Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-15

and we said that until some satisfactory expla
nation Of these events was given US, we coul'
not proceed; and then, having made thisreques
for explanation, we added: Sand in conclusion
we would urge upon you the immediate with
drawal Of the troops from the harbor Of Charles
ton. Under present circumstances they are q
standing menace, which renders negotiation i'm
possible" &c. "Under present circumstances!
What circumstances7 Why, clearly the occu-
tion of Fort Sumpter and the dismantling Of
Fort Moultrie by Moi Anderson, In the face o.
your pledges, and without explanation or prac
tical disavowal. And there is nothing In the
letter which would, or could have prevented you
from declining to withdraw the troops, and sof
fering the restoration of the status to which
you were pledged, If such had been your
desire. II would have been wiser and
better, In our opinion, to have with
drawn the troops, and this opinion we urged up
on you, but we demanded nothing but such an
explanation ofthe events Of the last twenty. -four
hours as would restore our confidence In the
spirit With which the negotiations ehould be
conducted In relation to this withdrawal oi
tie troops from the harbor, we are compelled,
however, to notice one passage Of your letter
Referring to it, you say; "This cannot do.-
This will not do. Such an idea was never
thought Of by me in any possible contingency.
No allusion to 1t had ever been made in any
communication between myself and any human
being"
In reply 10 this statement we are compelled to
say that your conversation with US left upon our
minds the distinct impression that you did seri-
ously contemplate the withdrawal of the troops
from Charleston harbor. And in support of
this impression, we would add, that we have
the positive assurance Of gentleman Of the
iYh nO1oth Ia nnhl L..
uusullied integrity-men whose name and fame,
secured by long service and patriotic acheve-
ments, place their teatimony beyond cavil, that
such suggestions had been made to and urged up.
on you by them, and had formed the subject Of
more than one earnest discussion with you And
twas this knowledge that induced US 10 urge up.
on you policy which had to recommend It's own
wisdom and the might Of such authority. As to
the second point that the authorities of South
Carolina, instead of asking explanations, and
giving you the opportunity to vindicate your
self, took possession Of ether property Of the
United States, We would observe, /. That even
If this were so, 1t does not avail you for defence,
for the opportunity for decision was afforded
you before those facts occurred. We arrived
in Washington on Wednesday; the news from
Major Anderson reached here early on Thurs
day, and was Immediately communicated to
you. All that day men of the highest consid-
eration-men who had striven successfully to
lift you to your great office-who had been
your tried and true friends through the troubles
of your Administration, sought you and en-
treated you to act-to act at once. They told
you that every hour complicated your position.
They only asked you to give the assurance
that If the facts were so-thst II the com.
mander had acted without and against your
orders, and in violation of your pledges-that
you would restore the status you had pledged
your honor to maintain. You refused to
decide. Your Secretary at War, your imme-
diate and proper adviser in this whole matter
waited anxiously for your decision, until he
felt that delay was becoming dishonor. More
than twelve hours passed, and two Cabinet
meetings had adjourned, before you knew what
the authorities OF South Carolina had done,
and your prompt decision at any moment OF
that time would have avoided the subsequent
complications. But, II you had known the acts
of the authorities Of South Carolina, should
that have prevented your keeping your faith
What was the condition Of things7 For the
last sixty days you have had in Charleston har
Dor not force enough to hold the forts against ar
equal enemy. Two Of them were empty-ont
of these two the most important in the harbor
II could have been taken at any, time. You
| OuBub W kuUW UetbtE Luhu udQ LQaL III would
have been taken, bnt for the efforts Of those
who put their trust in your honor. Believing that
they were threatenedb by Fort Sumter especially,
the people were with difficulty restrained from
securing without blood the possession of this i'm
portant fortress. After many and reiterated as
suranees, given on your behalf, which we can
not believe unauthorized, they determined to
forbear, aud in good faith sent on their Commits.
sioners to negotiate with you. tThoy meant yeu
no harm-wished you no ILL They thought of
you kindly, believed you true, and were willing,
as far as was consistent with duty to spare you
unnecessary and hostile collision. Scarcely had
these Commissioners left than Major Anderson
waged war. No other words will describe his
action. IL was not peaceful change from one
fort TO another; 1t was hostile act in the high.
est sense, and only justified In the presence OF
superior enemy, and in imminent peril. He
abandoned his position, spiked his guns, busned
his gun-csrriages, made preparations for the
destruction Of his post, and Withdrew under GOV.
er Of the night to safer position. This was
war. No man could have believed without
your assurapce) that any officer could have
taken such step, "not only without orders, but
against orders" What the State did was In
simple self-defence; for this act, with all the its
attending circumstance, was as much war az
tringa volley; and war being thus begun, un.
til those commencing lit explained their action
and disavowed their intention, there was no
room for delay; and even at this moment while
we are writing, II Is more than probable, from
the tenor Of your letter, that feinforcemcnts
are hurrying on to the conflict, so that when
the first gun shall be fred there will
have, been on your part, one con.
tguous, consistent series Of actions,
commencing in demonstration essen
tally warlike, supported by regular reinforce
ments and terminating in defeat or victory. -
And all this without the slightest proyocation;
for, among the many things which you have
said, there 10 one thing you cannot say--you
have waited anxiously for news from the seat OF
war, In hopes that delay would furnish some ex
cuse for this precipitation. But this ''tangible
evidence of design to proceed to q hostile act,
on the part Of the authorities of South Caroli-
na,p which is the only justification Of Major
Anderson, you are forced to admit, "has no,
yet been alleged" But you have decided; YOU
have resolved to hold, by force, what you have
obtained through our misplaced confidence, and
lby refusing TO dsavow the action Of Major An
derson, have converted his violation Of ORDER
into legitimate act of your Executive author
Pity. Bethe issue what Ii may, [of this We ARK
assured that, If Fort Moultrie has been recorded
in history as memorial Of Carolina gallsntry
Fort Sumpten will live upon the succeeding page
as an impershable testimony Of Carolina faith
By your course you have probably rendered
civil war inevitable. Be Il 30. II you choos,
j to force this issue upon us, the State of Soutt
Carolina will accept Il, and relying upon Hin
who Is the God of Justice az well as the God O
Hosts, will endeavor to performlthe great tlut,
which lies before her hopefully, bravely AM
thornu ohlv ''fa.sN H. .rf Hta.tt.' ~ OF GItfi.