The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-01-11
Mr.. Buchanan's Reply to the South
Carolina Commissioners.


.. WASHINGTON CRY, Dec. Both, 1860.
receive your Amunication of 2Sth inst
Of the The y peon Is, Of P Soman
Carolina" authorizing you to treat with
the Government OF the United States
on various important subjects therein
mentioned, and also n copy of the
Ordinance, bearing date on the Goth
instant, declaring that "the Union
now subsisting between South Carolina
and other States, under the name of the
Omitted States of America" is hereby
dissolved.
In answer to this communication. I
have to say, that my position, as Presi-
dent of the United States, was clearly
defined in the Message to Congress on
the Sd inst. In that stated that, "apart
from the execution Of the laws, so far as
this may be practicable, the Executive
has no authority to decide what shall be
the relations between the Federal Gov
eminent and South Carolina. lie has
been invested with no such discretion. =
lie possesses no power to change the re-
lations heretofore existing between them.
much less to acknowledge the independ-
ence of that State. This would be to in
vest mere Executive officer with the
power of recognizing the dissolution of
the Consederacy among our thirty-three
Sovereign States. 1t bears no resemb-
lance to the recognition of a foreign de
.tacto Government involving no such res
possibility. Any attempt to do this
would, on his part, be naked act of
usurpation. 1t is, therefore, my duty to
submit to Congress the whole question in
oil its bearings"
90, Such is my opinion still. could there
fore meet you only as private gentlemen
of the highest character, and was entire.
ly willing to communicate to Congress
any proposition you might have to make
to that body upon the subject. Of this
you were well aware. 1t was my earnest
desire that such disposition might be
made of the whole subject by Congress,
who alone possesses the power, as to pre-
vent the Inauguration of a civil war be.
tween the parties in regard to the posses
sion of the Federal Forts in the harbor
of Charleston; and therefore deeply ra.
greet. that in your opinion "thc events of
the last twenty-iour hours render this
impossible.
In conclusion you urge upon me "the
immediate withdrawal of the troops from
the harbor of Charleston" stating that
''under present circumstances they are a
standing menace which renders negotia-
ton impossible, and as our recent expert
ence shows, threatens speedily to bring to
a bloody issue questions which ought to
be settled with temperance and judg-
ment."
The reason Cor this change in your po-
sition is that since your arrival in Washing
ton, IAN officer of the United States, act
ing as we (you) are assured not only with
OUT, but against your (my) orders, has
dismantled one fort and occupied anoth-
err, thus altering to most important ex-
tent the condition of affairs under which
we (you) came" You also allcge that
you came here "the Representatives of
an authority which could at any time
within the past sixty days have taken
possession of the forts in Charleston har-
Dor, but which, upon pledges given in
manner that we could not (you) doubt,
determined to trust to your (my) honor
rather than to its power"
This brings me to a consideration of
the nature Of those alleged pledges and
in what manner they have been observed.
In my Message of the Sd of December
last, stated, in regard to the property of
the United States in South Carolina, that
it "has been purchased for a fair equiva-
lent by the consent of the Legislature of
the State, for the erection of forts, maya
zines arsenals &C., and over these the
authority to exercise exclusive legisla-
ton, has been expressly granted by the
Constitution to Congress. 1t is not be-
liered that any attempt will be made to
expel the United States from this prop
erty by force; but ifin this should prove
to be mistaken, the officer in command
OF the forts has received orders to act
strictly on the defensive. In such con-
tingency, the responsibility for conse-
quences would rightfully rest upon the
heads of the assailants."
This being the condition of parties, on
Saturday, Sth December, four OF the Rep
resentalivcs from South Carolina called
on me, and requested an interview. We
had an earnest conversation on the sub
.ject OF these forts, and the best means Of
preventing collision between the par
ties, for the purpose of sparing the efiu-
sion of blood. | suggested, for pruden-
tial reasons, that it would be best to put
in writing what they said to me verbally.
They did so accordingly, and on Monday
morning, the 10th inst, three of them
presented to me paper, signed by all
the Representatives from South Carolina
with single exception, of which the fol-
lowing is a copy:
"75 HIS EeceIleaey James Buchanan,
President United States:
In compliance with our statement to
you yesterday, we now express to you
our strong convictions that neither the
constituted authorities nor any body of
the people of the State of South Carroll
ma, will either attack or modest the
United States forts in the harbor of
Charleston previously to the action of the
Convention, and we hope and believe not
until an offer has been made through an
accredited representative to negotiate for
an amicable arrangement of all matters
between the State and the Federal Gov
eminent, provided that no reinforce
ments shall be sent into those forts, and
their relative military status shall re.
main us at present.
JOIN MCQUEEN,
M. l.. BoNHAM,
&c.. ... w. w. BoYcE,
LAURENCE NJ. KEITT.
Washington, 9th December, 1860"
And here | must, in justice to myself
remark that, at the time the paper was
presented to me, objected to the word
"provided," as it might be construed into