Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-07-11
The Presidents Message,
100000 MEN AND 400,000,0oO OF
MONEY WANTED.

ASOJCVU AMI ESS.OUS3O~C N1
MONEY WANTED.
FelIoW Citizens Of the Senate and House
of Representatives. s.-Having been convened
on an extraordinary occasion, authorized by
the Constitution, your attention is not called
to any ordinary object of legislation. At
the beginning of the Presidential term, four
months ago, the functions of the Federal
Government were found to be generally sus-
pended within the several States of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Florida, excepting those only
of the Post Office Department Within
those States all forts, arsenals. dockyards,
custom houses, and the like, had been seized
and were held in open hostility to this Gov
eminent, excepting only forts Pckens, Tay-
lor, and Jefferson on and near the Florida
coast, and Fort Sumpter, In Charleston har-
Dor, 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
a7owedly with the same hostile purpose.
The forts remaining in the hands of the
Federal Government, in and near these States
were either beselged or menaced with war
like preparations, and especially Fort Sum-
ter, which was nearly surrounded by we'll
projected hostile batteries with guns equal
IN quality to the best of its own, and out
Numbering the latter perhaps ten to one. =.
A dsproportioDate share of the Federal mus
kets and rifles had somehow found their way
into these States, and had been seized to be
used against the Government. Accumua.
tions OF the public revenue lying within them
had been seized against the Government
/ The Navy was scattered in distant seas,
leaving but very small part of it within
the Immediate reach of the Government -
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.
simultaneously and in connection with all
this, the purpose to sever the Federal Union
was openly avowsd. In accordance with
this purpose, an ordinance lad been adopted
in each Of these States, decls ring the States
respectively to be separated from the Ma
tional Union. A formula for instituting a
combined government for these States had
been promulgated, and this illegal organiza-
ton in the character of the Confederate
States was already invoking recognition, aid
and Intervention from foreign powers.
Finding this condition of things, and be-
iA"' L" ~ N-i ANA 'SidllfC 0uty QtOIl Tie
| incoming Executive to prevent, if possible,
the consummation of such attempt to de-
stroy the Federal Union, choice of means
to that end became indispensable. This
choice was made and was declared in
the Inaugural Address. The policy chosen
looked to the exhaustion of all peaceful
measures before resort TO anv stronger
ores. 1t sought only to hold only the pub.
lis1r rayf.r 81, r.
Government and to collect the revenue, rely
ing for the rest on time, discussion and the
ballot box. 1t promised continuance Of
che mails at the Government expense to the
very people who wefesreSi Sisting the Govern
ment, and it gave repeated pledges against
any disturbance to any of the people or any
Of their rights. OF all that which Pres-
dent might constitutionally and justifably
do in such case, everything was forborne,
without which it was believed impossible to
keep the Government on foot.
On the 5th of March, the present lncum-
bent's first full day in office, a letter of Major
Anderson, commanding at Fort Sumter,
written on the 28th of February, and receiv.
ed at the War Department on the 4th of
March, was by that Department placed in
his hands. This letter expressed the profess
clOhnt OpibIOA VI tIlt MIIlSF, til2L TplDIOfC6'
mentS could not be thrown into that within
the time for his relief rendered necessary by
the l'laited supply of provisions, and with
view OF holding possession Of the same, with
force of less than twenty thousand good
and well disciplined men. This opinion
was conGurred in by all the officers of his
CO tmmand, and their memoranda on the SUBJ
.ject were made enclosures of Major Ander-
sons letter. The whole was immediately
la before Lieutenant General Scott, who at
once concurred with Major Anderson in that
opinion. On reflection, however, he took
full time, consulting with other officers Of
the army and navy, and at the end of four
days came reluctantly but decidedly to the
same cenclusi as before.
He also stated at the same time that no
snch sufficient force was then within the
ccnlrol of the Government or could be raised
and brought to the ground within the time
when the provisions in the fort would be ex-
hausted. In purely military point of view
this reduced the duty of the Administration
in the case to the mere matter of getting
the garrison safely out of the fort.
1t was believed, however, that to SO aban-
don that position, under the circumstances,
would be utterly ruinous that the necessity
under which it was to be done would not be
fully understood that by many it would be
construed as part Of o voluntary policy
that at home it would discourage the friends
of the Union, elnbolden its adversaries, and
go far to insure to the latter a recognition
abroad that. in fact, it would be our Ma
tional destruction eonsumnated. This
could not be allowed. Starvation was not
yet upon the garrison, and ere it would be
reached Fort Plckens might be reinforced.
This last would be clear indication of pol
icy, and would better enable the country to
accept the evacuation of Fort Samter as a
military necessity. An order was at once
directed to be sent for the landing of the
troops from the steamship Brooklyn into
Fort Plckens. This order could not go by
land, and must take the longer nd slower
route by sea.
The first return news from the order was
received just one week before the fall Of
Fort Sumter. The news itself was that the
officer commanding the Sabine, to which yes.
sci the troops bad been transferred from the
Brooklyn, acting upon some quasi armistice
of the late Administration, and of the exis-
tence of which the present Administration,
up TO the time the order was despatched,
had only too vague and uncertain rumors to
FIX atlention-had refused to land the troops.
To now reinforce Fort Pickens before
crisis would be reached at Fort Sumter, was
impossible, rendered so by the near exhaus-
ton of provisions in the latter named Fort.
Ia such coniucCuRe, the Government
had. few days before, commenced prepar-
ING an eyDedition as well adanted aS Diuht