The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-07-17


ent Administration, up to that time, had only
too vague and uncertain rumors to fix atten-
ton, had refused to land the troops. To now
reinforce Fort Pickens before a crisis would
be reached at Fort Sumter was impossible,
rendered so by the near exhaustion of provi-
sions in the latter named Fort, in precaution
against such aconjunction. The Government
had, a few days before, commenced preparing
an expedition, as we'll adapted as might be,
to relieve Fort Sumter, which expedition was
intended ultimately to be used or not, accord
ing to circumstances The strongest antici-
-pated case for using it was nowpresented, and
it was resolved to notify the Governor of South
Carolina that he might expect an attempt
would be made to provision the Fort, and that
if the attempt should not be resisted there
would be no effort throw in men, arms or am
mutton, without further notice or in case of
an attack upon the Fort. This notice was ac-
cordingly given, whereupon the Fort was at
tackled and bombarded to the fall without even
awaiting the arrival of the provision expedi-
ton. IL is thus seen that the assault upon
and the reduction of Fort Sumter was in no
sense a matter of self defence on the part of
the assailants. They we'll knew that the gar
rison in the fort could by no possibility COM
NIT aggression upon them. They knew they
were expressly notified that the giving of bread
to the brave and hungary meu of the garrison
was all which would be attempted on that oc-
casion, unless the missiles by resisting so
much should provoke more. They knew that
the Government desired to keep the garrison
in the fort, not to assail them, but TO merely
maintain visible possible possession, and thus
to preserve the Union from actual and imme
diate dissolution. Trusting as hsreinbefors
stated to time, discussion and the ballot box
for finding adjustment they assailed and res.
duced the fort for precisely the reverse Of the
object to drive out the visible authority of the
Federal Union and thus force it to i'm mediate
dissolution. That was their object, which the
Executive well understood, and having said to
them in the Inaugural Address, you can have
no c5nfiict without being yourselves the ag-
gressoi 5, he took pains not only to keep this
declaration good, but also to keep the case so
free from the power of ingenious sophistry as
that the world should not be able to misun-
derstand it.. By the affair at Fort Sumter with
it's surrounding circumstances that point was
reached. Then and thereby the assailants of
the Uovernment began the conflict of arms
without a gun in sight or in expectancy, to
return their fire save only the few in the Fort,
sent to that harbor years before for their own
protection and still ready to give that proteo
ton in whatever was lawful. In this act, dis
carding all else, they have forced upon the
country the destructive issue of Immediate
dissolution or blood; and this issue embraces
more than the fate of these United States it
presents to the whole family of man the quess
ton whether in a constitutional republic or
Democracy, a Government of the people, the
same people can or cannot maintain its terri
torial integrity against its domestic foes. Ii
presents the question, whether discontented
individuals, too few in number to control the
administration according 10 organic law in any
| case, and always upon the pretances made in
this case, or any other pretences, can arbitra-
rily without any pretence, break up their gov
| ernment and thus practically put an end to
/ free government upon the earth. 1t forces us
\ to ask, is there in all republics this inherent
1 a d fatal weakness7 Must government, o.
necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its
| own people, or too weak to maintain its OWL
existepcel So receiving the. issue, no choice
4 was eft but to call ont the war power of the
| government and so to resist force employed
| for its destruction, by force for its preserya
\ tion The call was made, and the response o
4 the country was most gratifying, surprising
in unanimity and spirit, the most sanguine ex
/ pectations. Yet none of the States, common
/ iy called slave States, except Delaware, gave
regiment through regular State Organization
4 "A few regiments have been organized within
1 some others of those States by individual en-
terprise and received into government service
I Of course the seeded States, SO called, an,
to which Texas had been Joined about the tim
of the inauguration, gave no troops to tn
, cause of the Union. The border States, S
, called, were not uniform in their action, som
,si of them being almost for the Union, while l.
others, as Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee
and Arkansas the Union sentiment was nearl
repressed and silenced. The course taken i
: Virginia was the most remarkable, perhap
the most i'm portant. A Convention, electe
by the people of that State, to consider thi
very Question of dissolving the Federal Uniol
. was in. session at the capital of Virginia whe
Fort Sumter fell. To this body the people 'ha
chosen l.rge majority of professed Unio
men. Almost immediately after the fall {
. Sumter, many members went over to the or
I ginal disunion minority, and with them adop
e. ed an ordinance for withdrawing the Stat
tfrom the Union. Whether this change ws
wrought by their great approval of the assau
= upon Sumter, or the great resentment at tt
: Goyernment's resistance to that assault is NJ
# definitely known.
d Although they submitted the ordinant
e for the ratification to vote of the peopl
e to be taken on day, then somewhat mo
If than a mouth distant. the Convention an
J. the Legislature. which was also in sessit
r at the same time and place, with leadir
e members of the State, not members
% either, immediat ly commenced acting
i, if the State were already out Of the Unio
1t They pushed military preparations vigo
,e ously forward all over the State. Th
1t seized the q, S. Armory at Harpel
rt Ferry and the Navy Yard at Gospo
Id near Norfolk. They received, and pc
n haps invited into their State, large bod
D. of troops with their warlike appointment
It, from the SO called seeded States; th
c. formally entered into a treaty of temper
be lry alliance and cooperation with the
on called Confederate States. and sent me
ID, bers to their Congress at Montgome
lis and finally they permitted the insure
y, Itionary government to be transferred
to their capital at Richmond. The peol
as of Virginia have thus allowed this gis
insurrection to make its nest within
for borders,a and this government has
MP choice left but to deal with it where
4 ID l. al laan