Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-07-13
Synopsis Of Lincoln's Message.

Synopsis of Lincoln's Message issF
WAsHINaToN, July q (via Mobile, July
8 Tho message of Lincoln to che Northern
Congrcsssnys that nt the beginning oftlie pres
cnt Administration, the Federal Government
was found to be suspended in several Statcs,
except in regard to its postal functions. Tho
national property, except Forts Pickcns, Tny.
lor, Jefferson and SHUTTER, had been seized
and put in an offensive position; other forts
lad been built, m army organized and being
organized with uyowodly hostile intent, and
the Federal force n these States bcsciycd or
mcnaccd. ~ dsproportionuto amount of arms
and munitions of war had somehow found its
way into the ;ebcllious States the accumula.
tions OF the national revenues within the rebel
borders was seized the Federal Navy was
scattered and Federal army and Navy officers
had resigned in great numbers. Ordl!ances
declaring their separation from the United
States had been passed, and these States,
were applying to foreign powers for rccoSn-
ton and assistance. The incoming Admiuis.
traton believed tito be nm imperative duty to-
prevent the threatened dismcmbcrncnt of the
Union. In tho choice Of means towards this
indispensable policy, that method was chosen
which was indicated in the Inaugural. Tho
Government exhausted al! peaceful measures
before it would resort to coercion. 1t was
seeking only to hold the public places and
property, and to continue the unrcsistcd col
lection Of tho revenue, relying upon time, dis.
cuSson and the ballot,box for the rest prom
sing, in the mean time, tho continuance of
the mails. Everything WIS to bc foreborne
compatible with keeping the Government on
foot.
On the 18th Of March, letter was received !.
from Major Anderson, commanding Fort Sum
ter, stating that cplacc could not be held.
On further consultation, Gen. Scott consid-
cred that the force at the disposal Of the Gov
elnmcnt was not adequate to the relief of Fort
Sumter, without Immediately victualing it.
The duty Of tho Administration was thus re-
duccd to the safe withdrawal of the garrison.
1t was believed, however, that the abandon.
mcnt OF Sumter would DC utterly ruinous;
that the action would be misunderstood rs dis
couraging the friends of the Union and en-
blodcnlng its enemies, and ns encouraging tho
recognition of the Confederate Stutes nbroad:
that in fact it would be that national dcstruc-
ton. Ii this course WAS unavoidable, prcvi-
Gus to Suintcr's starvation, Fort Pickcns
might be reinforced, thus indicating the poll
cy of the Administration, aud preparing
the public mind for the evacuation of Sumter ;s
anIiitary necessity. Orders were Immediate
~ issued for the reinforcement of pickons,
and us it was s)9ibb to transmit these or
dcrS by land, they wdre scns.-by sea. The j
first return to this order was received tho
week before the fall of Sumter The Brook
lyn, under Buchanan's quasi arnisticc, res
fused to land troops to reinforce pickens be-
fore the crisis should he relieved at Sumter.
In order to prevent the evacuation Of Sum
ter before pickcns could be lssssssss =
Government planned an expedition to victu..
al SUMTER to br used or NOT, as circu,rstan-
ccs might require. Contingencies requiring
the consunmation ot this plan, Governor Pick
ems was notified that if tic vittsain. WAS
not resisted, no cttc,np, would lu made to I
throw III men, arms or niuMuaiton without I
giving him notice. The fprt, ,lowe,c o., was taken (
without waiting for the victuallng expedition; 4
thus the attack on Sumter can in no sense b.,
said to have been in sclfdcfcncc The nssail-
ants knew that in no event could Fort Sumter
be nlschievous; and they were notified that
feeding hungry men was the only object that !
Government only wished to maintain nomi
nal possession Of the fort, thus preserving tho
Ohloh RON dissolution, trusting TO time, dis 4
c,sslon and the ballot-box for final adjust b
ment The fort was assailcd for one object: a
to drive out the visible Federal, AUTHORITY. (
thus forcing Immediate dissolution. I+1issAek
ESccutive undertoud, and having inarg rated
hostiIities, you can have no conflict without
being yourselves tho uggrrssDrs
President Lincoln took pains to keen this
declaration good in tho circumstances sur
rounding the Sumter affair Then these Con.
fcdcratcs began the conflict; they have forced
upon the country the destructive issue of i'm \
mediate dissolution, as it solves the question
whether a government of the people can main. K
tain the Integrity Of it's territory against do i
nestle foes, and whether band of individu, !.
as, too few to control the Administration by
organized law can break up the Governmcnt- /
thus ending tile frccst Government on earth.
IL forces this question, must government be I
too strong for the liberty ofa people, or too 4
weak to maintain its ownexistcpce No choice 4
was left but to call out the war power Of tho q
Government to resist tho force omploycd fors
Its destruction. The response to the call for y
roops;surprised the most s,nguine oxpccta- !
ton, Delaware, alone, however Of ali the,s
slave States, responding a few regiments /
have been raised in slave States by iudiyidss
ua enterprise, and excepted M
The Border States were not unifnrni ~
their action. The course taken by VirgiiiaW
Is the most remarkable and important, AN
Convention toconsder this question, IN Sos,
SION when Fort Sumter fell, with large Unssaa
ION minority, went over, and carried tho Stated
out OF tho Union. They made cxtcnsiyeS
military preparations, seized the Federal pro, u
erty received largo bodies of Coufcd.ruteH