Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1861-07-17
,slises.s Of The Ssnats

II b.
fsssosc- citizens of the Senate
| Gad Hossss Of Rsp rsseasGtspss
Having been conveyed % al sxsraordi
nary oecasions ~ authorized BY the Con
ssItusiaa yonr assentioa ID not called 4,
any ordinary suliecs OF gagislatioa at ID.
beginning Of the present Prssideasis
term. - -t
Four months ago the fanrtions Of III.
Federal inyxnnsanf we're found TO be
gsnerslly suspended within the ssyeraI
States Of South Carolina, Georgia. Ala
baaaa, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida,
excepting oniy those OF the Post ofhcs
Department within thasa Statas. Ths
forts, arsenals, docks, barbara, Custom
Houses, and the like, intending The move.
able and stationery property III and about
thsxn had been seized, and weSr held. in
open hostility 10 ths Goxernaaenk, except
ing oaly Forts pickens, Taylor and Jsasr-
son, on and near the Florida coast, and
Fort Sumter, in Chari eston harbor, 8. g.
The ferts thus seaxed had been put I'm q
defensive c0ndiiion, new osaes had been
built, and armed fornes had been orxaui-
xed and were orgasixing, all ayowedly
with some hostile purpose the forts re-
manning IN the possession of she Federal
Government in aad aaax thsse SsaGes we're
aither beseiged or menaeed by waxlike
greperations, and especially Fort Sumter
was nearly surrounded BY wei protected
hostile batteries, with guns sqsal In quail
ity to ahe bsss ofits own, and sataaabsr-
ing she latter % perhaps ten to one
share af the Federal
muskess and rifaa had somehow found
their way into these States, and had been
ssixsd tebe used against the GavTnmsns;
aoeumaiatipns Of the public rsysaue "
ing within taeR had been saized for the
same object; the navy was scattered in
distant seas, leaving but veFy small part
within the immediate use Of the Govarn-
nsnt !; the oaaeeEs of the Federal array
and navy had resigned in great aumbers
and OF those resigning, q large proportion
had taken up arms against the Govern
nsnt simultaneously, and in aonneesion
with all these the purpose 30 sever the
Federal Union was openly ayowed. In
accordance with ibis purpose an ordinance
had been adopted in each of these States,
declaring the States respeesi1ely 10 be
from the Naticnal Union, and a
formula for combining and instituting
combined Government Of these States
had been promulgated, and shia illegal
in the character of Confsd-
crate States was already invoking racog-
nition from from foreign powers. Find
ing this condition Of things, and believ-
ing ii TO be the imperative dusy upon the
Inooming Executive to prevent, if possi-
Die, the consammation Of su@k attempt to
destroy the Federal Union, q choice of
means 10 that end became indispensable.
This choice was made and declared in the
inaugural address. The poliey chosen
0oked to the exhaustion OF all peaceful
measures before . resort 10 any stronger
onss Il sought not only to hold the pub
ic pieces and property NOS airsady wrssf-
ID from the Government, and to collect
he revenue, relying for the rest On time,
discussion and the ballot box. IL prom
SEED continuance of the mails at Gov
ernneut expense to the very people who
~ars resisting the GoyarnEnant, and it |
gave repeated pledges against any distgE- !
oanes 70 any Of the people or any Of their |
rights Of all that which President might
and iustihably do in such |
= case. Everything was forbdrne without
whieh it was believed possible 70 keep
he Government on foot. On the 5sh Of
March, the present ineumbsAt's arst Full |
lay in Office, letter OF Major Andersen,
at Fort Sumter, written on
he 28th day of February, and reoeiyad ss |
he War Department on the 4th OF March, /
was by that Department placed In his |
aands. This letter expressed the profes-
Jional opinion of the wriaer, that rsin- |
loEcements could not be thrown into that |
tort within the time for his relief render
sd necessary By the limited supply OF pro-
rigions and with q view oil holdsng pos-
session of the same, with forse IL less |
han q, 900 good and veil disciplined |
men. This opinion was conclsrfed in by |
Ill the officers Of bis command and their |
neneraBdo on she subjees were made in |
closures OF Maj. Anderson'a letter. The
Thole waa Immediately Laid before Lieut.. |
General Scott, who ut once concurrsd |
With Mai. Anderson's opEnIon. On re-
secsi0A, he1svea, be took full time and |
with other oikcaan, both of |
he army and navys and as the end Of four |
lays eaIna reluctantly bat decidedly 10 |
he same eoncausior "a before. He also
stated af the same tisne, thas such suiA
,fent force was not at the control Of the
Government, Or eo1ld be raised and |
Drought 20 she ground withdn the time, |
when ths provisions In the fok4 wonla be