The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-04

! th@y onciaiiy addressed the Secretary of
| state, informing him of the purposes of their
/ arrival, and stating in the language of their
| Instructions their wish Ito make TO the Gov
| eminent OF the United States oyertures for the
opening OF negotiations. assuring the Govern
| Inen' OF the United States that the President
Congress and people OF the Confederate States
| earnestly desfrs a peaceful solution of these
great Questions; that it is neither their in
| terest nor their wish to make any demand
| which Is not founded on strictest iustic nor
| DO any act TO injure their late contedsrates" -
| 10 tnis communication no formal reply was
| received untit the sth April. During the in
| tervai the Commissioners had consented %
! waive all ques tions OF form. With the 1irn;
| fcsoiEe 10 avoid war, If possible, they went
40 lar, even, as TO hold, during that long pc
riod, unofficial intercourse, through an int ter
| medlary, whose high position aud character
inspired the hope of snccess. and through
whom constant assurances were received from
| the Government of the United States OF peaCa-
ful IN tentlons, OF the deter mi ma ton to evacU-
ate Fort sum ter and further, that m-as-
| ure, changing the existing stdtus prejudicially
| 10 the Confederate States, especially at Fort
Plckens, was in contem piation, but that in
| tue event of any change of Intention on the
| subject, notice would be given to the Com
| InasioneTs. The crooked paths OF diplomacy
can scarcely furnish IN example 80 wanting
in courtes in candor, and directness, was
the course of the United States Government
| towards our Cofnni iOners III Washing ton -
For proof of this refer TO the annexed locu-
| ments marked -, taken in connection with
further facts, which l now proceed 10 relate
| Early In april the attention Of the whole
country, as well as that OF our Commission
eTs, was attracted TO extraordinary prepara-
tiCHs for an extensive military and naval ex-
pedition ia New York aud other North
ern ports. These preparations commenced in
secrecy, for an expedition whose destination
| was concealed, only became known when
! nearly completed, and On the 5th 6th and IN
OF April, trane ports and vessels OF war, with
| troops, munitions and military supplies, sail
ed from Northern ports bound South wards.
| Alarmed by so soextrdordiuary demonstra ton,
the Commissioners equested the delivery of
an answer TO their official communication OF
| the 18th Of March, and thereupon received.
| on the oth April, reply dated on the 18th OF
| the previous month, from which 1t appears
| that, daring the whole interval, whist the
Commissioners were receiving assurances cal
| cuiated to inspire hope of the success of their
mission the Secretary of State and the Presi-
dent OF the United States had already de- ter
mined to hold no intercourse with them what
ever; 10 refuse even 10 listen TO any propos iis
they had to make, and had profitted by the
| delay created by their own assurances, in or
| der to prepare secretly the means for elective
| hostile operations.
| That these assurances were given has been
| virtually confessed by the Government of the
| United States, by its sendlng IL messenger TO
Charleston, 10 gave notice OF its purpose 10 use
| force, If opposed in its intention OF supplying
| Fort sum ter No more striking proof OF the
| absence of good faith i'll the conduct OF the
| Government OF the United States 10 wards this
| Coniederacy can be required. than is
| tanned in the circums tauces which accompa-
MED this notice. According to the usual course
OF navigation, the vessels com posing the eX-
pediton designed for the relief of Fort Sum
ter, might be expected TO reach Charleston
| harbor on the eth April yet with our Com
mssiOners actually in Washington, de tanned
| under assurances that notice should be given
OF any military movement, the notice was not
addressed 10 them, but a messenger was sent
| to Charles ton 10 give the notice to the Cover
nor OF South Carolina, and the notice was
| given at Il late hour on the 8th of April, the
| eve Of the very day on which the fleet might
| be expected to arrive. That this manCpuyre
failed In Its purpose war not the fault OF those
| who csnt ntrived IL. Il heavy temp pes. delayed
| the arrival OF the expedition, and gave time
| to the commander of our forces 1T Charleston
| to ask aud receive the instruc tions of this
| Government. Even then, under all the provo
cation incident TO the cOntemptuous refusal to
listen to our Commissioners, aud the tortuous
course of the Government of the United States,
was sincerely anxious to avoid tire eff usion
