Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-23
Ex-secretary Thompson's Reply TO Ex'
Secretary Holt.


Hon. jacob Thompson, Secretary Of the In.
terror under the last Administration, las writ.
ten a replT 10 the letter Of cz Secretary Holt,
which We published at the time it vas written.
". make Ole or TWO extracts:
OXFORD, (Miss.,) Marcel. II, 1861.
IL the Eli:oss at the National Mteltiycncer i:
In your issue Of March the 9TH li1J let
Ter Of Hon joseph Holt, dated March 5,!i,
which was read by me with Some surprise, as
have heretofore regarded hiai as an honora.
Ole man.
On tac ID and 4th Of Jauuary ultrno, in re-
ply To intcr:ogaioiies from Judge LouSstrcet,
oi South Carolina, 4 devoted Christian and a
man Of peace, tclegrapked to him no re in
forcementS had been ordered TO For; Sumter,
and, in my opinion. none would be sent if the
authorities Of that State would refrain from al
at:ack on The fort Judge Longslreet there.
upon addressed written appeal 10 the Gov
crnor aad those officially associated with
him, basing his argument On this informa-
tion, 10 withhold the frs: blow 1t had it's ctfcc!
no attack was made On the morning OF the SLn
the "CGnstitution" newspaper contained i tel.
cgraP..lic da%plich irofn New York that the
Star Of The West had sailed from that
port with lmo huadred and fifty soldiers on
on board, bound for Fort Sumter. This was
the very first iulimation had received from
any quarter that additional troops bad been
ordered or sent This information to me WAS
not 'ollicia! ! it WAS iact conveyed win cleo
trio speed ,o every par: ut the Coniederscy,
kno~n 10 be true by every well Informed man
in the city Of Washington Us soon aa Known
by Inc. While engaged in writing my rcsigna.
ton in the presence OF Judge Black, then Sec
reiary Of State, despatch was received from
Judge L1ngstreet. making inquiry Is 20 the
Sa:Iiag OF tue Star Of the West with addition.
al troops. Honor, truth, Justice TO myself
ard Judge Lcngstreet, required Of me tue reply
made, that the Star Of Tie West Lad sailed
with reriprceiIenlS, and ought lhcn 10 bc in
Charleston.
make this statement for the reader, not for
Mr. lIcit; because Mr. Holt knew when he
asserted that /, ''whlle yet member Of the
Cab!net. disclosed TO those in open TeJsHioh
"yainst tie Cntted States, information which
had derived from my official position, and
which ] held under the seals Of Il confluence
that, from the beginning Of our history as
nation. had rot Lecn violated" lie uttered
vic iaIschood and calulnny
,ir Holt concludes his remarkable coninu.
nica,ion by an appeal 70 the sympathy Of the
Union ricu Of the South. lie has forfeited a.!
claim 10 their consideration, and they will 10;
extend to him their confidence. He has waxei
tat on their kin'iaess and patronage, 1t is true,
or. they Will reject his approaches with dis.
tlain, VIXEN he informs them That in adhcring
TO their respective Ststcs they are in
open rebellion. They held this is It
liogcrnmt.lt OF consent, ard cannot be
kept together by his sovereign remedy Of pow
der ana bali. They hold tic States are sepa-
rate and independent parties 10 the compact
which formed the General Government; that
each State has the right to assert her indepen-
,lcnce whenever The safety Of her people re-
Qures it, and IN doing SO neither commits re-
D.lCn nor treason, as she owes no allegiance
10 Tie General Government US her sovereign !;
ard tiat therefore the citizen, in adherius to
his State AID yielding obedience TO her com
naads, is neither L rebel nor traitor. We
Ill know that it military force is used 10 sub
usate the seceded States, the question Of Afri-
can slavery IS at once subolina;cd 10 the higher
anI greater oaa Of making s!=Ves of white
men.
sir. uol; fu.thcr snys he is denounced
throughout tie South simply and solsly be-
cs;is. while in Office he reused 10 biackcn
bis soal with perjury" No,r, if this be true,
the South is wrong; but wrat will they think
Of Tin when ON the very day he became & pri.
vate citizen re consented 10 strike ut the best
friend !:e ever had, in perfect disregard Of
God's nigh command 'tnat thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighn0r.'
J. THOMPSON.