The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-01-17

were well aware. 1t was my earnest de-
sire that such disposition might be made
of the whole subject by Congress, who
alone possesses the power, as to prevent
the Inauguration of civil war between
the parties in regord to the possession OF
the Federal forts in the harbor OF Charles
ton; and I therefore deeply regret, that,
in your opinion "the events Of the last
twenty-four hours render this impossible
Iu conclusion you urge upon me "the
immediate Withdrawal of the troops from
the harbor of Charleston" stating that
ssunder present circumstances they are
standing menace which renders negotia-
ton impossible, and as our recent expert
ence show, threatens speedily to bring to
a bloody issue questions which ought to
be settled with temperance and judg
ment."
The reason for this change i'll your po-
sition is that since your arrival in Wash
ington, san officer of the United States,
acting as we (you) are assured not only
without, but against your (my) orders, has
dismantlcd one fort and occupied another,
thus altering to most important extent
the condition of affairs under which we
(you) came" You also allege that You
came here 'the Representatives of an
authority which could at any time within
the past sixty days, have taken possession
of the forts in Charleston harbor, but
which, upon pledges given in 4 manner
that we (you) cannot doubt, determined
to trust to your (my) honor rather that to
itspower.
This brings me to a consideration of the
nature of those alleged pledges, and in
what manner they have been observed In
my Message of the Sd of December last,
stated, in regard to the property of the
United States in South Carolina, that it
''has been purchased for fair equivalent
bv the consent of the Legislature of the
State, for the erection of forts, magazines,
arsenals, &C., and over these the authority
to exercise exclusive legislation, has been
expressly granted by the Constitution to
Congress. 1t is not believed that any at
tempt will be made to expcl e United
States from this property BY ce; but if
in this 7 should prove to mistaken, the
officer in command of the iorts has receiv-
ed orders to act strictly on the defensive
In such contingency, the responsibility
for consequences woulG rightfillly rest
upon the heads of the assailants."
This being the condition Of the parties,
on Saturday, sth December, four of the
Representatives from South Carolina called
on me, and requested an interview. We
had an earnest conversation on the subject
Of these forts, and the beie means of pre-
venting a collision between the parties, for
the purpose of sparing the effi,sion of
blood. Isuggested, for prudentialreasons,
that it would be best to put i'll writing
what they said to me verbally. They did
so accordingly, and on Monday morning,
the 10th instant, three of them presented
to me paper, signed by all the Repre-
sentatives from South Carolina with a sir
gle exception, Of which the following is
copy:
''70 His E,rccuency JctmeS Buchdn0n,
President United StateS.
In compliance with our statement to
you Yesterday, we now express to you
our strong convictions that neither the con-
stituted authorities nor any body Of the
people of the State of South Carolina, will
either attack or molest the United States
forts in the harbor of Charleston previous
" to the action of the Convention, and
we hope and believe not until IN offer has
been made through IN accredited repre-
sentative to negotiate for an anicable ar
rangement of all matters between the
State and the Federal Government, provi-
ded that no reintorscments. shall be sent
into those forts, and their relative military
status shall remain as at present
JOHN MCQUEEN.
L. M. BONHAM.
w. w. BOYCE.
LAURENCE NJ KEITT.
Washington, 9th December, 1850.
And here 1 must, in justice to myself,
remark that, at the time the paper was
presented to me, objected to the word
''provided," as it might be construed into
an agreement on my part which never
would make. They said that nothing was
further from their intention-they did not
so understand it, and | should not SC COIL
slider it. 1t is evident they could enter
into no reciprocal agreement with me on
the subject. They did not profess to have