Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-01-03
PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTS FROM A DEM
OCRATIG OTTARnER

From the albany Atlas and Argus, Saturday, D,c. 90
Why was Fort Moultrie abandoned as if to
an advancing armyP 1t was easy to have held
it, and it seems to us the Nation might have
been spared the humiliation of such a surrens
der. Trio hundred men more could haze jJ1eee,l-
ted any attack and it would have been easy TO
have sent two thousand more to say nothing Of
ships-of-war to sustain them. Major Anderson
had acted nobly in saving his little garrison
from massacre, 6m why ,cere they thus erpoSed2
we repeat, what we said yesterday, and what
we proclaimed long ago, that the duty of the
eoerdt ErecutiUe, IN regard 10 the public prop
cry ana defenses, is a clear and simple one. IL
=, s 70 "otd and defend them so Tong as the United
ototes er'$t as a Government We rcpoat what
we sao wnen THIS danger appeared only small
and distant, that our Government cannot afford
to live under such disgrace as the capture of
its forts by the sacrifice of their garrison. and
still less afford to die under il,
1t is one thing to consent to peaceable sepa-
ration and division of the States-the surrsn-
der of its fortresses and the equitable partition
of public property-and it is another to have
them wrestcd from our weakness and made
part of our humiliation. THE Federal Admin-
ist,dtion can only preserre peace, and keep this
issue from being btoody one, by tiymncSs. a
few such manifestations of weakness as in the
case OF Fourt Moutrc, and successful comp
de main against some unprotected defence of
the Government, and the next thing to be ap-
pretended would be an attempt to seize WASH
ington. To prevent this, to deter the attempt
evcn-which would arouse sectional passions to-
madness-lre iook tcM some hope to the presence
Of LieH, GEN ScoH at the National CGpddl,
and at the right hand of the President, more
than to the iorethought or fidelity Of the Secrc-
tary of War. IT shows upon what evil times VIC
boV fol apIh c, Ia ,1.J
to the condition Of Mexican Republicanism,
that the eyes of the people arc turned to mill
tary chieftains to save us from political anarchy.
But if our Government is to perish, let it
at least fall with dignity. Let it preserve its
consciousness and its equipoise to the last. Let
it he an instrumenaty of peace between the
States. Let its last days be such that the dis
severed States may look back to il with respect
ful and regretful recollections, and its memory
serve to recall conflicting and misgoverned COM
munities to the blessings Of Union. Let IL not
Stdgger hctpteSSty 10 its fall, and die under tie
spuning feet Of q reckless mob.
From the Boston Herald Dec s1l
The movements of the disunionists, and the
completely of Mr. Buchanan with the secession
lists, is the only subject which occupies thep
lie mind. Every day is bringing to light some
new fact to prove the thorough organization of
the Southern league to hasten on a dissolution
of the Union. They have entire control of the
General Government, Mr. Buchanan, and all of
the Departments, and have laid their plans
broad and deep. All of the military posts at
the South, according to reports, are well sup
piled with arms and military stores, with no
men to protect them, so that they can be easily
taken. Mr. Buchanan has refused to comply
with the request Of Major Anderson, to be re-
inforced, and has rejected the advice of Gen.
Cass and Gen, Scott to order more men to the
forts in Charleston harbor. He is becoming in
undated by the indignation which his treason
able conduct is exciting throughout the country,
and is fearful that Congress may impeach him,
aud hesitates before consenting to acquiesce in
the commands of South Carolina to order Major
Anderson back to Fort Moultrie. In conse-
quence ofthis, the telegraph informs us that Gen.
Floyd the Secretary of War has resigned, and
Secretaries Thompson and Thomas threaten
to do the same. What the result will be no
one can now, with certainty, predict, because it
cannot be ascertained how far the Government
is committed to the disunonsts One thing,
however, is evident, that South Carolina would
not have dared to have taken the stand she has
if a man like Gen. Jackson had been Presinent.
Public opinion should be brought to bear upon
Mr.. Buchanan to compel him to retrace his
steps, and not only sustain Major Anderson in
his efforts at self-preservation, but to reinforce
him and send Immediately one or more men-of-
war to hold the nullifiers in check.
The people of the country will never consent
to the wrongs which are being perpetrated by a
wicked and vacilating Administration. Cor
ruption of the foulest kind is practiced in high
places, and the public are sick at heart as one
development after another is made public 1t
is time the public should assemble in their
strength and speak in terms not to be misun-
derstood, and put down fanatics and traitors