Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-05

the message OF the President OF the Unlted States
which was read AZ follows:
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsllor citizens ofths Senats and
Houss Of Representatives,:
Having been convened on an extraordinary &C.
casion, as authorized by the Constitution. your
attention not called to any ordinary subject Of
At the beginning Of the present presidential
term, four months ago. the functions Of the fede-
raj government were found to be generally sus-
pended within the several States Of South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Florida, excepting only those Of the Post
Office Department.
Within these States, all the FORTS arsenals dock
yards, custom houses, and the like, including the
movable and stationary property In and about
them, had been seized, and were held In open
hostility to this government, excepting only Forts
Pickens, Taylor, and Jefferson, on and near the
Florida coast, and Fort Sumpter, in Charleston
harbor, South Carolina. The forts thus seized had
been put In improved condition; new ones had
been built, and armed forces had been organized,
and were organizing, all avowedly with the same
hostile purpose
The forts remaining in the possession Of the
federal government In and near these States were
tions, and especially Fort Sumter was nearly sur
rounded by well-protected hostile batteries, with
guns equal In quality to the best Of its own, and
outnumbering the latter perhaps ten to one.
disproportionate share Of the federal muskets and
rides had somehow found their way into these
States and had been seized to be used against the
government. Accommodations Of tne public reve-
nue., lying within them, had been seized for the
same object. The navy was scattered In distant
seas, leaving but very small part of IL within
the immediate reach of the government
Officers Of the federal army and navy had re-
signed in great numbers; and Of those resigning,
large proportion had taken up arms against the
government. Simultaneously. and in connection
with all this, the pu pose to sever the Federal
Union was openly avOwed. In accordance wi til
this purpose, ordinance had been adopted In
each OF these states, declaring the States, respec
tlveiy, to be separated from the National Union
formula Tor 1nstituting 4 combined govern.
| ment OF these states had bean promu gated: and
THIS illegal organization, in the character of con-
isaerate States, wds already invoking recogni-
| Finding this condition Of things, and believing
| II to be an Imperative duty upon the incoming
| Executive to prevent IL posi- BILE the consumma.
ton OF such attempt to destroythe Federal Union,
| cholce OF means to that end became indispensa-
Die his choice was made, and was declared in
| the inaugural address The policy chosen looked
To the exhaustion Of all peaceful measures before
1s'o,. 10 any stronger ones 1t sought only to
! wrested from the Government and 10 collect the
revenue relying FOR the rest, time, discussion
ana the 6allot-box 1t promised q continuance Of
| the mails. ct Government expense to the very
people who were resisting the Governments; and
1t gave repeated pledges agains. any dis,ur bance
any OF the people, or any Of their rights Of all
| and justfably, do In such case everything was
foroorne, without which, IT was believed posi- BILE
/ to keep the Government on foot
/ On The 9TH OF March, 1.-THE present incumbent's
nfs' fuiI DAY In office, letter Of Mai Anderson,
| commanding at Fort Sumter, written on the 18th
| OF February, and received at the War Depart
ment on the 18th OF March, was, by that depart.
| ment, placed In his bands This letter expressed
| the professional opinion Of the writer that rein
| forcements could not be thrown into that fori
within the Time for bis relief, rendered Necessary
by the Limited supply Of provisions, and with {.
l view OF holding possession Of the same with n
force Of less than 20 900 good and well isciplped
| men. This opinion was concurred in by ain the
| officers Of his command, and their aenrorarda
| derson's letter "
The whole was Immediately laid before Lien.
tenant General Scott, who at once concurred with
MAJOR ANDERSON In opinion. On reflection, how
/ ever, he took full time, consulting with other
| omcers, both OF the army and the navy and al
| the end OF four days, came reluctantly, but de-
| cloedly, to the same conclusion as before He
also stated at the same time that no sue
l force was then at the control Of the government
| or could be raised or brought to the ground
within the time when the provisions in the fort
OF view, this reduced the duty of the admins.
tration In the case, to the mere matter of gettiny
the garrison safely out OF the fort
| was believed, however, that TO 30 abandon
That position, under the circumstances would be
utterly rrnous; that the necessity under which II
was to be done would not be fully understood:
that by many, 1t would be construed as part OF a
eolxnfary policy that at home, 1t would discour
saries and gofar to insure to the latter recog nj
destruction contaminated. This could not he
allowed; starvation was not yet upon the parri-
som ana ere II would be reached, Fort Pnksns
mlgh be reinforced. This last would be a clear
indication OF policy, and would better enable the
| country 10 accept the evacuation of Fort Sumter
| as military necessity,
An order was at once directed To he .sn, fo 81, .
landing Of the troops from the ste ,msbin E,oot-
| iYh, lh:o Fort Pickens. This order could no, go
Dy iand, put must axe the longer and slower
route oY sea Inc first return news from the order
~as received just one week before the fall of Fort
| sumter The news itself was that the ottice,
| commanding the Sabine, to which y.ssel the
| troops bad been transferred from the BROOKLYN,
l ocHng upon some quasi armistic Of the late ad ,
| ministration, (and of the existence of which m.
present. ADM lnistration, up to the time thu orde,
| was despatched, had only too vague and uncsr
ain runors 70 hx attenttOn,) had refused TO land
TO now reinforce Fort Pckens, before a c,,s,,
| would be reached at Fort Sumter was imnossi'
nieLrendered 80 by the near exhaustion OF pro
visions In the latter named fort I'm n,ec,rffio,
against such a conjuncture, the government h,S
| lew Gays before, cOmmsnced preparinq a exne
Gluon, as well adapted as mig BIT be- 10 relieve
or ,. sumter, which expedition was Intended to
oe ultimately used, or not, according to circum.
s.dhces Tbc strongest antici pated case for nsin
IL was now presented; and II was resolved IN send
| ~, ~ forward: As had been intended, In this con-
ernor Of south Carolina that he rnjoht 1890 ~
attempt would be made to provision the fo,t.
ana that, II the attempt should not be resisted
'hefe would be no effort 10 throw IN men a,ms
or ammunition, without further notice. or In cess
Oh an attack upon the fort This notice was AZ.
eofalngly given; whereupon the fort was At.
Mcked, ana bombarded to Its fall, without even
ton. oAPeoh-
III Is thus seen that the assault DON - ,.d,c-
Won OF, Fort sumter, was, In no sense a MATE,
Oh sei defense on the part sf the assailants Tine,
wen Knew that the garrison In the fort could byy
no possibility, commit aggression upon them
Ihey knew--they were expressly notified that
the giving OF bread to the few brave and hunU1,,
me. men OF tne garrison, was all which would on
tnat occasion be attempted, unless Themselves. bv
,esleung SO much, should provoke more Tbey
knew mat this government desired to keen The
garrison In the fort, not to assail them but merely
70 maintain visible possession, and thus In n,e
| seiVe the mon from actual and Immediate dts
l sssIuion-uus;ing as herein before stated. IN
| ume, discussion, and the ballot box for Hn,I al
lustment; and they assailed, and reduced the fort
Ior precisely the reverse obect-to drive ont Nh :.
sosco !, auinority OF the federal Union and thus
io1ce II TO Immediate dissolution. 'A''
Inat this was their object the Execut,v. ,..u
unoefHood and having said to them I'm the IN.
duYutdi address, "You can have no confiict With
on. Delng yourselves the agg rsssors - he toot
pains, not only 10 keep this declaration GOOD Int
also 20 Keep the case 30 free from the now., 80
Ingenious sophistrY, as that the world sbould not
Ue ao,e 70 misunderstand II By the All, nj
In mp