Daily national Democrat., 1861-07-19
nallu Natlonal nemofr'1i,i5'
Presidents Message,


and House Of Representations -
Having been convened on an extraordinary
OCCASION, as authorized hy the Constitution
,,our attention is not called to any ordinary
SSubieet of legislation. At the beginning of
The present Presidential term, four months
ooo the functions of the Federal Govern
ment were found to be generally suspended
within the several States of South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Florida, excepting only those of the Post
Office Department. Within these States the
forts, arsenals, docks, harbors, Custom Houses,
and the like, including the movable and sta
tionary property in and about them, had
been seized, and were held, in open hostility
to the Government, excepting only Forts
Pickens, Taylor and Jefferson, on and near
the Florida coast and Fort Sumter, in
Charleston harbor, South Carolina. The forts
thus seized had been put in depraved con-
dition, new ones had been built, and armed
forces had been organized and were organ
izing, all avowedly with the same hostile
purpose; the forts remaining in the possession
of the Federal Government in and near these
States were either beseged or menaced by
warlike preparations, and especially Fort
Sumter WIS nearly surrounded by well pro-
tected hostile batteries, with guns equal in
quality to the best Of its own, and outnum-
berng the latte: as perhaps ten to one; a
disproportionate share of the Federal muskets
and rifles and somehow found their way into
these States, and had been seized, to be used
against the Government; accumulatons of
the public revenue lying within them had
been seized for the same object the navy
was scattered in distant seas, leaving but
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 resigning, large proportion had
taken up arms against the Government ST.
multaneousy, and in connection with all
these, the purpose to sever the Federal i Mon
was openly avowed. In accordance with
this purpose an ordinance had been adopted
IN each of these States. declaring the States
respectively to be separated froRl the Nation.
al Union, and formula for combining and
instituting combined Government of these
States had been promulgated and TINS illegal
organization in the character of Confederate
States was already invoking recognition, aid
and intervention from foreign powers Find
ing this condition of things, and believing it
to be an imperative duty upon the incoming
Executive to prevent, if possible, the consum-
nation of such attempt to destroy the Fed
cral Union. choice Of means to that end
became Indispensable The choice was made
and declared in the inaugural address. The
policy chosen looked to the exhaustion Of all
peaceful measures before resort to stronger
9hGs; sought only TO ho'd the punne places
ana property not already Wrested from the
government, and to collect the revenue, re-
iylnS Tor the rest on time, discussion and tie
baEot-oo% 1t promised continuance OF the
mails at Government expense TO the very
people who were resisting the Government,
Snd 1t gave repeated pledge against any dis
turbance to any OF the people or any OF then
rights; all OF which President might con-
Fttuuonally and lustlhabiy Go In such case.
everything was forOorne without which 1t
was believed possible to keep the Govern
ment on loot: On the 9th ot March, the
present incumbent hrst iuil day III o'Het'
1etIer OF MAJOR ANDERSON, commanding f"rI
sumter written on the E6th ct February,
ana received "t 'he war Department on the
Avn VI 1"iIh' Wa oy th"t beparl'neht Paeeu
+" ms n'nus Inc ietter expressed lhe pro-
rv'Sion"l oPi"'o" ., '"e "Ii'e'i '!'t rem
ioieq'nor.' tp"!u "o' no' ~ 'u'CM y mo O""y
io'' "l'"lI ''i1 ",ne ioI us i0"Ci r'uUtre1
h'GesS"iy " 0''c 4.n'eu supply Vi P'o''s'o"S
al" VA" a view u no'u'"5 3"9Se,sloh o. '"g
s"'ne' Wtn iorct o. less thah L1,OoV Sood
ana wen disciplined men. Inns oplnlon was
sohcurred III by all the oitcerS OF ms com
mand, ana their memoranda on the subject
We're made Enclosures OF Mayor Anderson
letter. The whole was Immediately laid be-
fore Lleutenaut-G General Scott, who at once
cohcurteu win mayer Anderson IN opinion.
oh renecuoh however, ne took tuIl time for
eonsu'ta','h win other ou'eer5' Ooth OF the