The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-04-12
The Forts 1t Key West and tho
TOrtugas

In the United States Senate, on the 9th
ult., pending the discussion Of resolution
recommending the President to withdraw the
troops from the seeding States, Mr.. RICE
said: II am for peace. If the seeded States
are determined to remain out, am in favor
of their going in peace. would go farther
than this l would give them the forts and
arsenals within their limits. If they ask
more, l would divide the Navy with them.
If they wanted more than that, I would
release them from the public debt. Iwould
even give them more than that-anything
for peace but they are not in possession of
Key West, or of Tortugas, and they never
will be. Those two points are needed by
US, not by them. The commerce of the
country has an interest in those two points,
and the commerce of the country belongs
to the North, and ever will belong there,
and the North will always hold those two
points. 1 would not give up those places.
No, sir I would not give them up under
any circumstances whatever"
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE, in referring to the
forts at Tortugas and Key West, said:
still entertain hopes of a reunion of all the
States but if there should ultimately, unfor
tunately, be permanent separation of this
Confederacy, l take it that all the troops must
be withdrawn from all the points within the
limits OF those States, and such other States
as might unite with them. trust that all the
States may be reunited upon the true princi-
Piles of the old Constitution; but, if another
result should occur, | should be unwilling to
see established upon this continent the princi-
pie which Great Britain has established at va
rious points of the world and if permanent
and ultimate separation should unfortunately
occur between the States, should not insist
OF those Confederate States, as Great Britain
holds Gibralter and other strategic points in
important parts Of the world.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said:
think it would be wise for the President
of the United States to withdraw the troops
from Fort PickenS, as l understand they have
been, or will be, from Fort Sumpter. Those
being the only two places that are within the
actual possession of the United States within
the territory now recognizing the authority of
the revolutionary government at Montgomery,
they are the only points where there is danger
OF collision and irregular war. The resolution
of the Senator from Kentucky, however, would
go much further. 1t proposes to advise the
President to withdraw the troops from all the
Confederate States, except Gf he accept the
amendment of the Senator from Minnesota
those at Key West and Tortugas. do not
like that. That implies that Key West and
TOrtugas are within the Confederate States.
deny that they are. Whatever government
the Confederate States have got it is a revolu-
tiOnary government. A revolutionary govern
ment can only claim what it actually occupies,
and can take nothing by implication. Although
Key West and Tortugas may have been within
the former limits of Florida, they are not with.
in the Confederate States under the revOlu-
tiOnary government. If the Senator from Ken
lucky will modify his resolution, and declare
that it is the sense of the Senate that it would
be good policy to withdraw the troops at Fort
Sumpter and Fort Pickens, or that the Senate
would approve of their withdrawal, certainly
would sanction that line of policy. 1 believe
it would be wise.
Pending this debate. which ended in
smoke, for the Republican Senators refused
to permit vote on the resolution, Senator
NEsMIrH got off good thing, which ap.
plies with considerable force in this region.
He said "There is a class of people in this
country who desire to involve the country
in war, and may be permitted to say that
a good many of them reside in the North,
ard they are people who are invincible in
peace and invisible in war"