Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-11

State Of South Carolina, will neither attack or
moIcst the United States lurts in the lIarbor of
Charleston previously to the action of the con-
vcntion, and we hope and believe not until all
offer has been made through an accredited re.
preventative to negotiate for an amicable ar
rangemcnt of all matters between the State
and the Federal Government, provided that 10
reinforcemcntS shall be sent into those forts.
and their relative military status Shall remain
as ut present. JonS MCQUEEN,
NJ. l.. BoNHAM,
w. W. BoycE,
LAURENCE VI. kElTr
Washington, 9th December, 1860"
And here | must, in lusticc to myself, re-
mark that at the time the paper was presented
to me, objected to the word 'provided, as it
might be construed into an agreement on my
part, which never would make. They said
that nothing was further from their intention
they did not so understand it, and should not
so consider it. 1t is evident they could enter
into no reciprocal agreement with me Oh the
subject. They did not profess 10 have au;ho.
ritv to do this, and were acting in their indi-
vidual character | considered it as nothing
more in effect than the promise Of highly
honorable gentlemen to exert their influence
for the purposes expressed
The event has proven that they have faith
fuv kept their promise, although have never
since received line from any one Of them, or
from any member Of the convention on the
subject. 1t is well known it was my dctcrmi.
nation and this freely expressed, not to rein
| force the forts in the harbor and thus produce
4 collision, until they had been actually attack.
! ed, or until had certain evidence that they
were about to he attacked
! This paper received most cordially, and
considered it rs Il happy omen that peace might
still be preserved, and that time might be thus
given for reflection. This is the whole foanda-
! ton fur the alleged pledge. But acted in the
same manner As wnald have d"iie had en-.
| tered into positive and formal agreement with
parties capable of contracting. although SUCH
! All agreement would have been, on my part,
! from the nature Of my official duties, lmpoSsi'
/ bic The world knows that have never sent
/ any rcinGorccnculs to thc forts in Charleston
! harbor ard have certainly never authorized
any change 10 DC made in their relative military
status. Bearing upon this subject, refer yol
! To an order issued by the Secretary Of War,
Oh the J llh inst, to Major AndcrSum, bur noi
brought to ms notice until the 2lst inst. l. is
! as follows
"Nemorandum cf' Verbal Instructions 10 Nag
.1ndevon, lst artillery, Commanding Far!
Noultri-, South CiToiian:
! "Iou are aware OF the great anxiety ri the
Secretary Of War that collision of the troops
with the people of this State shall bc avoided
/ and Of his studied determination to pursue 4
| Course with reference 10 the military force and
/ forts in this harbor which shall guard against
! such collision. He has, therefore, carefully
: ahstaincd from increasing the force at this
I point, or taking any measures which nigh,
add 10 the present excited state Of the public
/ mind, or which would throw any doubt on lhc
confidence he feels that South Carolina will not
, attempt by violence to obtain possession Of the
Public Works or Interfere with their occupan-
, cy.
"2ut as the counsel ard ucts Of rash and i'm
{ pulsive persons may possibly disuppoint these
! expectations OF the Government lie deems il
proper that you should be prepared with in
struc,ions to meet 50 unhappy a contingency.
lie has, therefore, directed me verbally 10 give
yuu such instructions.
You are carefully to avoid every act which
would nccGlcssly tend to provoke aggression,
and for that reason you are not, without nc-
cessity, to take Up uny position which could
be construed into the assumption Of 4 hostile
attitude; but you arc 20 hold possession Of the
forts in this harbor, and if attacked you are Io
defend Yourself to the last extremity.
- he smaness OF your force will not permit
you, perhaps, to occupy more than one oil The
three folts, but an attack on or attempt TO take
possession of either Of them will be regarded
as an act OF hostility, and you may then put
your command into either Of them which you
may deem most proper, to increase It's power
Of resistance You are ulso authorized TO take
similar steps whenever you have tangible evil
dcncc Of design to proceed to hostile act.
10. P. BUTLER,
assistant Adjutant General.
Fort Moultric S. c., Dec II, 1850.
"rhis is in conformity ip my instructions to
Major Buell.. JoHS H. FLOYD,
Secretary of War;"
These were the last instructions transmitted to
Maicr Anderson before his removal TO Fort
Sumter, with single exception, in regard 10
particular which does notin any degree affect
the present question. Under these circnn-
stances, it is clear that Major Anderson acted
upon his own responsibility and without au-
thority, unless, indeed, hc had tangible cv.
lencc Of design to proceed 10 Il hostile act
on the part of the authorities Of South Caro-
lima. which has not been alleged. Still he is
4 brave and honorable officer, and justice re-
nuircs that he should not be condemned with
out a fair hearing.
Hr this as il inny, when learned that Major
Anderson had lelt'Fort Moutrc and proceed.
ed 70 Fort Sumter, my first promptlnSs were
to command him 10 return to his former posi-.
ton, and there await the contingencies pre-
sentcd i'm his Instructions. This wouid only
have been done with any degree OF safety Il"
the command by the concurrence Of the South
Carolina authorizes. But before any steps
could possibly have been taken in this direc.
tim. we received information that the pal
mr,lo lag foated out to The breeze at Castle
pmckney, and large military force went over
last night (thr 2Tth) to Fort Moultrle."
Thus, the authorizes Of South Carolina, with
out waiting or asking for any explanations,
md, doubtless, believing as you expressed It,
that the officer had acted not only without, but
against my orders, on the very next day alter
the night when the removal was made, seized
BY a military force Two OF the three federal forts
in the harbnr Of Charleston, ard have covered
them under their own flag, instead Of that Of
the United States. At this gloomy period Of
our history, startling events succeed each
other rapidly.
On the vcry day, tho 27th inst, that pos
session of these two forts was taken, the Pal
nctto flag was raised over the federal custom
house and postoflcc in Charleston, and on the
same day every officer Of tho customs-coltec
,nr, naval officer, surveyor and appraisrr-re'
signed their Offices And this, although 1t vas
well known, from the language Of my message,
that, rs an Executive officer, felt myself bound
to collect the revenue at the port OF Charleston
under the existing laws. In the harbor OF
Charleston We now find three forts confronting
each other, over all Of which the federal flag
foaled only four days ago; but now, over two
of them this Gag has been snpPianted, ana Inc
Palmetto flag has been substituted in lis stead
1t is under all these circumstances that am
urged Immediately 10 Withdraw the troops
from the harbor Of Charleston, and ain inform
ed that negotiation is impossible. This can
not do this will not do. Such an idea was VA:
never. thought of by me in any possible conlln'