The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-01-16
N U Nj B E R 40.

was aupIpl soleiy ond .u,,r.L =, -. 49,
surauces. ob,ained Ls,e orJ ,.,,I
lou we'll know urnr ynrr o,,,, dasI
ton, a decIsra,Iau which =, ,hn, ,;,,.';,
was impossible for the auibori,,e. .r Son,L
Carolina to have known. But vi,nor,
following this letter into nil ,,s 6.,.;Is NO
propose only to meet The chief noirIs or
the argument
Some weeks ago. the State of South
Carolina declared Le, ;,,,.r,;nr !, n,o
existing condition Of pnbhc affairs ,o 60.
cede from the United Stale, Sha evil .d
Convention of hcr people 10 nm, h or
declaration in force. The Convention r, =,
and passed the Ordinance of Secession -
All this YOU antici,h,-J and your co,,rso
Of action WAS thrt.uchiy considered Tn
your annual Messaar yon declared Won
had no right, aud would no, attempt, 10
coerce seeding State, but tha, you
were bound by your constitutional oath
and would defend the prorertv uf The
United States within the bUrders Of South
Carolina, if an a,,emr, WAS mad. IN ,,Le
1t 10y force.
Seeing very early tbat this question If
property WAS a difficult and deIical. one
you manifested desire to settle il with
out collision. You did rot reinforce the
garrison in the harbor Of Charleston. You
/ removed distinguished and veteran Off
Ger from the command of Fort MCultre
because he attempted to increase the SUM
| ply Of amunItiun. You refused to send
additional troops to the same garrison.
when applied tor hy the officer appoiuted
. 10 succeed him. You acc, pied the resin
( nation OF the oldest and most emiucit
member Of your Cabinet. ralker than al
."w the garrison TO be strengthened, You
compelled an officer stationed at Fort
. Sumter to return Immediately TO the Ar,
seDai forty muskels which he had taken
, to arm his men. You expressed, no, 10
one. but 10 many, Of the most distinI
| gulsIod OF our public characters. whose
testimony viii lie placed npcn the record
whichever it is necessary, your anxiety for
peacctu. termination Of this controversy.
and your willingness not TO disturb tie
military status Of the forts, il Commis
slonels should lie sent TO the Govern
ment, whose communication. YOU prom
ised TO submit to Congress. You received
and acted on assurances from the h,sb.s,
Official authorities OF South Carolina that
no attempt would be made to disturb
your possession Of the fo..s aud prouerty
o! the United States if YOU would not
disturb their existing condition until the
Commissioners had been sent, and the
| attempt % Lego,ale had failed. You
took from the members Of the Ilolse OF
, Representatives written mcmurandum
that no such attempt Should lie made,
provided that uo reinfcrcemcuts should
be scot TO those for;s and heir relative
military status snail Iemalu rs al pres
ent." And although You attach no force
! TO the acceptance Of such papei-al.
though you considered it as noting
more IN effect than The promise of highly
honorable gentlemen" as an obligation
on one side Without II corresponding ob
legation on the other, it must be remem-
| be'ed IF we are rightly iuformed) that
you were pledged. if you ever did send
reIntorcements, to return it TO those from
whom you had received it before you eY'
ecuted your resolution.
You sent orders to your officers COM
mandinS them, strictly TO follow II line of
conduct IN conformity with such nu un.
derstandIng. Besides MI this, You had
received formal and official notice from
,he Governor OF South Carolina that we
mad been appointed Commissioners, and
were on our way to Washington. You
knew the implied condition under which
we came; our arrival was notified 10
you, ana an hour appointed for an inter
view. we arrived IN Washington on
Wednesday, at 8 o'clock, and you aP
pointed an interview with us at one the
next Day Early on that day (Ihursday)
the news was received here OF the move.
ment O. Mayor Anderson. The news was
communicated to 70" immediately, aud
you postponed our meeting until half past
O'Clock on Friday, IN order that you
might consult your CShnet. On Friday
| we saw you, and We called upon YOU