile effort to enter the harbor
for the relief of Major Anderson I refer to
the report of the Secretary of War and the
papers which accompany it for details of this
brlli.nt affair @
In this connection cannot refrain from a
we'll deserved tribute to the noble State, the
eminent sodierly qualities of whose people
were so conspionously displayed in the port
of Charleston. For mouths they had been
irritatcd by the spectacle of fortress held
within their principal harbor,. as standing
menace against their peace and independence
Rnilt in part with their own money, and its
custody :oomaasl with their own consent to an
agent who held no power over thcm other than
such MS they had themselves delegated for
their own benefit, intended to be used bythat
agent for their own protection against foreign
attack, they saw it held with persistent tenac-
ity MS means Of offeuce against them by the
very Government Which they had established
for, their protection. They had beleagurcd it
for ,months--felt entire confidence of their
own power to capture it-yct, yielded to the
requirements of discipline, cYrhed their impa-
ticncc, submitted without complaint to the
unaccustomcd hardships, labors and privations
OF protractcd siege; and when at length
their patience was rewarded by the signal for
attack, and success had crowned their steady
and gallant conduct-cven in.the very mo-
ment of triumph--they ,eyiuced a. chivalrous
regard for the feelings of the brave but nnfor-
tunato officer who had been compelled to lowe,
his fn3.. All manifestations of exultation
were checked IN his presence. . y
Their commanding General, with their cor
dial ars'roval and the consent Of his Govern:
nlcnt, rcfrained from imposing any terms that
could wound the sensibilities Of tho command,
cr Of. the fort He was permitted to retire
with the honors of war--to salute his flag, t.
depart freely with all his Command, and was
escorted toSthe vessel in which he embarked,
with.tle highest marks of respect from those
against whom his guns had been 30 feoontly
directed Not only docs every event connect.
ed. with the siege reflect the Highest honor on
South Carolina, but tho forbeasance Of her
people and Of. this G ovcrnnlcnt from making
any. harsh use of.a,victory obtained nnder;oir,
cumstanccs Of such peculiar proveoation, at.
test tosthe fullest cxtcIt the absence of any
purpo ose:beyona securing their own trauTiili,