Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-04-06
Poll T' '00Aa.
Mossage of the Governor to the Convention

Message of the Governor to the Convention.
The President laid before the Convention
the following message from the Governor of
South Carolina, together with sundry accom-
p1nying documents
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Charleston, 2Sth March, 1861.
10 Me President and Wan5ers of tie Convention:
Gentlemen On the 18th day of February
last, the Confederate Government adopted to
following resolution:
" Resoiced, That this Government takes
under its charge the questions and difficulties
now existing between several States of this
Conicderacy and the Government of the Uni
ted States relating to the occupation of forts.
oMenals, navy yards, and other public cstab-
lishments; and that the President of the
Congress be directed to communicate this res
olution to the Governors OF the states"
And on the LIST day of March, the Secrc-
t'ry oil War wrote me in the following Ian
guogo: "Under this Act the President di-
rccts me to inform you, that he assume seon-
trQi OF all the military operations of your
State, having reference to. or connected with
questions between your State and powers for.
eign to it,"
" lie also directs me to request you TO com.
municatc to the department without delay, the
I''N''J "'U N''ai"CtSl vi dIiDS ana nuDltlOnS
OF war which have been acquired from the
United States, and which are now in the
Forts, Arsenals aud Navy Yards OF YOUR
State, and all other arms aud munitions which
your State may desire to turn over and make
chargeabe to this Government"
The Provisional Government for the Con.
federate States was created by your authority,
through Delegates appointed TO meet other
delegates from nll the seeding States, and
therefore consider the acts of the Provision,
al Government rs binding upon South Carroll
ma. by virtue of this authority, the Presi.
dent OF the Confederate Government, ON the
Ulird of this mouth, placed Gercral Boaure.
gard In full full command of all forces in nc.
tuai service, in and ground Charleston. He
is scientific and thorough bred officer. and
no appointment could have been more ac.
ceptablc
did not think~I was fully authorized to
transfer the enlisted forces of South Carolina
over to the Confederate Government, because
thcIr enlistment was in the nature of cou-
tract with the State, the conditions of which
could not NOT be varied, except by the authority
of the Convention
4 baVe transmitted to tho Secretary of War
OF the Confederate States, full and accurate
iist 9t theloiiicers that have been appointed
ia the regular enlisted service of this State,
ana took occasion to say that would refer
the matter to the Convention to determine and
iix inc conditions upon which this force should
be transferred over to the Confederate Gov
ernment 1t was force raised under pecu.
liar circumstances, of great excitement and
peril, andthe officers have been selected with
strict regard, in most instances to military
services heretofore rendered in the late Mex
lean war, orin reference to their rank. and po-
sitlon ih tho late United States Army.
! respectfully urge, therefore, that tho Con.
yention may preserve their rank and commits.
sions' as far as Possibic, in any arrangement
or transfer they may make Of then, to the
Confederate Government. This force Was en-.
listed for one year, and ii any events that
may ariso, it win require at least six hundred
men to garrison the forts in Charleston harbor.
and it viii also require company permanent.
iy stationed at tho.mouth of Stouo, and one
near sGeorgetowo, AID at least one, II not
more, at aud near Beaufort; in all eight hun
dred mea. If there should be any eoDtinu.
cd agitation or apprehension of protraoted,
war, shcn Of conrso it; wonld require many
more Ifthe Confederate Government would
eecciye this enlisted force with their officers,