The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-06-13
WHO BEGAN THE WAR.

A few of our readers at the South
are blaming US for supporting the Unit
ed States government in what they char
acterize its unholy war upon the
South If we know our. own hearts, we
wish to do Justice to all concerned, and
we will simply ask those Of our Southern
readers who feel aysricvcd because we
support the government, "Who began
the war ?" This is an important ques-
tion, and should not be answered except
by referenc, to stubborn facts. We will
state a few, which cannot be denied
During the administration of James Bu-
chanan, the Secretary of war, John B.
Floyd, of Virginia. began the work of
depicting United States arscuals in the
Northern States, and transferred from
single arsenal 10000 muskcts to South
ern arscnals. We have this on the au-
tbority Of Il Richmond paper. These
United States arsenals were seized by
the State authorities, and the guns put
into the hands Of the State militia, in
many instances while those States were
unquestionably in the Union. Large
sums of money were appropriated to am
those States-and for what purpose !?
Will any sane man deny that the object
was to use them against the Federal gov
ernmcnt? If so, let the facts speak for
themselves
In reference to the forts, Joseph Holt,
of Kentucky, Acting Secretary of War,
in his letter to Mr.. Hayne, of South Car
olina, who came to demand the retroccs-
sion of" Fort Sumter to that State, says
on behalf of the Federal government,
" We arc equally opposed to the coercive
policy practised by South Carolina, and,
after reducing the pretensions of the
Federal government to the lowest stand.
ard, We are constrained to hold that the
United States have at least as much
right to be left in the undisturbed occu-
patton OF the property which they law
fully hold, as South Carolina enjoys in
the undisturbed occupation of that which
she holds in contravention of the legal
title vested in the Federal government.
We believe all will acknowledge that,
SO far as the legal title of that fort was
concerned, it was vested in the Federal
government. The next fact which brings
us to the immediate point of war is found
in the correspondence of Gen. Beaure-
gard and Major Anderson. At II o'cpk
p, m April IL, the former addressed the
latter, inquiring "the time at which you
will evacuate Fort Sumter, and agree
that in the meantime you will not use
your guns against us unless ours shall be
employed against you" Major Ander-
son replied at % o'clock on the morning
Of April 18th, that II will, if provided
with the necessary means Of transporta-
tion, evacuate Fort Sumter by noou on
the 18th inst, should not receive, prior
to that time, controlling instructions from
my government, or additional supplies,
and that l will not in the meantime open
my fire upon your forces, unless compell-
ed to do so by some hostile act against
this fort or the flag of my government"
Who began the attack? Is it not fact
that General Beauregard opened fire on
the batteries of Fort Sumter in two hours
after the date of Major Anderson reply?
Who can deny this fact Certainly no
man in his senses. How was this attack
received by the government at Montgom-
cry! Mr.. Davis was not able to answer
the call Of the multitude but his Secre-
tary Of War, l.. Pope Walker, used the
following language -" No man." he
said, "could tell where the war this day
commenced would end but he would
nronhesv that the fac which now Haunts
the breeze here, would float over the
dome Of the old Capitol at Washington
15efore the first Of May. Let them try
Southern chivalry, aud test the extent Of
Southern resources, and it might hoat
eventually over Faneuil Hall itself"
Secretary Walker says the war was
commenced that day, April 18th, aud, Of
course, had reference to the attack on