White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1861-07-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Fsllow citizens ofMe Senate and House
of Representatives
Having been convened on ia extraordi.
nary occasion, as authorized by the Con
stitution, your attention is not called to
any ordinary subject of legislation at the
beginning OF the Presidential term.
Four months ago, the functions of the
Federal Government were found to lie
gensrally faSpa5a 5asd within the seve,sl
States of SoutR Carolina, Georgia, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida,
excepting only those Of the Postoffice De-
partment within these States. The forts,
arsenals, docks, harbors. Custom Houses,
and the like, including the moveable and
stationary property in and about them,
had been seized. and were held, in open
hostility to the Government, excepting
only Forts Piekens Taylor and Jefferson.
on and near the Florida coast, and Fort
Sumter, in Charleston barbor, S. G. The
forts thus seized had been put. in de-
praved condition. now ones had been britt,
and armed forces had been organizing.
all avowedly with the same hostile pur-
pose; the forts remaining in the possession
of the Federal Government in and near
these States were either beseiged or me-
naced by warlike preparations. AMI es
pecially Fort Sumter was nearly sur
rounded by well protected hostile bat
teries. with guns equal in quality to the
best of its own, end outnumbering the
latter as perhaps ten to one: dispropor-
toned share of the Federal muskets and
rifles had somehow found their way into
these States, and had been seized to be
used against the Government accumula-
tions of the public revenue lying within
them had been seized for the same OBJ.
iects the navy was scattered in distant
seas, leaving but very small part within
the immediate use of the Government
the officers of the Federal army and navy
had resigned in great numbers, and Of
those resiguing large portion had taken
up arms against the Government stimuli
taneously. and in connection with all
these the purpose to sever the Federal
Union was openly avowed.
In accordance with this purpose an or.
dinance had been adopted in each of these
States, declaring the States respectively
to be separated from the National Union,
and formula for combining and institute
ing a combined Government of these
States had been promulgated, and. this
illegal organization in the character Of
Confederate States was already invok-
ing recognition and Intervention from
foreign powers. Finding this condition
of things. and believing it to be the i'm
perative duty upon the incoming Execu.
tive to prevent, if possible, the consum-
nation of such attempt to destroy the
Federal Union. . choice Of means to that
end became Indispensable. This choice
was made and declared in the inaugural
address. The policy chosen looked to
the exhaustion of al peaceful measures
before Q resort to any stronger ones it
sought only to hold the public places and
property not already wrested from the
Government, and to collect the revenue,
relying for the rest on time. discussion
and the ballot box. 1t promised con-
tinuance of the mails at Government ex-
pense to the very people who were resist
ing the Government, and it gave repeated
pledges against any disturbance to any
Of the people or any of their rights of all
that which President might constitution
ally and justi6sbly do in such case.
Everything was forborne without which
It was believed possible to keep the Gov.
ernment on foot. On the 5th of March,
the present incumbeot's first full day in
Office. . letter of Major Anderson. COM
manding at Fort Sumter, written on the
2Sth Of February, and received at the
War Department on the 4th Of March,
was BY that Department placed in his