Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-01-17

NV ToRk, Friday, Dec. II, 1851.
n =. ,gsl. "a -. ~ ~.


In your ll5ao OF thii morning, you publish
the lsttsr 81 Mr. Secretary ThomptonA-Ds-
partmsnt Of the IntsriOr--to the President Of
he United States, (sth iHal,) rsligning bis
seat in the Cabinet and to my surprise he
tells the President, that have In part caused
Il; for after stating that bis understanding
in the Cabinet was, that no uiniOEcements
we're to be sent 10 Charleston, be says; al
learn, however, this morning, for the first
time, that the steamer Star Of the West sailed
from New York last Saturday night with $50
men, under Lieut.. Bartlett bound for Fort
Sumteret TT Ll.t a.. ~ r
Now, whiis I am ready 70 admit that If It
had pleased the President oi the United
States, OF Lieut. General Scoot, 70 have given
mo an order to join that expedition, ! should
have ehserfully obeyed il although not SOW
in service yet Gs cannot think Of wearing
honofs that belong TO others, l must deny
that ! have had anything 70 Do with the Star
Of tho West. \ y '.1l s7., .' r. y t'ohi3 iai- .
i tis however, due 70 the patriotic and
generous merchants Of this City to say, that
Whea Il seemed probable that nothing Was 70
be done By the Government to relieve the
wants Of Major Anderson and bis gallant
command, (beli6Esd By many to be very
pressing in consequsnce Ct his sudden move
ment so entirely anproVided for, and the fur
ther belief that be was cut Of rom all con-
tractors for fresh supplies, the merchants did
listen to my proposals, and heartily entered
into my plans, which were TO throw proTis-
ions into Fort Sumter; and the enterprise
was fairly on foot when We got an inkling
that the Government was moving in the mat
ter; and yet we did not relax our secret prep
arations until we knew positively that the
Government had sent of its expedition.
The private enterprise was kept secret
aud vsA kept (which was more than the Gov
ernment could do, land it is my opinion
now, that if the Government had not taken
the matter out Of our hands, no one would
have known Of it until it was executed.
Il was intended to be "SnliHtatly peaceful, y
we did not then know that South Carolina
had determined to prevent provisions enter
ing the State-and once in the harbor we
were to push for the Fort at all hazards. We
did not intend to hOstilizs any one, but we
did intend to give aid and comfort. -"
The late Hon. Secretary of the Interior was
as much mistaken when he told the Ppesi-
dent that l commanded the expedition of the
Star Of the West as it appears he wss in the
idea, thst under no circumstances would the
President and Cabinet relieve Major Ander-
son at Fort Sumter. -.
Permit me to add, in honor Of our mer-
chants, that four years ago appealed to
them for provisions in aid Of the starving
people on the Cape de Verds IslandS They
responded with thousands Of barrels Of the
best-three ship loads. They also responded
promptly to aid Major Anderson, and intended
70 have sent him ten to twelve thousand ra-
tions of fresh meats and vegetables And l
now say that as we learn by letters and pa
pers from Southern States, that there are
large distrints Of country which in g few
weeks more-ayei even now, are fast enter
ing upon period of famine and starvation.
Only let it be properly authenticated to New
York City, and promise the people Of the
South that I will come to them with ship
load of the best in the market without money
and without price.
Respectfully yours,
WASHEGToN A. BARTLETT.