New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-05-01
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY /, 1861.


more than giving informal notice of their arrival.
This was done with view to afford time to the
President of the United States, who had just been
inaugurated, for the discharge of other pressing
official duties, in the organization Of his Admins
tration before engaging his attention in the object
Of their mission.
1t was not until the 18th of the month that they
officially addressed the Secretary of State, in
| forming him of the purpose Of their arrival and
statiug in the language of their instructions their
wish to make to the Government of the United
States overtures for the opening of negotiations,
assuring the Government of the United States that
the President, Congress and people of the Confed
crate States honestly desired peaceful solution
of these great guestons-that it is neither their
interest nor their wish to make any demand which
is not founded on the strctest principles Of justice;
nor to do any act to nure their late confederates
To this communication no formal reply was re-
eeved until the 9Th Of April. During the interval
the Commissioners had consented to waive all
questions of form, with the firm resolve to avoid
warif possible they went SO far even as to hold,
during that long period, unofficial intercourse
through an intermediary, whose high position and
character inspired the hope of success, and through
whom constant assurances were received from the
Government of the United States, of peaceful in
tentions of its determination to eYacuate Fort Sum
ter; and, further, that measure changing the
existing status prejudicially to the Confederate
States was contemplated; that in event of any
change in regard to Fort Pickens, notice would be
given to the Commissioners.
The crooked paths Of diplomacy can scarcely
furnish an example wanting in courtesy, in can
dor and drectness was the course of the United
States Government towards our Commissioners in
Washington. For proof of this, refer to the an
nexed documents marked, taken in connection
with further facts, which now proceed to relate
Early in April the attention of the whole country
was attracted to extraordinary preparations for an
extensive military and naval expedition in New
York and other Northern ports. These prepara-
tons commenced in secrecy, for an expedition
whose destination was concealed and only became
known when nearly completed and on the 5th, 9Th
i ,f t5,u 1t1 and cCnll nf
| with troops munitions and military supplies,
| sailed from Northern ports bound Southward.
| Alarmed by so extraordinary a demonstration,
| the Commissioners requested the delivery of an
answer to their official communication Of the 18th
| of March, and thereupon received, on the 8th of
| April, reply dated on the 18th of the previous
| month from which it appears that, during the
whole interval whilst the Commissioners were re-
| ceiying assurances calculated to inspire hope of
the success of their mission, the Secretary of State
and the President of the United States had already
| determined to hold no intercourse with them what
| ever to refuse even to listen to any proposals
| they had to make, and had profted by the delay
| created by their own assurances in order to pre-
pare secretly the means for effective hostile opera
| tons.
That these assurances were given has been vir.
tuallv confessed by the Government of the United
| Statds by its act of sending messenger to Char
lesion to give notice fits purpose to use force If
opposed in its intentions of supplying Fort Sumter.
| No more striking proof of the absence of good
| faith in the confidence of the Government of the
| United States towards the Confederacy can be re-
| quired, than is contained IN the circumstances
| which accompanied this notice.
| According to the usual course of navigation, the
vessels composing the expected fleet, and designed
for the relief of Fort Sumter might be looked for
| in Charleston harbor on the 9th of April; yet,
| with onr Commissioners in Washington, detained
under assurances that notice should be given of any
| military movement
The notice was not addressed to them, but mes
senger was sent to Charleston to give notice to the
Governor of South Carolina, and the notice was SO
given at late hour the Sth of April, the eve of
| the very day on which the fleet might be expected
to arrive
That this maneuver failed in its purpose was not
the fault of those who controlled it. heavy tenn
pest delayed the arrival of the expedition and gave
time to the commander of our forces at Charleston
to ask and receive instructions of this Government.
Even then, under all the provocation incident to
the contemptuous refusal to listen to our Commls
sioners, and the treacherous course OF the Govern
ment of the United States, / was sincerely anxious
to avoid the efflsion of blood, and directed pro
: posal to be made to the commander OF Fort Sum
t ter, who had avowed himself to be nearly out o
provisions, that would abstain from directing
our fire Fort Sumter if he would promise to no
omen fire on our forces unless first attacked. This
proposal was refused. The conclusion was thai
the design of the United States was to place the
besiegng force at Charleston, between the stimuli
taneous fire of the fleets. The fort should, OF
course, at once be reduced. This order was exc
cuted by Gen. Beauregard with skill and success
which were naturally to be expected from the well
the bombardment lasted some thirty-three hours,
our flag did not waive the battered walls until
after the appearance of the hostile fleet Off Char
lesion. .e-.-
Fortunately not life was lost on side, and
we were gratied in being prepared. The neees-
sity of useless etfusion of blood by the prudent
caution of the officers who commanded the fleet
in abstaining from the evidently futile effort to
: enter the harbor for the relief of Major Anderson
was spared.
Trefer to the report of the Secretary of War AND
the papers accompanying it, for further particulars
of this brilliant affair.
In this connection cannot refrain from well
deserved tribute to the noble State the eminent
soldierly qualities of whose people were conspicu
ously displayed. the people OF Charleston tol
months had been irritated by the spectacle OF {
J fortress held within their principal harbor as
standing menace against their peace and lndepend
, ence, built in part with their own money-lt
custody confded with their long consent to an agen
who held no power over them other than such a
} they had themselves delegated for their own bene
fit-intended to be used by that agent for thei
own protection against foreign attack How l
was held ont with persistent tenaclty as means
offence against them by the very Government
which they had established for their own protec
: tion is well known. They had beleag9ered it fol
months and felt entire confidence in their power t'
capture it, yet yielded to the requirements o
:. discipline, curbed their impatience, submitted
:. without complaint to the unaccustomed hard
ships, labors and privations OF a protracte'
: siege, and when at length their patience was re
lieVed by the signal for attack and success ha
crowned their steady and gallant conduct, even j
Y the very moment of triumph they evinced q chiva
g rous regard for the feelings of the brave but III
: fortunate officer who had been compelled to lowe
t his flag.
= All manifestations of exultaton were checke
: in his presence. Their commanding Ge1eral, wit
l. their cordial approval and the consent OF his Gov
e ernment, refrained from imposing any terms tina
V | would wound the sensibility of the commander 9
the fort E: he was permitted to retire with tn
honors of war; to salute his flag, to depart treel
:. with all his command and was escorted to tn
: vessel on which he embarked with the hghes
C marks of respect from those against whom HI
r guns had so recently been directed.
J. Not only does every event connected with III
II siege reflect the highest honor on South Caroline
but the orbcarance Of her people and OF this GoN
a ernment from making any harsh use of a victor
j. | obtained under circumstances of such peeulla
provocation attest, TO the fullest extent, the al
l. sence of any purpose beyond securing their tral
r guilty and sincere desire to avoid the caamitit
l. of war.
3D. Scarcely had the President of the United Statt
received intelligence of the failure OF the schen
'f | which he devised for the reinforcement of Fo
"A Sumter, when ne issued the declaration of WI
a against this Confederacy, which has prompted II
~ to cDnyoke you. In this extraordinary productic
n that high functonary affects total ignorance OF II
existence of an independent, Government, whlc
| possessing the entire and enthusiastic deVotion
r its people, is exercising its functions without qua
~ ton over seven sovereign States-oVer more tA
T. five millions of people, aad over territory WAC
's area exceeds $4,000 square miles.
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