Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-01-16


can be accomplished III eesoe. All Other
questions when compared with this. sink
into insiguifcancc. The present is NJ
time for palliatives. Prompt action is re.
CURED. a delay in Congress to prescribe
or recommend adistinet impractical prop.
osi-ioh for Cancellation may drive us to Z
point from which it will be almost impos.
siblc Ito recedc. Acommon ground Oh
which Cancellation and harmony may be
produced is surely not uns ttainable. The
proposition to compromise by letting the
North have exclusive control of the terri
tory above a certain line and to give South
ern institutions protection below that line,
oughtto receive universal appreciation. la
itself, indeed, it may not be entirely salts
factory, but when the alternative is be-
tween reasonable concession on both sides
and destruction of the Union, it is an i'm
putatiOn on the patriotism of Congress to
assert that its members will hesitate a
moment. Ever now the danZor is upon US.
In several States which have not yet seeded,
the forts, arsenals and magazines of the
United States have Jeeu seized. This is
by far the most serious step which has been
taken since the commencement Of the trOub-
les. 1his puolic property has long been
lett without garrisons and troops for its
protection. because no person doubted its
security under the flag Of the country in
any State of the Union. Besides. our
small army has scarcely been sufficient to
guard our remote frontiers against Indian
incursions. The seizure of this property.
from all appearances, has been purely az
gressive, and not in resistance to any at
tempt to coerce a State or States to remain
in the Union. At the beginning of these
unhappy troubles | determined that no
act Of mine shoDld increase the excitement
IN either section of the country If the po-
litical conflict were to end in civil war, it
was my determined purpose not to com
mence it. nor to furnish an excuse for it by
any act of the government. My opinion
remains unchanged. that justice as well as
sound policy requires US still to seek a
peaceful solution of the questions at issue
between the North and the South. Enter
tanning this conviction, | refrained even
from sending reiHforcements to Major An
derson, who commanded the forts of
Charleston harbor. until an absolute neces-
sity for doing so should make itself appa-
rent, lest it might be regarded as a menace
of military coercion, and thus furnish a
~prococation, or, at least, a. prctext for an
outbreak on the part of South Carolina
No necessity for these reinforccments seem
ed to exist. l was assured By distinguish
ed upright gentlemen of South Carolina
that no attack on Major Anderson was in
tend:1, but that, on the contrary. it was
the desire of the State authorities, as much
as it was my own, to avoid the fatal con-
sequences which must eventually follow a
military collision. And here [ deem it
proper to submit for information copies
of a Communication dated December %,
1850, addressed to me by r. W. Barnwell,
]. II. Adams aud James L.. Orr. Commits
sioners of South Carolina, with the accom-
panying documents, and~ copies of my an
swer thereto, dated December 81. In
further explanation Of Major Anderson's
removal from Fort Moultrie to Fort
Sumpter, it is proper to state that after
my answer to the South Carolinl Com
the Wal Department received
a letter from that gallant officer. dated
December 81, 1860. the day after his
movement, from which the follow ng is an
q will add my opinion that many things
convinced me that the authorities of the
State designed to proceed to a hostile act
evidently referring to the orders dated
IL, of the late Secretary of
War;. Under this impression l could not
hesitate that it wa my solemn duty to
move my command from a fort. which We
could not probably have held longer than
forty-eight or sixty hours, to this ono,
where my power of resistance is increasing
to a very great degree"
1t will be recollccted that the conclud-
ing part Of the order was in tie following
words:
The smallness of your force, will not
perm t you, perhaps, to occupy more than
one of the three forts, but au attack on
or attempt to take possession of, either n
Of them, will be rcgarced as an act of hos,
tility, and you may then put your COM
mand into either of them which you may
deem most proper to increase its power of
resistance. You are also authorized to
take similar defensive steps whenever you
have tangible evidence of a design to pro-
coed to an hostile act"
1t is said that serious apprehensions are
to some extent entertained, in which l do
share. that the peace of this District
may be disturbed before the 4th of March
next. In any event it will be my duty
to preserve it, and this duty shall be per-
In conclusion. it may be permittei to
me to remark that l have often warned my
countrymen of the dangers which now sur
round us. This may be the last time l
refer to the subject officially. l feel
that my duty has been fai hfully. though
it may be imperfoctly, performed, and
the result may be shall carry
to my grave the consciousness that l at
least meant we'll for my country.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Washington City, Jan. s, 1861.
BlaokWOod's Edinburgh Magazine.
In the December number Of Blackwood