Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-07-10
Presidents Message!

y
your attention is not called to any ordinary |
subject or Legislation. 1T the beginning |
7 Of the Presidential term, four months ago,
the fpnctiens of the Federal Government
were found to'bs generally suspended with
in the several States OF South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana
asd Florida, excepting those only of the
Post office Department. Within these
States all tie forts, arsenals, dock yards,
custom houses, DC, including all the nova
bic and stationary property in and about
them, had been seized and held in open
hostility 70 this Government, excepting on
ly Fort Pickins, Taylor and Jefferson, Oh
and near the Florida coast, aud Fort Sum
ter in Charleston Harbor. The forts thus
seized had been put in improved condition;
new ones had been built and armed. Other
forces had been organized and were organ
ling, all ayowediy for the same hostile
purpose. The forts remaining in the Fed
ieral possession in and near those States
were either deseiged or menaced by war
like preparations. Especially Fort Sum
iter was nearly surrounded by well protect
@ed hostile batteries, with guns equal IN
quality to the best Of its own, and cut
numbering the latter as ten to one. A
'disproportionate share of the Federal mus
kets and rifles had somehow found their
sway ias5 these States; and had been seized
for the same object. The navy was scat
tered in distant seas, leaving but a very
small part Oft within the immediate reach
.af the Government Officers ofthe Feder-
Ia army had resigned IN great numbers,
and of those resigned a great portion had
up arms against tie Government. Stimuli
taneously and in cogrections with all this,
4 purpose to sever the federal Union was
openly ayowed. In accol iance with this
purpose, an ordinance had been reported,
in each of these States, decl ,ing the Suites
respectively to be separated from the Fed
ieral iUnioI,
The formula for instituting combined
Government for these States had been
promulgated, and this illegal organization
ia the Character Of the Confederate States,
was already asking recognition, aid and in
tcryention from foreign powers. Finding
tits condition OF things, and believing it t.
be an imperative duty upon the incoming
Executive to prevent if possible, the con
summation of such attempt 10 destroy the
Federal Union, choc. oftwo things to the
END became indispensable. The choice
was made and declared in the inaugural
address. The policy chosen looked to the
exhaustion of all peacea5lsneasures before
"a resort to any stronger one. 1t sought
only to bold 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.
] promised the continuance of the mails
ut the governments expense to the very
people who We're resisting the government,
and gave repeated pledges against any dis
turbance of any OF the people or any Of
their rights-of all that which President
might constitutioually and justifably do in
such case. Everything was forborne
without which it was believed possibly to
keep the Government on foot.
On the fifth of March, the present in
cutnbent's first full day in office, letter
from Major Anderson, commanding at
Fort Sumter, written onthe 18th of Febru-
hry land received at the War Department
en- the 4th of March, was by that depart
ment placed in his hands. This letter ex-
pressed the professional opinion of the writer
that reinforcements could not be thrown
into that fort in time for its relief, render
ed necessary by the limited supply of pro-
vioions and with view of holding posses
sian Of the same with force of less than
10000 well disciplined men. This opin-
Jon was concurred in by all the officers Of
his command and their memoranda on The
subject were made in Enclosures of Major
.Anderson's letter. The whole was mn
nediately laid before Lieutenant General
Scott, who al once concurred with Major
Anderson in his decision. On reflection,
however he took full time in consulting
with other officers, both of the army and
navy, aad at the end of four days come re-
luctanuy, but decidedly to the same con-
cluson as before. lie also stated at the
same time that no such sufficient force was
then at the control of the Government or
could be raised and brought to the ground
within the time when the provision in the
fort would be exhausted. In purely
military point OF view, this confined the
administration to the mere matter ofgetting
the garrison safely out of the fort. 1t was
believed however. that to SO abandon THAI
situation under the circumstances would be
utterly ruinous; that the necessity under
which it was to be done would not be full
ly understood; that by many it would be
constructed as part Of a voluntary policy !;
that at home it would discourage the friends
-ofthe UnioG, elnbolden its adyersaries and
go far to ensure to the latter recognition
abroad, and that in fact it would be
our National destruction. This could not
be allowed. Starvation was not yet upon
the garrison, and ere it would be reached,
Fort Pickens might be reinforced. This
lash would be a clear indication of policy,
and would'bette,' enable the country to ac-
ceptt the eYaeuationof Sumter as a military
necessity. Then an order was at once
directed to be sent for the landing of the
troops from the steamship Brooklin into
Fort pickins, This nfdaT eould not gn hy