Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-11
crty of the United States. We will examine

you Of the objects Of our mission. We say
that it would have bern our duty TO have as
Snrcd you of our readiness to commence ne
gotiatUns, with the most earnest desire TO set
tic all questions between us ancably and to
our mutual advantage, but lhat events had
rendered that assurance impossible. We stated
the events, and we said that until some salts.
factory eXplanatien Of these events was given
us, we could not proceed, and then, haring
made this request for explanations, we added :
"And, in conclusion, we would urge upon you
the Immediate withdrawal Of the troops from
the harbor Of Charleston. Under present cir
culnStances they are Il standing menace which
renders negotiation Impossible" &C.
Under present circumstances" What circulH-
stances Why, clearly the occupation Of Fort
Sumter and the disman,ling Of Fort Moultric
by Major Anderson, in the lace OF yonr pledges,
and without explanation or practical diSavowal.
And there is nothing in the letter which would
or could have prevented you from declining to
withdraw the troops and Offering the restoration
Of the statuS 10 which you were pledged itSuch
had been your desire 1t would have been
wiser and better, in pur opinion, To have with
drawn the troops; and this opinion we urged
upon you, but we deman1el nothing but such
an explanation Of the events ofthe last twenty
| four hours as would restore our confidence in
the spirit with which The negotiations should
be conducted.
In relation to this Withdrawal Of the troops
from the harDor. We arc compelled, nowcTer,
10 notice one passage Of your letter. Refer
ring to it you say. This cannot do. This
will not do Such an idea was never Thought;
Of by me i'll any possible contingency. No al
luSion to il had ever been made III any conEu-
nicaiion between myself and any human
being
In reply to this statement We are compelled
to say it, that your conversation with us lett
upon our minds the distinct impression that
you did seriously contemplate the withdrawal
Of the troops from Charleston harhor. Ard in
support Of this impression wc would add, that
we have the positive assurance Of gentlemen o!
the highest possible public reputation. and the
most unsuied integrity-mcn whose name
and fame, secured by long service and patriot,
ic achievements, place their testimony beyond
cayl-that such suggestions had been made
10 AMI urged upon you by them, and had form
ID tae subject Of more than one earnest discus
sion with you. And it WAS this knowledge
that induced lis TO urge upon you poi.
icv which had, to recommend it, its own WIS.
dom and the weight of such authority.
As to the second point, that the authorities
of South Carolina, instead Of asking cXp!ana-
tons and giving you the opportunity to r;ndl.
cate Yourself, took possession Of other property
of the United States, VIC would observe, first,
that even if this were so, IL does not avail YOU
for defence, for the opportunity I3r decision
was afforded you before these facts occurred.
We arrived il, Washington on Wednesday,
The news from Major Anderson reached here
early on Thursday, and was Immediately CON-
,nunicated to you. All that day men Of the
highest considcration-men who had striven
successfully to lift you to your great otDce-
who had been your tried and true friends
through the troubles Of your administration
sought you, and entrcatrd you TO act-to act
1t once
They told you that every hour complicated
your position They Only asked you to give
the assurance that the facts were sp-tlat il
the commander had acted without and against
your orders, and in violation Of Your pledges,
that YOU would restore the status you had
pledged your honor to maintain You refused
to decide Your Sccretary-o!-W War-yOur i'm
mediate and proper adviser in THIS whole mat
tcr-waitcd anxiously for your decision until
he felt that delay was becoming diShonor.
More than twelve hours passed, and two
Cabinet meetings had adjourned Seiora :ou
| knew what the authorities Of South Carolina
had done and your prompt decision at any
moment Of that time would have avoided the
subsequent complications. But if ycu had
known the act Of the authorities Of South
Carolina, should that have prevented your
keeping your faith? What was the condition
of things? For the last sixty days you haze
had in Charleston harbor not force enough to
hold the forts against m equal cric:ny. Two
! Of them were empty; one Of those, too. the
most important in the harbor. 1t could have
been taken any time. You ought 70 know bet.
! ter than any man that il would have been
taken but for the efforts of those who put their
trust in your honor.
Believing that they were threatened By Fort
Sumter especially, the people were with ditll'
Guilty restrained from securing, without blood,
! the possession Of this important fortress After
many and reiterated assurances given Oh your
behalf, which VIC cannot believe unauthorized,
they determined to furbcar, and in good faith
sent on their commissioners TO nrgotlatr with
you. They meant you no harm; wished YOU
no ill., They thoug ght Of you kindly; believed
you true; and were willing, as far as wns con-
sistent with duty, to spare you unnecessary
and hostile collision. Scarcely had their COM
lnissioners left, than Major Anderson wagcd
war. No other words will describe his action.
1t was not peaceful change from one fort
| to another; it was hostile act in the highest
sense, and only justified in the presence OF L
superior cneuly and in imminent peril. lie
abandoned his position, spiked his guns, burn
cd his gun-carriagcs, made preparations FOR the
destruction OF his post and Withdrew under
cover of the night TO safer position. This was
war. No man could have believed without
your assurancej that any officer could have
taken such a STEP mot on "lthout orders,
but against orders" What 80 State did was
in simple sef.defencr; for th'> tc' with a its
attending circumstances wa IS much war as
firing rolley; and war bcInr thus began, un-
! til those commencing It explained their action
and disayowed their iDtl"u II, there was TO
room for delay, aud even ~ tins moInent, while
we are writing il is more than probable, from
the tenor Of your letter, that reInorcemcnts
are hurryng into the conflict, SO that when the
! first gun shall be fired thcr- will have teen on
your part one continuous consistent Series vi
actions, commencing in = L IIonSiraton esScll-
tally warike supported i.y regular rclnforcc-
ments, and terminating in defeat or victory
And all this without the i ,htcst liroyocat;on;
for, among the many tbj;..5 which yon have
said, there is one thing You cannot Sny-you
have waited unxiously for news tom the seat
of war, in hopes that delay would furnish some
excuse for this precipitation.
| But this tangible evidence Of y '!tsiga 10
proceed to hostile act on ;iie part Of the ari
thorities Of South Carolina which is the onlv
justification Of Major Anderson, you are forced
to admit has not get been alleged" But you
have decided You have resolved to hold by
force what you have CHAINED through our
misplaced confidence, and, BY refusing TO dis
arow the action OF Major Anderson, have con-
verted his violation Of order into legitimate
act Of your executive authority.
Be The issue what i; may. Of this sc arc As
sur.d, that if Fort Moultrie has been recorded
in history rs memorial o.! Carolina gallantry,
Fort Sumter will live upon tie succeeding
page as an mperishable testimony Of Carolina
faith