of blood, and directed 4 proposal to be made
| TO the commander of Fort Sumter, who had
avoWed himself TO be nearly out Of provisions,
| that we would abs tain from direc ting our fire
| on Fort Sumter. if hs would promise not 10
open fire on our forces unless first at tackled -
This proposal was refused ana the conclusion
| WAS reached that the design OF the United
| States was TO place the besieging force at
| Charleston between the Simultaneous IRE OF
| the fleet and the fort There remained, there
| fore, no alternative but 10 direct that the fort
| should at once be reduced. This order Vas
executed by General BcaUregard with the
skiii and success which we're naturally to br
| expec ted from the we'll known character of
| that gallant officer; and although the bonn
bardment las tea bat thirty three hours, our
hlg did not wave over its battered walls until
after the appearance OF the hostile Ieet off
| Charleston. Fortunately not a life was lost
on our side, and were gratitied in being
| spared the necessity of Il useless eftusion OF
| blood by the prudent caution of the officers
| who commanded the fleet, IN ahstainlug from
| the evidently fu tile effort 10 enter the harbor
| for the relief of Major Anderson. ! refer to
| the report OF the Secretary of Waf and the pa
! pers which accompany IL, for further details
| of this brilliant affair,
| In this connection cannot refrain from
| well deserved tribute to the nohs State the
| emiuen. soidierly qualities OF whose people
| were SO conspicGousiy displayed in tbs port
of Charleston. For months they had been ir-
riiated by tho spectacle OF fortress held
| within their principal harbor, as a standing
| menace against their peace and Independence.
| Bnilt in part wi tn their own money, its usto-
dy confded with their own consent 10 IA
agent who held no power over them other
! than such they had them selves deleg ted
for their own benefit, intended 20 be Used by
that agent for their own pro lection against
foreign attack they saw il held with persist
ent tenacity as "A means of offence against
them by the very government which they had
established for their protection. They had
| beleag uered il for months-telt entire conf
| dence in their power 10 capture it-yet yield
| ed to the requirements OF discipline, curbed
| their impatence. submitted without com
! plant To the unaccustoneo nardShlps, abors
| and privations OF protraeted siege; and
| when AZ length their patience was rewarded
| by the slgnai tor attack, and success had
crowned their steady and gallant conduct
| even in the very moment OF triumph they
| eyinced IA chiyalrous regard for the feelings OF
| the brave but unfortunate officer who had
| been compelled to lower his flag. All mani
| festations of exultat ton Were checked In his
| presence. Their commanding General, with
| their cordiaI approval and the consent of has
| government, refrained from imposing any
| terms that could wound the sensibilisies OF
| q Ort la rvfsGF- F-.Ai
| 10 retire with the honors of war-to salute his
| flag. to depart freely with all his command
aud was escorted 10 the vessel in whicn he
| EN- mbar ked with the highest marks of respect
| from those against whom his guns had been
| so recently directed. Not only does every
| event connected with the siege reflect the
highest honor on South Carolina, bat the for
bearance OF her people and OF this government
| from making any harsh use of Il yictory OBJ
tanned under circumstances OF such peculiar
| proyocation, attest to the fullest extent the
absence OF any purpose beyond securing their
own tranq utility, and the sincere desire 10
/ avoid the caiamlties OF war.
| Scarcely had the President of the United
States received intelligence of the failure OF
| the scheme which he had devised for the
| Enforcement OF Fort Sumter, when he issued
| the declaration OF war against this Con iede-
| racy which has prompted me TO convose you.
| In this extraordinary produc ton, that high
functonary affects total ignorance OF the ex-
| istenee OF an Independent Government,
which, possessing the en- tire and enLh tic
| devotion Of its people, Is exercising its fune-
| tions without question over seven sovereign
States-over more than five millions OF peo-
| ple-aad over q territory whose area exceeds
half million OF square miles. He terms
sovereign States ''cona b IA tions, too powerful
TO be suppressed by the ordinary course OF
judicial proceedings. or by the powers vested
! IN the narshals by law" He calls for an ar
my of seventy five Thousand men TO act as
posse com ttatus in aid OF the process OF the
courts of justice In States where no courts