Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-07-12
MESSAGE OF THE PRECEDENT,

Deuered at the Extraordinary Session. July 4A 1S61
Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives
Having been convened IN extraordinary
session, rs authorized by the Constitution,
your attention Is not called 10 any ordinary
subject of Legislation.
Al the beginning of the present Presidential
term, four months ago, the f.nctions OF the
Federal Government wee found TO be gene
rally suspended within the several STATES OF
South Caroline. Georgia. Alabama. Missis
sippi. Louisiana aud Florida, excepting those
only of the Post Office Department.
Within these States all the forts, arscnals
dock wards Custom houses. etc. including all
the movable and stationary property in and
about them, bad been seized and held in open
hostility 10 TIN, government. excepting only
Forts PickenS Tay lor and jefferson, on and
near the Florida coast and Fort Sumptcr, IN
Charleston Harbor. The forts thus seized had
been put 10 Improved condition, new ones had
been built, auI armed forces had been organ
ized and were organizing. all avowe,!iy for the
same hostile purposes The foris remaining
In the Federal possession IN and near those
States were either be>Ieged or menaced with
warlike preparations, especially Fort Sumpter.
which was nearly surrounded by we'll pro-
tected hostile batteries, with guns equal in
quality to the best of It's own, and outnum-
dIsproportionate share OF the Federal
muskets aud rifles had somehow found their
way into these States and bad been seized to
be used against the governments accumuIa-
tIous OF the public revenue lying within them
had been seized for the same object The
navy was scattered in distant seas, leaving bat
a very small part of 1t within the Immediate
reach of the government. Officers of the
Federal army had resigned in great numbers
and Of those resigned a great portion had
taken Up arms against the government.
simultaneously, and IN connectIou with all
this, the purpose 10 sever the Federal Union
was openly avoNcd. Ia accordance with this
purpose. an ordinance had been reported IN
each OF these States. declaring the States
respectively to be separated from the Federal
Union. The formula for m9tItutiug COM
biued government for these States had been
promulgated. and this illegal organization, IN
the character OF the "Contcderate States,' was
already asking recognition, and, and inter
vention, from foreign powers.
Finding that condition of things. and be
hevIng II 10 be an imperative duty upon the
incoming Executive TO prevent. II possible, TIE
conSummatIon OF such attempts 10 destroy the
Federal I mon. choice Of TWO things 10 that
end became Iudi> >pcusahic. Thus choice was
made, and was declared IN the Inaugural
address. The policy chosen looked 10 the
resort to any stronger ones 1t -. ght only L.
hold the public places and property not al
ready wrested from the government, and 10
collect the revenue. relying for the rest on
time. discussion, and the ballot box. / prom
Ised the continuance OF the mails at govern
ments expense 10 the very people who were
resisting the government, aud gave repeated
pledge, against any disturbance Of any of the
people, or any OF their rights OF all that
which President might conorItut;onally and
justtiahly do III such q case, every thing was
toreborue without which It was believed pos
sIble 10 keep the government on foot.
On The fifth ot March, the present iucum-
beut', first tall day ~ office letter from
/ MaIorA uder>on. commanding at Fort Sumpter,
/ written on the 2Sth of February. atd received
1T the War Department ON shc 4th Of March,
vas 10y that Department placed IN his hands.
Tins letter expressed the professional opinion
of the writer that rcIuiorccment, could not he
thrown into that tort IN time for his relief.
rendered necessary 10y the limited supply ot
provisions. and with a view OF hnidIuG po~seSS-
Iou uf the same. Nth :, force ul less thau 20 600
we'll disciplined men. This opinion Was con-
Cured ia by all lie officers oi hIs command
and their memoranda on the subject were
made enclosures ut Major Anderson letter.
Tie whole WAS Immediately laid before Gen.
Scott, who AT once cuucurrrd with Major
4 Anderson IN tiN tftCi>iOH. bH TeUSfllbn, Io~
ever. lie took tuIi time IN consulting with other
officers ot both lhe army and navy. sud, ut IL Z
end Of four DAYS, came reluctantly tut deCi-
drdly 10 the same conclusion ns before be
also stated, al the same time, that 40 sutiicieu.
force was then at the control of the govern
mcut, or could be ra.scd and brought Ia the
ground within ;he time when The provisions
ID the fort would bc exhausted
In purely military point of view. this re-
strIcted the administration To the mere natter
81 getting the garrison safely out "l the fort.
II was believed. however. that Ia 80 abnuduu
that situation under the circumstance. would
be utterly ruiuou> that the necessity under
winch It 10 hc done would not be under
stood that by many it would be construed Is,
part of . voluntary policy th.t At home II
would discourage the friends IT the Union
e,ubo'deu it> adver>ares. aud 20 FAR 10 insure
tile latter q recognition abroad and shat. IL
tact. II would he our national de.truclIon
This could not br allowed. Starvation wa
not Vet upon tie garrison, and ere II would bt
reached, Fort PIckeus might t,e reinforced
lev aud wuuld better enable tbs country t,
accept the evacuation OF Fort Suinptcr a.
MILITARY necessity then.
An order was at once directed 70 be sent fo
the landing OF tie troops from ,he steam shi
Brouklyu INFO Fort PIckelsS. THIS orafer cnulC
not % ~ laud. but must take The -l"u er al,C
~u.er route by sea. The first return news from
tie ORDER was received Just one week befnr,
the iall Of Sumpier. The news itself wa
that the officer commanding the Sabine. t'
which vessel the troops had been ;raaaferreC
from the Brooklyn acting upon some quasi