Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-13
THE RICHMOND WHIG.
THIRD LETTER FROM MR. Russell TO THE LON
DON TINES


One month and one day have elapsed since Mr. Lin
coin and his Cabnes were installed at Washington
Long previous TO their accession to power rather 10
office, the revolution OF the South had assumed The as
pcct OF independent Government. When the new sd
mnistration tried TO direct the horses heads they found
the reins cut and all they could do TO sit
the State coach and take their chance Of falling in soft
place. or OF he fiery steeds coming to standstil from
exhaustion. month ago and the State Treasury was
nearly exhausted; only so ne e37O 900 was for hcomug
to meet demands aud requirements four times as large.
Tie navy scattered u the world at stations by
no means readily accessible the army posted along from
tier lines between which and the Northern States was
nterposed the expanse of the Southern Confederation ;
the officers dsailected TO the Government, at all
events well affected to their individual sovereign States
as to feel indisposed to serve the United Staes the
whole machinery Of government in the hands OF the
revolutionary leaders, every of Federal existence
erased in the South wiped away by acts which, unless
ped away by successful revolt, would be called treas
onabe or by force or sraagem aud only two forts held
the seaboard, weakly garrisoned and unhapply sit
ated with reference to operations OF relief In add
ton to these sources OF weakness came the confusion
| and apprehension caused by divided counselS, yant
Of cohesion the disorders OF violent national con-
test mstIust Of adequate support and, above all, tha
mperious necessities OF the place seekers whose impoT.
acquisitions distracted the attention OF the Gov
ment iron the important business which pre-
semed itself for adjustment. IL wes Cf course neceE-
sary to i'll the posts which occupied by enemies
which could little brook any indifference or reacherons
tendencies the part of s subordnaes But had the
Administration been strong in all respects as any U.
StItes Government could hope TO be- in
reference TO such emergencies the present IL really
could have done little, except prcciptate civil war; IN
which the Border States would have arranged the meyes
by the side OF the Cotton States. ooHsiderab por-
lion Of the North would have been hostile to coercion
and the theories which have been propounded with much
apparent appreciation respecting the actual OF Gov
a-Ii ahn hat
dUttriaes such points are rot at all accepted by
statesmen politicians and juriss in North America.
Without the of lJrciDg all authority which
nany OF it, a1h rents nj most of the Neutral par
ties denied to it, Mr. Lncous adn lastraon finds itself
called upon TO prCpould policy and % proceed t) Wig
orous accn The demand is scarcely reasonable. The
policy oil such suddenly lifted to the mead OF als,
shich they cannot attempt 10 guide must be 10 wait
md watch and their action must be simply tentative,
they have no power put FORTH with moderate hope Of
success any aggressive force.
Be satisied OF this-the United States Government
will give up power possession which it has at pre-
seat got By ils voluntary &C. it will surrender nothing
whateve-. No mltter what repors may appear il the
paper in letters disruss them il they would lead
you to believe ha. NJ. Lincon is preparing either to
abandon what be has now to recover that which he
has not
The United States Government is in an attitude OF pro-
test it cannot strike offensive blow But if any
.ack is made upon it, the Government hopes that will
West such extent that not only reDe the
aggression, but possibly give simulul 20 great
ton in its favor.
On these principles Fort Sumter and Fort PickeLs
beid They claimed federal iortresses TIE Sar5
and Stripes still float them Whatever may be said
to the contrary they will remain there till they
moved BY the action of The Confederate States The
Commissioners Of Mr.. j Jtierson Dayiss government
have to say that il any attempt be made to throw
rnorcements into Fort Pckens unless they receive pre-
/ bTF
faith" From all can learn intention of strength
enirg the fort is present entertained but it may be
doubted if the attempt would hot b. made should aIy
favorable opportunity OF doing so present ITSELF All
'the movements of roops, Of which you will see ac-
counts preparations against-not ior-aggression-
At most they amount TO tie march OF few companies
aud guas various forts, now all but uudtieudid Fort
Washington of which shall have few words to say
hereafter till lately held by very inac, quae lOree.
