The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-01-25
VOI 2.
Northern States.

Northern States.
The greatest agoravation Of the evil
and that which would place us in m"sl
unfavorahle light. both before the world
and posteIirv, is. as | am firmly convinced
that the seression movement has been
, chiefly based upon misapprehension at
The South of the sentiments of the ma ior
ily in several # he Northern Sfa'es. Let
the question he transferred from political
assemblies to the bo'lot box. AMI the peo
pie themselves would speedily redress the
eerous grievances which the South have
suffered.
But, in Heavens name, let the trial be
made before We plunge into an armed con-
fIct upon the mere assumption that there
is no other alternative. Time is great
conservative power. Let us pause at the
momentouS point and afford the people OF
both North and South an opportunity for
reflection. Would that South Carolina
had been convinced Of this fact before her
precipirate action | therefore appeal
through you 10 the people Of the country
10 declare in their might that " THE UN-
ION MUST AND stALL BE PRESERVED" by
al Coh-tltHtlOutl means.
| most earnestly Recommend that YOU
devote yourselves exclusively TO the ques-
ton how this can be accomplished in
! peace. All other questions, when com
pared with this, sink into iusignfcance
| he present Is no time for palIaiiun.-
Action, prompt action. is REQ ire. A
/ delay in Congress 10 prescribe and rec
onmend dislinc. and practical PROPOSE
| ton for conciliation, MAY drive US to a
point from which it Will be almost impos
sb'e to lecede. A common ground on
which cancellation and harmony may be
! produced Is not uualtanabIe.
The proposition t" compromise by let
| ting the North have exclusive control Of
all the territory above a certain line. and
giving Southern Institutions protection
| below hat line, ought To receive universal
| appreciation. In itself, indeed il may not
be entirely satisfactory; but when tie al
tentative Is between Il reasonable couces-
sion on both sides and the destruction Of
the Union, 1t is an inputation on the pat
riolism If Congress to assert that it will
| hesitate for a moment.
| Even now, the danger is upon us. In
several States which have not seeded, the
| fpr's, arsenala and magazines Of The Uni.
/ ted States have been seized. This Is hy
Tar the most serious step taken since the
! commencement Of the troubles. This
/ public property has long been left withou:
garrisons aud troops for its protection, be
cause no person doubted lis security uud-
er The flag Of .he country in all the States
of the Union. Besides. our small arms
has scarcely been sufficient to guard our
remote frontiers from Indian incursions.
The seizure Of property, from all appear
anceS. has been purely aggressive, and not
IN resistance TO any attempt 10 coerce
State or States to remain in the Union -
At the beginning of these unhappy tronb
les, | determined that no act of mine
should increase the exciteinan. in either
section Of the country. Ii he pohtIcal
conflict were TO end in civil war, it was
my determined purpo~e NJ, to commence
it. nor even 10 furnish an excuse for it hv
any acr of ibis Gnveynment NJ opini"n
ren,aius unchanged, that justice rs we'll rs
SCUM! policy. requires IL sill 10 seek Il
peaceful soIutron of the questions al issue
between the North and South.
Entertaining this conviction | ref ain.
even from sending relnfnrcemcnls to Major
! Anderson, who commando the forts in
/ Charle>tan harbOr, until an absolute nee
essiry for doing SO should make itself ap
! parent, lest it might urjustIy be regarded
As A menace Of military coercion, and thus
furnish. if not a i,rovora'ion, at least a
I,ret-xt for an outbreak on the part Of
South Carolina.
NJ necessity for these re>info'cements
exist. | was assured, 10y distinguished
and upright gentlemen from South Caro-
lima, that no attack on Major Anderson
WAS intended, but that. on the contrary. it
was the desire of the State authorities, as
much as it was my own, TO avoid the IA,
| tai consequences which must enevitabv
follow military collision. And here
deem it proper to submit, for vour infor-
nation copies Of a communication dated
! the 2Sth of December. 1850. addressed TO
me bv K W. Barnwell. J H. Adams. and
! James l.. Orr, commissioners from South
! Carolina, with accompanying documents.
and copie, Of answer thereto, dated the 3l,t
I OF December.
In further explanation Of Major An
I ,lerson's removal from Fort Mnuluie TO
FoIt Sumter, it is proper to state that af
ter NV answer TO the South Carolina
commissioners the War Department. re
( ceived a letter from that gal ant officer.
dared on The 9th December. 1850, Ohio
day after his movrmenO, :lom which the
I following is an extract:
| viii adj, as my opinion. that MANY
J thur~ convinced me that the authors
'ies of the State. designed 10 proceed 10
n hostile act" (FvilentIy referring 10 the
. orders dated De-. | of rle late Serre'a
r. Of War; "Un,er rl,i~ imprp,sinn |
could not hesitate u A. 4 was my solemn
duty to move nv cnmmand from n fort
Which we could not probably have held
hunger than forty eight or Sky hours to
this one, where my power OF re~is ance Is
increased in very great degree"
II WILDE recollected that the concluding
part Of these orders was in the following
terms !:
: 1.-The snallness Of your force will not
rermi, you, perhaps. TO occupy more than
H. ,1ra. Fnr,s