The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-03-15
Evacuation of Fort Sumter Contemplated.

The Washington correspondents agree that
me evacuation Of Fort Sumter is under con-
sheraton in the cabinet, and is quite likely
flo be ordered. This will strike the country
most unpleasantly. but the fort must either
he reinforced and supplied with provisions,
and connection with it through the harbor
f.rcibly kept up, CIR it must be abandoned.-
HE supplies Of bread in the fort are now on
" sufficient for thirty days supplies of meat
and vegetables are now obtained at Charles
ton. but are liable to be cut off at any time
" order Of Gov Pickens, and there is but
..:;.e .ue IL the fort. There are not men E.
nOugh to work more than four Of the heavy
guns continuously. and as this work is ex-
cessively fatiguing, the defence Of the fort
could not be kept up for any great length OF
tine These are the stubborn facts in the
case. The administration did not create the
dilemma 1t was inherited from the Buchan
an 'tumble-down, and for whatever disgrace
there is in that dilemma the Buchanan adj
m;nistration is responsible. The only ques-
ton now is whether the reinforcement of
Sumter is " )rth what it will cost. In mil
,arv point Of view the position is now of no
value, because the approaches to the harbor
are commanded by the rebel fortitcations.-
the only reason for holding it is the moral
one-the point Of honor. Gen Scott says it
will require twenty thousand men to force an
entrance to the harbor, and to take and hold
tie harbor forts and reinforce Sumter so as
10 make the holding Of it permanent and
valuable in military point of view, and that
the operation must be attended with great
sacrifice Of life. The administration has
therefore the right to consider the question
as one Of cxpediency, leaving the honor or
disgrace out Of the account, as belonging not
TO Itself bu. its predecessor. Ex-secretary
ii,lt declares openly that the present admin
>trltion can IN no way be made responsible
t0t any course So obviously made necessary
w the mistakes and neg lect of the Buchanan
administration. He says that the fort could
have been reinforced thirty days ago without
serious difficulty and measures had been ia
ken for that purpose, but Mr. buchanan pos
itivcly refused to have them executed. His
whole policy was to bequeath complication
to his successor which compelled one of two
alternatives, either withdrawal or reinforce
ment, with the certainty Of civil war 1t is
the general impression al Washington tina.
MAJOR Anderson Will be ordered to withdraw
from the fort, leaving It in the care CT a cor
poral and one or two men, so that the con-
i leracy troops will have the satisfaction of
taxing it and hauling down the tnited States
flag.
The moral effect of the abandonment of
Fort sumter will Internationally be degree
Of disappointment and chagrn among loyal
citizens OF the North, and it will be repre-
sr.,ed by those who sympathize with sccess
.9u as dishonorable retreat, but the Union
!!cn in the border states Will be very much
s.a'ed and strengthened by it Anything
20 decidedly indicative of pacific policy will
re4>>ure them and dispel all fears ofwar, and
So promote the reaction at the South in favor
If the Union. Prominent secessonists at
Washington assent that il the troops ale
Withdrawn from Fort Sumter secession is
..v.I and every leader il the movement III
.acI II this will he the actual effect Of such
:, movement, it IS worth while to suppress
ar Indignation and cat humble-,ie few
d., while South Carolina holds high jubilee
IAN over another OF her blooI.ess victories.
I he Stoc,siou!,ts thus far may aptly quote n
.,,ar,l t. their own exploits the famous max
i1l, Peace hath her victories more renowned
:han wAr. Sym4feid E,p,tblican.