The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1861-05-11


- - ID nj wsvs over the battered
vanD sstil alles NE appearance Of The
hoetils Arst u Charleston.
Fortunately not life We lost on 'anr
eide, and wc were grst'Sed ." being Pro
parrd. The necessity u useless emu.
sion Of blood BY the prudent caution OF
The oflccrs who commanded the feet in
abstaining from the evidently futile effort
10 enter tho harbor for the relief OF Maj
Anderson, was spared
refer 10 the report of the Secretary OF
War, ard the papers accompanying II, Tor
further particulars Of this brilliant affair
In this connection ] cannot refrain
from A well deserved tribute 10 the noble
State. the eminent soldierly qualities Of
whose people were conspicuously dis
played. The people Of Charleston for
months had been irritated by TIE spec
taclc Of fortress held within their pfinci.
nal harbor as a standing menace against
their peace and independence--bnilt in
part with their own money--iis custody
coniided with their long consent to an
agent who held no power over them
other than such as they lad themselves
delegated for their own benefit, intended
10 be used by that agent for their own
protection sgninst foreign attack. How
il was held out with persistent tenacity
as a means Of offence against them by
the very Government which they had es-
,ablishcd for their own protection, is
well known They bad bclcaguered 1t
for months. and felt entire confidence in
their power TO cap,nrc il, yet yielded TO
the requirements Of discipline, curoed
their impatiencc, submitted without
complaint to the unaccustomed hardshlps,
lators and privations Of protractcd
siege, and when at length their patience
WAS relieved by the signal Of attack
and success had crowned their steady
and gallant conduct, eva in the very
moment Of triumph, they cvincod ehiv-
alrous regard for tho feelings Of the
brave but unfortunate officer who had
been compelled TO lower his flag
All manifestations Of Civilizations were
checked in his presence. Their CON
handing General, with their cordial APP
proval and the consent Of his Govern
mcut, rcfrainod from imposing any terms
that would wound the sensibility Of the
commander Of the fort. lie was permit
ted to retire with the honors Of war, to
salute his flag. TO depart freely with all
his command. aud was escorted 20 the
vessel on which he embarked with the
highest marks Of respect from those
against whom his guns had so recently
been directed.
Not only does every event connected
with the siege reflect the highest honor
on South Carolina, but tho iorhearancc
Of her people and Of this Government,
from making any harangne Of victory
obtained under circumstances OF such pc
cular provocation, attest to the fullest
extent the absence of any purpose
beyond securing their own tranquility,
and the sincere desire to avoid the ca
lamities Of war.
Scarcely had the President Of the United
States received intelligence OF the fail
urc of the scheme which he had devised
for the reinforcement Of Fort Sumter,
when he issued the declaration Of war
against this Confcderacy, which has
prompted me to convoke you. In this
extraordinary production, that high
functonary affects total ignorance OF the
existence Of an independent Government,
siss.ic devotion Of liz people, is exercis
ing It's functions without question over
seven sovcreing States-~ovcr more than
five millions Of pcople--and over terri.
tory whose area exceeds five hundred
thousand square miles.
lie terms sovereign States combins
tons too powerful To be suppressed III
the ordinary course OF judicial proceed
ings or by the powers vested in the mar
shals by law
lie calls for an army Of scventy-iive
thousand men TO act IN the posse com
itatus in aid Of tho process Of the courts
of justice in States where no courts exist
whose mandates and DEGREES are not
cheerfully obeyed aud respected by a
willing people
He avows that tho first service 10 be
assigned to tho forces which have been
called ont will not he to execute the pro
cess nf courts, hut to capture forts and
strongholda. situated within the admitted
limits Of this Conieacracy. and garrison
ed by its troops and declares that this
effort ia intended to maintain the perpe-
tuisy of popular Government.
He concludes by commanding the per.
sons composing the combinations
aforesaid, to-wit the five millions of in
habiants Of these States, TO retire peace.
ably to their respective abodes within
twenty days
Apparently contradictory az are the
terms Of this singular document, one
point was unmstakabl evident. The
President Of the United States calls fer
Al army Of 10000 men, whose first ser.
vice was TO capture our forts. II was a
plain declaration Of war which was
not at liberty to disregard. because of
my knowledge that under the const,u.
ton OF the United States the President
was usurping power granted exclusive.
" TO the Congress.
He is the sole organ Of communication
between that country and foreign pow.
crs The law Of nations did not permit
me TO question the authority Of the Xix.
ecutlvc of n foreign nation to declare
war against this confedcracy. Although
] might have refrained from taking ac.
tive measures for onr defence, If the
States Of the Union had all initiated the
action Of Virginia, North Carolina, Ar
kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mis-.
souri,. by denouncing it as an unconstitu.
tional usurpation Of power to which they
refuse to respond, was not at liberty to
disregard the fact that many Of the
States seemed quite content to submit 10