The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-07-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FelIo'o citizens ofMe Senate and House

u
FSllo,o citiseas ofMe Senate and House
Of Representatives.
Having been convened in extraordinary
session as authorized by the Constitution,
your attention Is not called to any ordinary
subject Of legislation. At the beginning oi
the present Presidential term, four months
ago, the functions of the Federal Government
were found to be generally suspended within
the several States of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida,
excepting those only Of the Post Office De-
partinent. Within these States all the forts,
arsenals, dock yards, custom houses &C., in
Guiding all the movable and stationary prop
erty in and about them, had been seized and
licll in open hostility to this Government,
excepting only the Forts fickens, Taylor
and Jefferson, on and near Florida coast, and
Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor The forts
thus seized had been put in improved con-
dition, new ones had been built and armed.
Other forces had been organized and were
organizing, all avowedlv for the same hostile
purposes. The forts remaining in the Fede-
raj possession in and near those States were
ether beseiged or menaced by warlike prep
erations. Especially Fort Sumter was nearly
surroundek by well protected batteries, with
guns equal in quality to its own, and out
numbe ing the latter as ten to one. 4 dis
proportienate share ofthe Federal mnskets
and rifles had somehow found their way into
these States and had been seized to be used
against the Government. Accommodations of
the public revenue had been seized for the
same object The navy was scattered in dis
tant seas, leaving but q very small part of it
within the immediate reach of the Govern
merit Officers of the Federal army had re-
signed in great numbers, and Of those re-
signed a great portion had taken up arms
against the Government. simultaneously
and in connection with all this, a purpose to
sever the Federal Union was openly avowed.
In accordance with this purpose, an ordinance
had been reported, in each of these States,
declaring the S ates respectively to be scpe-
rated from the Federal Union The formu-
la for instituting a combined Government for
these States had been promulgated and this
illegal organization in the Confederate States,
was already asking recognition, aid and in
terven.ion from foreign powers. Finding
this condition of things, and believing il to
be an imperative dutv upon the incoming
Executive to prevent if possible, the consul
raj Union. choice of two things to the end
became Indispensable. This choice was made
and declared in the inaugural address. The
policy chosen, looked to the exhaustion ofall
peaceable measures before resort to any
stronger one. sought only to hold the pub
lie places and property not already wrested
from the Government, and to collect the
revenue relying for the rest on time, discus
sion and the ballot box. promised the con-
tinuance of the mails at the Governments
expense to the very people who were resist
ing the government, and gave repeated pledg-
es against any disturbance Of any of the peo-
pie or any of their rights--of all that which
Presiden might constitutionally and justi-
fiablv do in such a case Everything was
forborne, without which it was believed pos
sible to keepthe government on foot.
On the fifth Of March, the present encum-
bents first full day in Office a letter from
Major Anderson, commanding at Ft. Sumter,
written on tho 2Sth of February and received
at the War Department on the 4th of March,
was by that Department placed in his hands.
This letter expressed the professional opinion
of the writer that re;nforcements could not
be thrown into that fort in time for his re-
ef,-rcndcred necessary by the limited sup
ply of provisions and with view of holding
possession Of the same--with force of less
than 10000 well disciplined men. This
opinion was concurred in by all the officers
| of his command and their memoranda on the
subject were made Enclosures of Major An
derson's letter. The whole was Immediately
laid before Lieutenant General Scott, who at
once concurred with Major Anderson in his
decision. On reflection, however, he took
full time in consulting with other officers,
both of the army and navy, and at the end
| of four days came reluctantly but decidedly
to the same conclusion as before. He also
| stated at the same time that no such suffi-
| cient force was then at the control Of Gov
| ernment or could be raised and brought to
the ground Within the time when the pro-
visions at the Fort would be exhausted. In
purely military point of view, this confined
| the Administration to the mere matter Of
| getting the garrison out Of the Fort 1t was
| believed, however, to so abandon that situa-
| ton under the circumstances would be en-,
| tirely ruinous that the necessity under
which it was to be done would not be fully
understood that by many it would be con-
strued as part of ia voluntary policy that
at home it would discourage the friends OF
| the Union, embolden its adversaries, and 90
far to insure to the latter recognition abroad
and that in fact it would be our national des-
! truction. This could not be allowed Star
/ vation was not yet upon the garrison, and
| ere it would be reached, Fort Pickens might
be reinforced. This last would be clear
indication of policy, and would better enable
the country to accept the evacuation of Sum
ter as a military necessity. Then an order
was at once sent for the landing of troops
from the steamship Brooklin into Fort Pick
ems. This order could not so by land, but
must take the surer and slower route by sea.
The first returning news from the order was
received Just one week before the fall of Sum-
| ter. The news itself was that the officer
commanding the Sabine, to which vessel the
troops had been transferred from the Brook
lyn, acting upou some armistice of the late
administration and ofthe existence of which
the:.present administration had only too vague
and uncertain rumors to fix attention, had
refused to land the troops. To now reinforce
Fort Pickens before the crisis would be reach,
ed at Fort Sumter was impossible. rendered
so by the mere exhaustion Of provisious in
the latter named Fort. In preesation against
such contingency the Government had few
days before commenced preparing an expedi
tion as well adapted as might be to relieve Ft
Sumter, which expedition was ultimately t.
be used or not according TO circumstances
/ The strongest anticipated case for using i
was now presented, and it was resolved t.
send it forward, as had been intended. Ii
this contingency it was also resolved to no
/ tify the Governor Of South Carolina that ht
might expect that an attempt would be made
~ proy;s;on tho Fort anl that ir the atfpmn