Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-01-10

will be regarded act of hostility, and you may then
put your command into either Of them which you deem
proper increase its power of resistance You are
lied to take similar steps whenever you have
tangible evidence OF design to proceed to hostile ACT
Assistant Adutant General
Fort MoULTRIE S. c., December IL, 1860"
This is in conformity my instructions to Major Buell.
JOHN B. FLOYD,
Secretary # War;
These were the last instructions transmitted Major
dersOn before his removal Fort Sumter, with single
cepion in regard to particular which does not in any de-
gree affect present question Under these ccumstan
ces is clear that Major Anderson acted upon his
ponsbity and without authority unless indeed he had
tangible evidence of design proceed hostile act
the part of the authorities of South Carolina which has
not been alleged. Still he brave and honorable officer
and justice requires that he should not be condemned with
out fair hearing
Be this may learned that Major Anderson had
left Fort Moutre and proceeded to Fort Sumter, my first
prompungs were to command him to return 10 MS former
position and there to await the contingencies presented IN
degree of to the command by the OF the
South Carolina authorities But before any steps could pos
sby have been taken in this direction received nforma-
ton that the Palmetto flag foated out to the breeze at
Castle Pinckney and large military force went over last
night (the 27th) to Fort Moutrie.'
Thus the authorities of South Carolina without waiting
asking for any explanations and doubtless believing as
you have expressed it, that the officer had acted not only
without but against my orders on the very next DAY
the night when the removal maize, seized by military
force of the three federal forts in the harbor of
and have covered them under their own flag instead
that of the United States At this gloomy period OF our
history, startling events succeed each other RAPIDLY
On the very day. the 9th instant that possession OF these
two forts taken the Palmetto flag raised over the
Federal Custom House and Postofce in Charleston and on
the day every officer of the CustOmsCoector Naval
Officer Surveyor and Appraser-resgned their Offices.
And this although well known from the language OF
my Massage that Executive officer, felt myself
bound to collect the port Charleston under
the existing laws Ia the harb0r OF Charleston we now md
three forts confronting each other over all OF which the
Federal flag oated only days ago; but two
of them this flag has been suppanted and the nag
has been substituted in its stead.
1t is under all these circumstances that urged imme-
datey withdraw the troops from the harbor of Charles
tom and am informed that without this negotiation is i'm
|
idea thought of by in possible contingent
cy No ausion had been made in any communication be
tween myself and any human ing the inference is,
that bound to withdraw the troops from the only 1rt
remaining in the possession of the United States in the
harbor of Charleston because the officer there in command
of all the FORTS thought proper without Instructions 10
| change his position from one of them to another
At this point of writing have received information by
telegraph, from Captain Humphreys in command of the
Arsenal Fat Charleston that it has to-day sunday' the
the munitions of belonging the United States in this
Arsenal are worth half million of dollars.
Comment needles. After this information. have only
to add that whilst duty to defend Fort Sumter as
portion of the public property of the United States against
hostile whatever quarter they come, by
such may for this purpose do not per
ceve how such defence can be construed into menace
against the city of Charleston.
! fuIv JAMES BUCHANAN.
! To Honorable ROBERT W. BARNWELL JAMES H. ADAMS,
WASHINGTON D. c. January l, 1o6l
Sir We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your of the Both December in reply note address
ed by you the 18th of the same month, as Com
South
In reference the declaration with which your reply
commences that position President OF the United
the Sd instant " that you possess change the
relations heretofore existing between South Carolina and
the States much less TO acknowledge the ndependehce
that State that consequently you could meet
y private gentlemen of the highest character with an
entire Willingness to communicate 10 congress any proPo
sition might have to make deem only necessary
say that the state of South Carolina having in the exer-
else of that great right of which underes
all political organizations, declared herself sovereign
and independent her representatives. felt no sp Gal
socude the character i'll which might recognize
Satisfied that the State had simply exercised her unques
tionable right prepared in order to reach sub
the formal considerations switch
your constitutional scrupes might have prevented you from
extending We here, therefore, expecting to be
ceved you did receive and perfectly content with that
entire Willingness of which you assured u.s. to submit any
proposition to Congress- which might have to make
upon the subject of the independence OF the State That
willingness ample recognition of the condltIon OF pub
lie affairs which rendered presence necessary In this
position, however, 1t IS our duty BON TO the state when
represent and TO ourselves to correct several important
misconceponsof our letter. into which YOU have fallen
You IS it earnest desire that such dispOsi-
ton should be made of the whole subject by Congress- who
alone possess the power prevent the Inauguration of
civil war between the parties IN regard to the possession OF
the Federal the harbor Of Charleston and there
FORE deeply regret that your opinion the of the
last twentyOur hours render this Impossible We eX-
pressed such opinion and the language which
is altered in it's by the omission of i'm
porant part of the sentence What we did say was But
the of the last twentOur hours render such
surance IMPOSSIBLE Place that assurance as contain
ed in letter the sentence and We are prepared to
peat it.
Again. processing quote language you say Thus,
the authorities South Carolina without waiting asking
for any explanation and doubtless believing you have
expressed it, that the officer had acted not only without but
against my ORDERS &c. We expressed such opinion in
reference to the belief of the people of South Carolina.
The language which you have quoted was applied solely
entirely assurances obtained here, and based
you we'll upon your declaration, declaration
which at that time was Tor the authorities OF
South Carolina to have known. But without following this
letter into all its Details propose only to meet the chief
points of the argument.
Some weeks ago the State of South Carolina declared her
! the public e
cede from the United States She called Convention OF her
people to put her declaration in force The Convention met
and passed the Ordinance of Secession All this you entc
paed and your OF action Thoroughly considered
In YOUR annual essage YOU declared you had no right and
would attempt secedi State, but that you
bound by your constitutional OATH and would defend
the ty of the United States within the borders
South Carolina, if attempt made take by
Seeing very early that this question of property
it without son You did reinforce the garrison
the harbor of Charleston. You removed distinguished
and veteran officer from the command of Fort Moue be-
cause attempted his supply of ammunition
refused to send additional troops to the garrison
when applied for by the officer appointed to succeed him
You accepted the resignation of the Oldest and most emf
nent member of Cabinet rather than allow the gar
at r Sumter Immediately to the Arsenal forty
muskets which he had taken to his You express
ed not to one but to many OF the most distinguished Cf
public characters whose testimony will be placed upon
the record whenever it is your anxiety for
peaceful termination of this controversy and willing
not to disturb the military status of the forts Com
missoners should be sent to Government whose
muncations you promised to submit to Congress You
CelVed acted assurances omclal
thories of South Carolina that attempt would be made
disturb your possession of the forts and property of the
Uned States you would not disturb their existing cond
ton until the had been SENT and the attempt
negotiate had failed You took from The members of the
House of Representatives written memorandum that
such attempt should be made provided that no reinforce
ments shall be sent into those forts and their relative militia
ry status shall remain at present.. And although you
attach force the acceptance of such paperhough
you considered it nothing in effect than the pro-
mise of highly honorable gentlemen as an obligation on
side without corresponding obligation the other,
it must be remembered Of rightly informed) that
you pledged if you did send achievements to
return to those from whom had received before you
executed your resolution.
You sent orders to your officers commanding hem strict
y to follow line of conduct in conformity with such
understanding Besides all this you had received formal
and official notice from the Governor of South Carolina that
we had been appointed Commissioners, and our