The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-26
80, srJzrRg OF SHIPS At SAVANNAH.
. ,,,,owing is the letter written by Coy.
i 4, ordering the seizure of the New
BToN" AT Savannah. on the 2Ist
ENECtTfNE DEPARTMENT,
E'nh N1xt lkRl

ar,,typasvttLs, Feb. 2Ist, 1861.
nn ,he tlfth day of this month j d.
81 81, TO call out Sufficient military force,
Tt'.' ..iye all ships then IN the hstroor OF "a
and - r.iorging TO 81 tizens of the State of
NanhSn The reasons tor the seizure Were
Ne" tod in the order. Citizens OF this
.H'fn' ali been robbed of their property by
>t'. .',i,rc Of New York, acting under the an
The ~" - that state. | had demanded the
nor ION Of the property to its owners. The
Ien.ncr of that State had given an eNasNe
nV,,' .,ce,,ting TO the form of the demand
"f,Ix telegraph, which clearly eNibced MS
S gen, not TO comply by ordering The re
,{on OF the property. III ia" protection
sl"',. state were not in such case afforded TO
81 '"'tiz.ns IL not only invited further ag
lions upon their rights, but forfeited all
sle,lI,itn TO ;hciT allegiance. l therefore had
J'N'r.ruat;NF left but 10 order TtprlSdIs -
% ~, The laildest remedy provided not only
~, law of nations, but by the law OF ma
Ie ." Tor the redress of grievances between
''.raian States, in the last resort
~ - ,,ya;rI; execution of the order. by the
- Of five vessels owned by citizens of
- work met my highest approval. The
-.,nre WAS made on the morning Of the eighth
ms month. On The evening of that day,
g,''@iIed to the Governor Of New YORK, at Al
- = communication stating the fact of The
,s,zrrp. with the reasons for 1t; and that !
s,nii hold the ships till Justice should be
S'rs he Injured citizens OF this State, by the
,s,nraton OF she property of which they had
,4.u robbed DS the i'tiltc OF tile Guy Oh new
M the night Of the ninth inst, | received
,i..,rgphic dispatch from q. Il. Lamar, OF
NsIr y ork, whom l had appoin ted agent To
...iyp the guns seized by the police, il delIy-
r.d mn hy the authorities, stating that the
ms were then At the command of their own
- and asking me 10 release the ships. AT
.le same time received a dispatch from Mr..
7,hn Boston, the Collector OF III" port of Sa-
r,nDah stating that he had just been inform
h3 nd hapn
delivered up.
Recretling the necessity which compelled
me 10 resort 10 Il means OF redress which
,rbile natural and legal. might interrupt the
commerce between the two States and expose
"a temporary hardship individual citizens Of
New ogk, whose property. under the laws
Of nations. i subject TO seizure for such out
rt-rs COMM tied by the authorities of their
eva STATE though they may disapproye and
condemn them, ! was determined not 10 occu-
pv the position of an aggressor for single
hour SO soon, therefore, rs ! WAS informed
that the authorities of New ork had made
ieparation for the robbery, immediately or
,{sred the release of the vessels. Since that
fjmp directed Mr.. Lamar TO have the guns
shipped TO savannah, that they might be de
hyrrrd 10 their owners. He now informs me
that h. demanded their shipment, and was
informed by the Superintendent of the Police
If New York that h. hrd chnnged his mind,
and that he would not now permit the guns
10 be shipped but that he would order fur
t44r seizures of what he is pleased to call
"cOnlrlband articles
Twelve days have passed since I mailed TO
the Governor of New York the comm unica =
ZION above referred to, and have received no
response from him. He has not only refused
therefore, to order the restoration OF the pro
prrty OF which his police had plundered ouI
citizens, within the limits of his own State
on demand sent by telegraph, but he has
neglected and refused to answer written
communication upon the subject, sent to him
through the regular medium of the mail.
While ! held possession of the vessels
ysled my agent was informed that the guns
were AZ the command of their owners. Acting
upon this assurance, l ordered thu release Of
the vessels ; and my agent is now informed
that the officer i'll posses sion of thu guns has
rhaHged his mind, and that he VIII not now
permit them to be returned to their owners
These facts show very clearly that it Is tht
settled policy OF the authorities OF New iorl
10 subject our commerce 10 Il surveillance
which We cannot with honor submit to, and Il
seize upon our property and plumber our citi
zpns Al their pleasure.
Under these circums tances, / feel that l, 4!
the Executive of Georgia, would prove re
Crcant TO the high trust reposed in me by my
Ielow-citiZens, We're | 10 refuse to protec
their rights against such nnproyoked aggres
sion. by all the means which the laws OF ma
lions, or the Constitution and laws of thi
STATE have placed At my command.
1t therefore becomes my duty again to direc
you to call out such military force as may b
necessary for that purpose, and to renew tn
rtPrisTiS, by the seizure, as soon rs prac tlca
bic, Of vessels in the harbor of Savannah, o
other property in the city, or else where with
IN your reach, belonging 10 the State or to citi
zeiis of New York, a least equal in value I
double the amount of the original seizure
made by you. Eou will hold the property s
sriArd subject to my order and it will be "
ieased when the guns in question, (togethe
with any other property of our citizens whic
has been or may in the meantime be unla y
fully seized by the authorities of New \ ork
are actually shipped from the harbor, and Al
beyond the reach or control Of the police OF tl
city Of New York, or the authorities of tia
State. Respectfully, &c,
JOSEPH T.. BRowH.
Col. Henry Il. JGckSpR, Aid de Camp,
Savannah Ga.