New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-08

your Cabinet rather than allow the garFl -oh 10 be
strenotb.n.d Ynn con pted an officer stationed at
H.. Sr,t N reurn imuA iately "a the Arse NIL forty
musJets which he had taken to arm bis men, iou
EXPRESSED not one, but TO many OF me mos5 as IN
yshrd Of our public characiers, whose lr'limohy VIII
h.. IL ced upol the record whenever II l. necessary
[ .,nx;tv for a pea,sfa termination of this cOntrp
yer.y and your willingness not u dltur6 NE military
status of the forts if Commissioners shouid De sent 70
the Government, whose communications yOa PionT''u
10 submit TO Congress. -,
yo received and acted on assnrances from the high
est o-ial authorities OF Sosth Carolina that no at
tempt would he made To disturb your possession OF te
iots and property OF she United States u y0! Molio
mo-, dist, rb their existing condition until the nis-
- ners had been sent ard the attempt 10 negotiate ad
failed ifou took from tho members OF the House OF
,sepreses aves a written memorandum that no buch
att..m,t sbould be male, "prOylded that no re-
rniorceIr.n shall be sent into hnse forts and their
relative military status shall renain as at present
Add although you attach no force ~ the acceptance OF
sleh parer-athough yon " consldered IL AZ no'hlny
mofe in effect than the promise OF mguly hohorhole
gentlemen" az an obligation Oh one side without
corrgspordng obligation the other II must ne re-
uembercd n we rightly inforned) that y"h were
rdaed if You did send reenforcenens, 20 return
il ~ tkOse fsm whom you had receiver IL DeIore you
executed your resolution.
You rent orders 10 your officers commanding them
strictly to follow line Of conduct IN conformity with
such al understanding. Beside all this yop had re-
ceived formal aud official notice from the Governor OF
South Carolina that We had been appOinte COInml'-
sioners, and were on orr way to Washington fou
knew tn imoLed condition under which we came:
Cur arrival was notified to you, ana On hour appointed
fer an ins,rview. We arrived in Washington on
Nedne sdav At o'clock, and you appointed an inter-
view with az at 1 the next day. Early on That day
1huraday the news was received here OF the move
nsnt of MAJOR Anderson. mat news was cornmuni-
Gated 10 yon Immediately, and you postponed our meet
ins until q O'Clock Friday ~ order that you might
9, INSULT your Cabinet. On Friday we raw you and
we called upon you then TO redeem your pledge lou
couid deny IT, Wllh the facts we have stated and
-. and I.i f4cffH
your secreiary at War had resigned his seat IN the
ialine4 upon the publ ~ owed ground that The
action 81 Major Anderson bad violated the pledged |
faith Of thc Government and mat unless The pledge
instantly redeemed he was dlsh0n0red-deHlal was
impossible
is Obligation on 'he grounds: ls, That We terminated
all negotiations by demaldi r. q preliminary the |
withdrawal of the United States troops from the har
Dor of Charleston; and, I'd, That the authorities Of |
South Carolina instead Of asking explanation, and
giving You the opportunity TO vlndae yourself, TOOK
possession of other property of the United States We
viii exam ire both.
In the fist place we deny pOstvely that we have
ever in anv way, made any such demand. Our letter
is in your potses-Ion; il will stand BY ihs on record.
In II We inform yOu of The objects OF our mission. We
sav that il would have been our duty To have assured
Won of our readiness 10 negotiations, with
The earnest desire 10 settle all questions between
Us ancably and TO our mutual advantage 6ut mat
events had rendered that assurance impossible. we
stated the events, and rad that, until some salts
factory eAI auaion of these events given we
could not proceed and then, having made this
request for explanation, we added, And, IN con-
clusion we would urge upon you the Immediate |
withdrawal OF the trooIs from the Harbor of
Charleston Under present circumstances, they
ale standing menace which renders negotatl m
impos sbIe" &c. "Under present circumstances" |
VIVA, circumstance-l Why, clearly the occupation of
Fort Sumter and the dismantDg of Fort MOultrle by
Major Anderson, in the face Of your lodges and With
out explanation or practical disayowal. AND there Is
A.. l.,t.r haN 4
vented GU from declining TO withdraw the troops and
offering the restoration Of the status % which you
were pledged if such had been your desire II wonld
have been wher and better, IN our opinion to have
withdraw the troops; and this opinion urged upon
You but We demanded nothing but such an eXpiina-
lion of the events of the last twentyour hours AZ
would restore confidence in the spirit wiki which
H.. ueyoihiiuns should be conducted.
In relation 10 this withdrawal Of the troops from the
haIbor we are compelled however to notice one pas
sage Of your letter. Referring TO il you say, 'Thz
cannot DO. This / will not do. Such an idea was
never thought of by me in any possible contingency.
No allusion to had ever been made IN any colnmu-
cation between myself aud any human being
In reply this statement, we are compelled to say
that your conversation with VA left upon our minds
he distinct impression that you did seriously contem
plate the withdrawal OF the troops from Charleston
hAlbor Ard in support Of this impression, we wonld
add that have the positive assurance OF gentlemen
Of The bghest pos,ib public reputation and the most
uu-ulli,d integrity-men whos- name and fame, Sc
cured by ing service and patriotic achievement place
their testimony beyond cayl-that such suggestions
had been made TO and urged upon You by them, and
had formed the subject of more than discus
ion with YOU. Aud il was tnls knowledgc that in-
lu,ed u 10 urge upon yoI a policy when had TO
recommend IL lis own wisdom and The weight OF such
. uthoIy ,
As 10 The second point that the authorities Of South
Carolina instead of asking EXP lnatilns and giving
yon ia. opportunity TO yindcae yoqrsei' took posses,
ion of otter property of the United States, we would
OBSERVE fIst Il at even if this 70, IL does not
ay, Won for defense for the opportunity for dccslsion
WIZ afforded you before these facts occurred. We ar
rived in Washington un "Wednesday. The news from
Mai. Anderson reached here early on Thursday, aud
was immediately communicated To you. All that day
men of the hig est consderalionmen who had slryon
successfully tu lift y0n 10 your great oihce-Who hhd
been your ir,d and friends through the troubles
of your Administrations sought YOU and enrcaIed YOU
o vet TO act at
They told Won that every hour complicated your pO-
,cn II ey 81 Is asked 10 give The assurance tina,
if tlc facts wore so-that If tie Commander had acted
without and agsns !onr orders, and IN violation "i
yonr Ileter.-that yOu would restore the status you
had pledged your honor To maintain. You refused TO
decite. Your Secretary of War-your immediate and
proler adviser in this whole matterwalied auXiousy
for your decision until he felt that delay was becoming
disLonor.
More than twelve hours passed and two Cabinet
meetings bad adjourned, before yOn knew what The
authorities OF South Carolina had done, and yonr
PROMPT decision at any moment OF That time Wonlu
have avoided the sub.e1uent complications. Hut n
Won had known the acts of the authorities OF South
CaIolina should that have prevented your keeping
your faith What was the condition OF thngs For
The last sixty days you have had in Charleston harb'i
NOT force enough TO hold the forts against an equtl
enemy Two of them were empty one OF those, too,
he most important in the harbor. IL conld have been
taken any time You ought 20 know better than any |
man that would have been taken but for the efforts
of those who pu, their trust in your honor.
Believing that they were threatened by Fort Sumter
eslecialy the people with difficulty restrained
frcm securing without blood, the possession of thf |