As m Der OF tie Cabinet said 10 m, 81 could have
taken it last week with ts whiskey' hat potent
lery being applied to the weak deences Of the aged
Irish artilleryman who constituted she garrison"
The formidable military force concentrated in Wash
Dg on, Of which you may read in the American JOUR-
nis consists of about 700 Of all ANS, iaF as
can s, e. and four brass field gGGg. There Is good
deal of drumming, fdng, marcbiug and music going on
daily look and see small band in gray uniform,
A sm; II body of men in sombGe uniforms, varying from
II 10 80 rank and file, armed, however with excellent
res and very large standard pass by, and net slJ
read " az Sucn tuu Sucu phtGIc, ana
attracted much admrso- by tn5ir chi ent and sol.
iiery appearance and the manner in which," &c But
these military companies have no intention oi ighung
for the Government. Their sympathes are quite de-
| termined.
Formdltle as theY you'd he "a skFl-i4hin2 IN the
open countsy they w6g be OF comparatively little use
against regular troops at the outset OF the contest as
they have never learned ao together and do not
piye TO form eyea battaons But their existe indi
Gates the strong military tendencies OF the people, and
the danger Of doing anything that might turn them
against the Government Mr.. Lincoln has y poser .
make war against the South; he Cong Sc alone could
give it to him and te il notiey to bs given, becaue
Congrels vii! not be Assembled before tho usual time
unless under the pressure ot mperious necessity
| Why, then hold these forts at alll Why not give
them upy Why not withdraw the gtrriS0us. strike the
ig and cease keep up useless source Of irritation
in the mids; OF the Snnatrn COniederation2 ihe an.
swer to these questions These ols Federal prop
erty The GoVeTDnent uo,s rot acknowledge the ex-
isten0e of Guy right on tae part OF the people OF the
States 10 seize them appertaning to the individual
States The forts protests against the acts Of
lence to which the Federal authority has yielded ess.
where. They are, moreover, the poi,.te eoIp, small
as they are on which the Federal Government rest
its resistance to tbe cils OF the Southern Coniedera-
uon TO be ac nowedged as 40 independent Republic. IL
they we're surrendered without attack or without the
ence of any pressure arising from the refusal Cf tde
Southern authorities permit them to esappies which
| i AN act OF war; the Of ths unted States Govern
ment would be- hef consider maeria ly weaken h. tiL
he asersed that these oIts have rateeic value il
NAV readily be replied that their political value is very
great But serious these considerations G.ay ne
NAV be thought be, with respect 10 torcgn relations
there are in reference 20 domestic politics sill more
wephty inducements hold hem. The eject produced
| in the korih and Northwest by attack on the
forts while the United States flag is floating them
wovd be as useful the Government at Washington
the effect OF abandoning the ioit or amely endei-
ina them would be hurtiu to them in the tstmlton ol
| the extreme Republicans. desperate attack, lant
defence the shedding OF th blood OF gallant men, whose
duty il was defend that inFdsted ~ their keeping aud
who welded only IL nuniber5the Outrage Oh the UHt-d
Statess lag-would create an excitement la the Union
which the South with all lis determination aud courage
il unwilling to provoke, but which the Goverment woulI
be forced to il its serva. Slch an event must
Lead TO WAR; very terrible and mercess and both
pqres pause before they resort to that court OF
Unless the Border States Jin the South, Mr. jefferson
Davis could scarcely hope carry ont the grand projects
which are attributed to hls military genius Of marching
northwer,s aud debating terms their soil TO
the Republicans He could scarcely venture TO leave
The negro population unguarded in his rear and hi.
aanks menaced by the sea.borne NOEtAarneTs one
side and By such operations Gs the watersheds sig
nifcantly indicate On the other IL is idle to specu-
late on the incidents of that which may occur
and which occurring, may assume the in=guiRc mt
| aspect of border skirmshes the tremendous pro-
portions of of and cgeeds intensified by the
worst elements of servle and civil coniict The Gov
ernmep of Mr. Lincoln hope and believe that the con-
test NAV be averted The Commissioners OF the Sou,h
are inclined to think also, there will be peaceful sou-
ou-obtaned, OF course by full concession and recog-
nitiop But inaction cannot las. the part OF the