Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-14
WAsHlNoroN CIrY. Anril hi. IA

SIR-On the 18th March, ult., l left with Judge
Crawford, of the Commissioners of the Confed-
crate States note in writing to the effect follow
ing:
Il feel entire confidence that Fort Sumter will be
evacuated in the next five days. And this measure
is felt as imposing great responsibility the ad-
ministration.
II feel entire confidence that no measure chang
ing the existing status preudiciay to the Southern
Confederate States, is at present contemplated.
~ feel an entire confidence that an immediate
demand for an answer to the communication of the
Commissioners will be productive of evil and not Of
good. do not believe that it ought at this time to
| be pressed.
| The substance of this statement l communicated
| to you the same evening by letter. Five days
elapsed, and called with telegram from General
Beauregard to the effect that Sumter was not evac>
uated, but that Major Anderson was at work making
repairs.
The next day, after conversng with you. COM
municated to Judge Crawford, in writing that the
failure to evacuate Sumter not the result of bad
faith, but was attributed to causes consistent with
the intention to fulfill the engagement. and that
regarded Pickens, should have notice of any de-
sign to alter the existing status thers. Mr. Justice
Nelson was present at these conversations three in
| number, and submitted to HIM each of my written
communications to Judge Crawford and informed
Judge G. that they had his Judge Nelson's) sanc>
ton. gave you, On the 22d of March, a substan>
tial copy of the statement had made on the 18th
The goth of March arrived, and at that time
telegram came from Gov. Pickns inquirng concern
ing Gel anon, whose visit TO Charleston he sup
posed had a connection with the proposed evacua-
ton of Fort Sumter.
left that with you, and was to have an answer
! the following Monday, (lst of April) On the frat
of April l received from you the statement in wri-
ting ~ am satisfed) the Government will not I'M
dertake to supply Fort Sumter without giving notice
to Gov. P" The words ~ am satisfied" were for
me to use expressive of confidence in the re-
mainder of the declaration.
The proposition as originally prepared was, The
President may desire to supply Sumter, but will not
do So" DC, and your verbal explanation was that
you did not believe any such attempt would be made
and that there was no design to reinforce Sumter
There was departure here from the pledges of
the previous month, but, with the verbal explana
ton, did not consider il matter then to complain
of. simply stated to you that had that assurance
previous.
On the 18th of April addressed you a letter on
the subject of the alarm that the preparations BY
the Government had created, and asked you if the
assurances had given were well or lllfounded. In
respect to Sumter your reply was, Faith to
Sumter, fully kept-wait and see." In the morn
iDgs paper read, IAN authorized messenger from
President Lincoln informed Gov. Pickens and Gen.
Beauregard that provisions will be sent to Fort
SumteF-peaceably, or OthetciSe by force" This was
the Sth of April Charleston the day following your
last assurance and is the evidence of the full faith
was invited to wait for and In the same paper
read that intercepted dispatches disclosed the fact
tlaI MI r OK, VINO naQ Deen allowed TO Visit Major
Anderson, on the pledge that his purpose pacific,
employed his opportunity to devise plan for sup
plying the fort by force and that this plan had been
adopted by the Washington Government, and was
in process of execution. My recollection of the
date of Mr. Foxs visit carries it to day in March.
learn he is a near connection of member of the
Cabinet My connection with the Commissioners
and yourself was superinduced by a conversation
with Nelson. He informed me OF your strong dis
positions in tGvor of peace and tLat you were Op-
I I
Confederate States for reply to their frat letter,
and that you desired to avoid it If possible that
time.
l told him perhaps might he of some service in
arranging the difficulty. ] came to your Office
trely at his request and without the knowledge of
either Of the Commissioners. Your depression was
obvious to both Judges Nelson and myself. / was
gratfed a. the character of the counsels you were
DESTROYS of pursuing and much impressed with
your observation that civil might be prevent
ed by the success of my meditation. You read
letter of Mr.. Weed to show bow irksome and re-
spOnsible tho withdrawal Of troops from Sumter
YVES. portion of my communication to Judge
Crawford on tie 18th March was founded upon
these remarks, and the pledge 10 evacuate Sumter
is less torelbe than the words you employed. These
words were: Before this letter reaches you Ia pro-
posed letter to me by President Davis) Sumter will
have been evacuated.
The Commissioners who received these commune
cations conclude they have been abused aud over
same opinion. The Commissioners have supposed
that my communications were with you, and upon
the hypothesis prepared to arraign you before
the country in connection with the President |
placed peremptory condition upon this as being
contrary to the term Of my communications with
them. l pledged myself to them to communicate
Information upon what considered as the best au-
thority, and they were to confde in the ability of
myself, aided by Judge Nelson, to determine upon
the credibility of my informant.
think candid man who will read over what
Ihaye written, and considers for moment what is
going at Sumter. but will agree that the equvo-
eating conduct of the Administration, as measured
and interpreted in connection with these promises,
is the prOximate cause of the great calamity.
have profound conviction that the kilograms
of the 9Th of April of General Beauregard and of
the 10th April of General Walker, the Secretary
of War can be referred to nothing else than their
belief that there has been systematic duplcity prac
ticed on them through me- 1t is under an Cypress
i've sense Ct the weight of this responsibility that
submit to you these things for your explanation.
Very respectfully, JOHN A. CANPaELL,
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court U. S.
Hon. WN. II. SEWARD, Secretary of State.