Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-07-12
The Presidents Message
FELLOW CITIZENS OF TIE SENATE AND IloUsF
OF REPRESENTATIVES

Having been convened on an extraordinar,
occasion, as authorized by the Constitution
YOUR attention is not called to any ordinary
subjects of legislation. AT the beginning o
the Presidential term four months ago, th
functions OF the Federal Government wer
found to be generally suspended within tn,
several States Of South Carolina, Georgia
Alabama Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida
excepting only those Of the Post Office De
partment Within these States, all forts
arsenals, dockyardS, custom hous 5, and tht
Ike, including movable and stationary pro
perty in and about them, had been seized
and were held in open hostility to this Gov
eminent, excepting only Forts P kens Taylor
andJ rtlersDnon ano near the Florida coast, and
Fort sSumter in Charleston harb0r, Soutl
Carolina. The forts thus selzeC
had been put in improved condition, new
ones had been built, and armed forces had
been organized and were organizing. all
avowedly with the same hostile purpose
The forts remaining in posses SION of the
Federal Government IN and near those States,
were either besleged or menaced by warlike
preparations and especially Fort Sumter
was nearly surrounded by well pro-
iected hostile batteries with guns
equal in quality to the best of its own.
and outnumbering the latter, prhaps, ten
to one. \ disproportionate share of
Federal muskets and rifles mad somehow
found their way into those States, and had
been seized to be used against the Govern
ment. Aocumulations Of public revenue
lying within them had been seized for the
same object. The navy was scattered to distant
seas, leaving but a very small part OF it within
the immediate reach OF Government. officers Of
the Federal army had resigned in great num-
bers and of those reSigning large proper
ton had taken up arms against the Govern
ment.
simultaneously and in connection with
all this, the purpose to sever the Fed eral
Union was openly avowcd. In accordance
with this purpose an ordinance had been
adopted in each OF these States declaring the
States respectively to be separated from the
National Union 4 formula for instituting
a combined government Of those states had
been promulgated, and this Illegal organHl-
ton IN the character Of the Confederate
States, was already invoking recognition aid.
and Intervention from reign powers.
Finding this condition of things and be-
lieving it to be an imperative duty upon the
incoming Executive TO prevent if possible the
of such an attempt to destroy
the Federal Union, Il choice Of means to
that end became indispensable. This
choice was made and was de-
clarcd in the inaugural address
The policy chosen looked to the exhaustion
Of all peaceable measures before a resort to
any stronger ones. 1t sought only to hold
the public places and property not already
wrested from Government, AMI to collect the
revenue, relying for the rest on time, discus
sion aud the ballot-blX.
1t promised continutHea Of the mails at
expense to the very people who
were resisting the Government, and it gave
repeated pied res against any disturbances t.
any Of the people or any OF THEN right, of all
that which President might constitution
ally and justifably do in such case. Every
thing was iorboruc without which it was be-
lieyed possible TO keep the Government on
foot
On the 9Th of March, the present iucum-
peu.'s frst full day in Office, letter from
Mai. Ande son, commanding at Fort ) UNI
cr, written on the 2oth ol Feb. and received
1t the War Department on the 4th
If March, was placed in his hand,.
rhis letter expressed the prOas-
ionAl opinion Of tho writer thaJ reinforce
ncnts could not be thrown into that fort
yithib time for his relief, rendered necessary
y a limited supply OF provisions, and with
view Of holding possession OF the same,
with force less than OF 20 600 well disci-
llined men. This opinion was concuTed in
" all the officers of his command. and their
on the subject were made en-
losures of Mai. .AuderS0n's letter. The whole /
vas Immediately laid before Lieut.. General |
'c0tt, who at once concurred with Maj. An |
Iers0n in his opinion. Ga reflection, how
ver, he took full time, consulted with Off |
ers both of the Army and Navy, and at the |
md Of four days came reluctantly, but |
decidedly, to the same conclusion as before. |
lie also stated at the same time that no such |
ufiicient force was then at the control OF the |
Government, or could be raised and brought |
@ the ground within the time when provisions |
n the fort would be exhausted. In a purely |
military point Of view, this reduced the duty |
If the Administration in the case, to the |
mere matter of getting the garrison safely |
,ut OF the fort. 1t was believed, however, |
hat to SO abandon that position, under the |
would be utterly rulnous; |
hat the necessity under which it was to be |
lone would not be fully understood that
~ many 1t would be construed as a part OF |
voluntary policy that at home it would
discourage the friends of the Union; en- |
'olden its adyersaries, and 80 far TO ensure |
j the latter a recognition abroad that, IN |
act, 1t would be our national destruction |
onsummated. This could not be allowed. |
starvation was not yet upon the garrison, |
md ere it could be reached Fort PIckens |
NIGHT be reinforced This last would be |
lear indication Of policy, and would |
ndble the country t. accept the cvac- /
Iation of Fort Sumter as military ncces !
itv, An order was at once directed to be !
ent for the landing of troops from the steam.
hip Brooklyn, at Fort PicKcns. This order |
,ould not 90 by land, but must take the |
Onger and surer route by sea. The first !
eturn news from the order was received Just |
me week before the fall of Sumter. The !
lews itself was that the officer commanding |
.hc Sabine, to which vessel the troops had |
)cen transiereI from the Brooklyn, acting |
lpon some quasi armistice OF the late Admin
stration. and of the existence OF which the |
PRESENT Administration, up TO the time the |
rider was dispatched had only too vague and |
uncertain rum 7 to fix attention, had refused |
to land the troops. To reinforce now Fort |
Pickens before crisis would be reached at |
Sumter, was imposslble-rcndered SO by the
near exhaustion of provisions in the latter
named fort In precaution against such
,oniuncture the Government had few days |
before commenced an expedition as well |
adapted as might be to relieve Fort Sumter,
which expedition was intended to be ulu-
natelv used or not according to circum-
stances. The strongest anticipated case for
IL ing it was now presented, and 1t was re-
solved to send it forward as had been in
tended. In this contingency it was also re-
solved to notify tue Governor Of South Caro-
lima that he might expect an attempt would
be made to provision the fort, and II the at
tempt should not be resisted there would be
no attempt t. throw in men, arms or ammU-
milton, without further Lotice, or in case
Of an attack upon the fort. This notice was
accordingly given, whereupon the fort was
attacked, and bombarded to Its fall, without
awaiting the arrival of the provisioning ex-
petition. 1t is thus seen that the assault
upon and reduction of Fort Sumter was in
no sense u matter of self defense on the part