The hydraulic press., 1861-04-06
Evacuation of Fort sumter.

Evacuation of Fort Sumter.
The first impulse of the Union man and
patriot after perusing the recent Pony news
announcing determination on the part of
Mr. Lincolns administration to withdraw the
troops from Fort Sumter, would be to de-
nounce it as an act of imbecility and cow
pardice. Such were our feelings, until we
had read the news in detail and ascertained
the causes assigned for SO strange pro-
ceeding 1T appears that Gen. Scott assumes
the responsibility of the act, and pronounces
it a military necessity. 1t is very plansibly
and we think justly argued, that the neglect
of Mr.. Buchanan to send Major Anderson
provisions and reinforcements, rendered this
step unavoidable. His supply Of the former
is about exhausted, and his-force is manifest
ly inadequate to the defeace' of the garrison.
For this humiiiating state of affairs Mr.. Lin
coin is fnotlin the slightest degree response
BILE. However much he might desire to
retain Fort Sumter, it would be moralim-
possibility, in the brief time allowed him, to
collect together squadron and men in suffi-
cient number .to'unaertake the enterprise
In addition to the vessels and marines, it
would require an army of at least ten thous-
and men to effect debarkation, and falling
upon the Carolinians in the rear drive them
from the land batteries with which they hope
to do such terrible execution against hostile
ships entering Charleston harbor.
Further, the opinion has lately gained
credence, thatif formidable attack should
now be made upon Fort Sumter, Major An
derson would not undertake to defend it,
To do so would merely be to sacrifice USE
lessly the lives of a little band of brave men,
deserted by their Government and delivered
over to slaughter. In our view of the case
neither his courage nor his honor would be
compromised by such course. When men
make martyrs of themselves, tits generally
for some good which is expected to follow
In this instance it would only be to render
infamous in the minds of all right thinking
people throughout the world, the Govern
ment which had basely doomed them to
such fate.
The evacuation of Fort Sumter would pro-
duce a better state of feeling in the Border
States. 1t would prove to them that the
Republican administration which they have
affected to regard with horror, as created
especially to make war upon their cherished
institution, is far from being actuated by any
such motive= that, 'on the contrary, it is de-
termined ito be ooncillatory so far as a point
of honor will admit; that coercion is the
last means to which it is willing to resort ::
and it would also be a damper on that con-
suming flame of treason which burns in fhe
hearts of the seeding traitors, causing it to
be turned inward upon their own yitals, in
stead of fiaring out with luminous glow,
to light up other fires Of sympathy for a
cause which is accurst in the sight of Heav-
en-, and would be infamous even in the black
dominlons Of helll
With the information before us, then, we
are not disposed to censure Ms.. Lincoln's
administration for resolving upon the evac-
uation of Fort Sumter. When we do con-
denim it, it must be for some offense it has
committed, and the onous of which attaches
directly to its skirts-not for the dastardly,
cowardly, imbecile conduct of the Old Gran
ny who preceded Mr.. Lincoln as occupant of
the Presidential chair.