Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-11

Charleston.
With great personal regard, remain yours,
very respectfully. JAMES BrcnASAS.
To Honorable Robert W. Barnwcl james
Ii. Adams, James l.. Orr
ANOTHER LETTER ro THE PRESIDENT.
WAsurXGToS, D. c., Jan. l, 1861.
SIK:-We have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt OF your letter Of the 30th Decem
Der, in reply to note addressed by us to you
on the 2Sth Of the same month, as Commits
sioners from South Carolina.
In reference 10 the declaration with which
your reply commences. that yoGr position As
President Of tie United States was clearly de.
fined in the message 20 Congress on the Sd in
slant y that Won poSSrsS no power to chungc
the relations heretofore existing between
Sonth Carolina and tic States, ''nuch less 10
acknowledge the independence Of that State,
and that consequently you could meet us only
as private Gentlemen of the highest character,
with m entire willingness TO communicate IL
Congress any proposition We might have to
make We deem il only necessary TO say that
the State Of Scath Carolina having in the cy-
ercise Of that great right Of lfgovernment
which undereS all our political organizations,
declared herself sovereign and independent,
We, rs hrr representatives. felt no special soli-
citudc rs 10 the character in which you might
recognize lis.
Satisfied that the State has simply exercised
her unquestonab'c right, we were prepared in
order to reach substantial good, to waive the
formal consideration which your constitutional
Scrupcs might have prevented you from ex.
tending. We came here, therefore, expecting
TO hc received as you did receive Ms, and per.
(ectly content with that entire willingness, oi
which you assured us. to submit any PROPOSE
ton to Congress- which We might have to make
upon the subject OF the independence Of the
State That willingness WAS ample recognition
Of the condition Of public affairs which rcn.
drrcd our presence necessary. In this position,
however, it is our duty, botE 10 the S;aIr which
wc represent and TO ourselves, 10 correct serc
raj important misconceptions OF our letter into
which you have fallen.
You say ut was my elrnest desire that such
:. disposition should be made Of the whole sub
ject by Congress, who alone possess the power
to prcvcnt the inauguration of civil wal
between the parties in regard to the possession
Of the federal forts in the llarbor Of Charleston
and I therefore deeply regret that, in your
opinion, the events Of the last twenty -four
hours render this impossible =" Wccxprcssct
no SUCH opinion, and the language which yor
quote rs ours is altered in its sense by thu
omission G? II most important part Of the sen
tcncr. What We did say was: But the event:
Of the lust twcntv.fonr hours render such ar
assurance impossible" Place that assurance
as contained in our letter in the sentence, ant
we are prepared to repeat IT,
Again protesting TO quote our language, you
say: "Tl,us. the authorities OF South Carolina
without waiting or asking for any explanation
and doubtless believing, as you have expressed
it, that the officer had acted not only without
but against my orders" &c. expressed NJ
such opinion in reference to the belief Of th'
people Of South Carolina.
The language which YOU have quoted wa.
applied solely and entirely to our assurances
obtained here and based, as YOU well know
upon Your own declaration a declaration
which, at that time, it was impossible for the
authorizes 0l South Carolina 10 have known
But, without following this letter into ali its
details, we propose only 10 meet the chief points
OF the argument.
Some weeks aso tine State Gf South Carolina
declared her intemtion, in the existing condi
tion Of public affairs, 10 secede from ;he United
States. She called II convention Of her people
IL psi: hor darlsrniion in !nra" The cOnvcn.
ton mct anu passed an ordinance OF secession.
Al! This you ticipaled, and your course Of
action was thoroughly considered. In your an
nual message you declared you bad no right
and would not attempt TO cocrce Il seccding
State, but that you were bound by your con.
s,itutional OATH and would defend the property
of the United States within the borders ot
South Carolina, il an attempt was male to
take it BY force.
Seeing very clearly that this question Of pro,
pcrtr was Il difficult and delicate one, you man
ifrstcd y desire to settle it without collision
You did not reinforce the garrison in The har-
Dor Of Charleston You removed 4 distin-
glli>f.d and veteran officer from the command
pr Fort Mcui;rie because iic attempted TO n.
crease his supply OF ammunition. You re-
fused TO send additional troops to the same gar
rlsoil, when applied for l'y the officer appointed
to succeed him. You accepted the resignation
of tnc oldest and most eminent member Of your
Cabinet, rathc: than allow the garrison 10 DC
strengthened You compelled an officer sta
toned at Fort Sumter TO return Immediately 10
the ArScna! forty muskets, which he had tax
rn to arm his men. You expressed, not to one,
but to many Of the most distinguished OF our
public characters, whose testimony will be
placed upon the record, wherever It Is ncccsSa-
rv, vonr anxiety fnr Il l,eaccioTl termination oi
this controversy, and yonr willingness not 70
disturb the military status Ct the forts il com.
miSsinncrs should hc self to the government,
whose communications you promised TO sub
nit to Congress.
Yuu received AMI ac;ci OIL the ASSURANCES
from the highest ciiiciai authorities of South
CaroIina, that 10 attempt would be made to
disturb your POSSESSIONS vI The forts anu pro-
pcrty Of the United States if you would not
disturb their existing condition until the com.
luis issioncrs had hccu sent, and the attempt 10
negotiate had failed You took from the mem
bcrs OF the Ilousc If Representatives written
memorandum that np such nttelEpt should bc
made, provided that no rcinGorctments shall
he sent Into those forts and their relative mill.
iarv status SiIall remain rs at present" And
although you attach TO force 10 The acceptance
of such papr'-"itlrou9h yon considered II
rs nothing more in effect than the promise o!
highly honorable gentlemen, As an obligation
on on" side wiilIunt corresponding o1ll.
cation on the other, il must bc remembered
Uf wc a:e rightly iaforIncd) that you were
,lcged, Il you ever did send rcniorcemcn;S,
10 return it to those from whom YOU had re-
ccivc': !: before you cxccmtcd your resolution.
You Srnt orders to Your officers command.
ing them strictly to fuilow L lire Of conduct in
conformity with Sucf, #': understanding. Be-
sides all this, you had received formal and
official notice from the Governor Of South
Carolina that We lad hcrn appointed commits
sioners, and were on our way 10 Washington.
You knew tie implied condition under which
We came; our arrival was notified to you, and
an hour appointed lor an interview. We ar
rived in Washington CT Wednesday, at three
o'clock. ard yon appointed an interview with
lis at unc the next day Early on that day
Thursday the news was received here OF the
of Major Anderson. That news
was communicated to YOU Immediately, and
you postponed our meeting until haii-paSt Two
% clock OH Friday, in order That you might
consul; your Cabinet. On Friday We saw you
and We called upon yon then to redeem your
r.. ,.,ItlG I,f deny " ltl the