Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-14
he impending Evacuation of Fort Sumter
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4 Who, conld have supposed, three days ago
that the first movement In the reinforcement
OF the laws" under "Eonest Abe Lncoln's'
administration, would be the evacuation O
Fort Sumter, and the abandonment Of that bil
Of governments property TO the rebele Of 6outf
Carolina and her confederate Statesi No mar
could have dreamed Of such thing Mr.. Lin
coln,in his inaugural, however, left the bacl
door open, In his declaration that In the execu-
ton OF the laws he would have to act according
TO circumstances"
IL appears, too. that oil the circumstances d
touching the reinforcement or relief OF Fort
Sumter are against him. The approaches to
that work from the sea are lined with hostile
batteries on both sides, fully equipped for action,
to say nothing OF the monster floating battery
prepared for tilt with Major Anderson at close
quarters. A land force of ten thousand men
would probably be needed to open the way for
any relieving ship to the fort This force the
administration could not bring together within
month, under the circumstances" In which IL
is placed, and meantime Sumter is getting short
of provisions, and IL not supplied within fifteen
days, the peculiar Circumstances" Of starvation
will reduce the little garrison TO surrender. -
it is an established fact In military science
that small detachment of the bravest men,
with empty stom achs, cannot long hold out, even
behind impre enable stone walls, against an
overwhelming beleaguering force in the enjoy =
ment OF three good meals day. Gen. Scott,
the ripestsoldier and the best military authori-
ty OF the age, has perhaps been impressing this
important fact upon Mr.. Lincoln and his Cab
inet. .sa.
The case, then is pressing. II the fort cannot be
relieved, ,.the administration must choose be-
tween the abandonment of Major Anderson 10
his fate or his withdrawal from the place. To
withdraw him after all the magnificent -four
ishe. and vainglorious republican boastings of
"old Abe's" policy of proving that" Eve have a
government" will besomewhat humiliating to
such fighting men as Horace Greeley, GiddiDgs,
Chase, the Blairs, Sumner and Senator Chand.
Ter; but to leave Anderson to the chances of
starvation and the mercy Of the South Carolina
fre-eaters would be q burning and lasting dis
grace to the administration. Under all the
circumstance" of the case, then, the only al.
Tentative to President Lincoln is the abandon
ment Of Fort Sumter to the custody Of President
Jefferson Davis. lt'
There is world of difference between talk
Ing and acting. 1t was an easy matter for our
republican organs and indignant patriots to de-
nounce Mr.. Buchanan as q coward, traitor, a
timid old dotard, an old granny afraid of his
own shadow, and to say that without difficulty
he might have thrown reinforcements end sup.
plies into Fort Sumter; that he ought to have
done II ut all hazards and regardless Of costs,
and that he ought to have arrested those South
Carolina treaty commissioners as traitors, and
that "Honest Abe Lincoln" would soon make
these traitors and rebels understand that we
have government; but "Old Abo,,' when in
vested with the responsibility, seems to come to
pretty much the same way Of thinking as "Old
Buck" to wit, that circumstances" must be
considered. Hence Mr.. Lincoln begins to aus
pect that this legacy of Fort Sumter 10 not worth
holding; and that when piece of federal prop
erty has ceased to be Of any earthly value to
the government, it is inexpedient to plunge into |
q civil war to retain it. ...1 -
After the marvellous escape,by the light of the |
moon Of Abraham Lincoln from HARRISBURG,
through the imaginary line Of Southern conspir. |
ators, intent upon cutting him off from Wash |
Ington, Senator Wigtall, of Texas, gave 1t as
bis opinion that there would be no war; that
President elect who, in Scotch cap and long
military cloak, could thus slip through the fln-
gers OF his enemies, must be q man Of peace,
md not "a man who can look on blood and car. |
lage with composure." We now suspect tina,
he Texas Senator was more than half right:
or even that terrible fighting man, Greeley, ia
pologizing for.the expected evacuation of Fort
'rmter. We have been urging this very thing
or some time, as step demanded by every
confederation OF peace and common sense; and
yhen this administration begins. to act accord
ngly, there is still some hope for the country.
IN. Y. Heyah. -