Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-07-05

I TfHUTTIUH, HlWtFUTl
took fill time consulting with other officers both
army and navy aud at the end Of four days reue
antly but decidedly 10 the conclusion before
He also stated Al the time that such sufficient
force then within the control Of the Government
could DO raised and brought to the ground within the
time when the the fort would be exhausted
In puiey military point Of Wow this reduced the duty
of the Administration in the the matter Of
| getting the garrison safely out of the foit
II was believed, however, that abandon that posi-
tlon, under the circumstances would be utterly unous;
that the necessity under which II was to be DONE would
not be fully understood that by many would be
sirued As part Of voluntary policy; that at home 1t
would discourage the friends OF the Union emboden Its
adversares, aud far to insure to the latter recogui
ton abroad that, in fact, 1t soud be National de-
slructon consummated This could not DO allowed =
be reached Fort Pekens might be reinforced This last
would be clear indication Of policy, and would better
enable the country to accept the evacuation Of Fort sum
ter military necessity An order at direct
cd to be sent for the landing ofthe troops from the
ship Brooklyn into Fort Pckens This order could not
by land and must take the longer and slower route
The first return from the order was received
just week before the fall OF Fort Sumter This
Itself was that the officer commanding the Sabine, to
which vessel the troops had been transferred from the
Brooklyn acting upon some quasi armstice of the late
Administration and Of the existence Of which the pre-
sent Administration to the time the order
spatehed had only too vague and uncertain rumors to
10 reinforce Fort Pckeus before crisis would DO
reached at Rert Sumter, impossible rendered by
the exhaustion OF provisions In the latter named
fort. In such conjuncture the Government had, few
days before, commenced preparing an eN edition. well
pedlhon intended 10 be ultimately used or not ac
cording to circumstances The strongest anticipated
for using it was now presented and 1t WAS resolved to
send II forward had been intended in this contingency
It also resolved to notify the Governor Of South
Carolina that fthe attempt should not be resisted there
would be no effort to tlroW in men, arms ammunition
without furtheI notice, or in Of AN attack upon tia
fort This notice aecordingy given, whereupuu tho
fort attacked and bomharded to its a without
awaiting the arrival the provisioning expedition. II Is
thus that the assault upon and the reduction of Fort
Sumter was Ia no tense matter Of slfdHtence the
part OF the assailants They we'll knew the garrison
In the fort could by no possibility commit aggrsssion
that the giving OF bread to he few brave and hungry
OF the garrison all which could that be-
attempted unless tnemseyes ~ resi ,h 50 much
desired keep this garrison 10 the tort assai
them but merely to maintain visible possesFon trusting
herenbcore stated 10 time discussion aud the ballet
box for nal adjustment And they assaiel aud reduced
the fort for precisely the object t, drive the
visible authority Of the Federal Union and thus force
10 immediate dissolution
That this their object the Executive we'll under
stood and having said them in the lnau Address
lggress0rs he took palms not only to keep iii IL tars
lion good b. also to keep the case 50 fr nom TIM low
Of ingenious sophistry that tn world not be
abls 10 misunderstood IT, by the affair ruri Sumter
with It's surrounding circumstances hat int ac-
ed Then and thereby the assaants of the Government
began the conflict Of arms without gun in sight in
expectancy. to return their fire, My the eN in The
Fort sent to that harbor years before fer hcr pro-
ec0n and still ready to give that prOtec ion in what
ever was lawful In this act, describing all olse they
have forced upon the country the distinct isuemme
date dissolution blood And this Issue embraces more
than the fate of these United States 1t presents TO the
whole family Of man the question whethor Constitution
al Republic or Demoeaey-a government Of the people
by the paople cannot MAINTAIN Its territorial
integrity against its own domestic foes II presents the
question whether discontinued individuals too few in
numbers to control the administration according to the
organic law in any case can always upon the pretenees
made In this case ORD on any other pre- enee break up
their Government and thus practically put an Gid to free
government upon the en- tn
II forces us 10 ash, is there In Republics this iale.
rent and fatal weaknesai Must Government of
siy BE- too strong for the liberties OF it, puapo,
too weak to MAINTAIN Its own exiseueei So Viewing the
WAS a vi Of
q Government and 80 to resist tHs rec employed for
It's destru ton by force for It's preservation The cali
made and the response Of the country graf
fying-s0rpassing in unanimity and spil the most
anguine expectations. Yet none Of the States commonly
called Slave States except Delaware, gave regiment
through regular state organizations few regiments
have been organized within others of these
by individual enterprise and received into the Govern
Of COURSE the seeded States called,
and to which Texas had been Joined about the lime Of
the inaug lrRton, gave troops to the OF the
Union The border States cllel not Uniform in
their action some them being almost for the Union,
see, aud Arkansas, the Union sentiment nearly
pressed aud slleaced
The taken in Virginia the most remarkable
perhaps the most important A convention elected by
the people that State to consider this very questi Of
disruptng the Federal Unon in session at the capt.
tai of Virginia when Fort sumter e l. 10 this body the
people had chosen large majority Of pOfeEsed Union
man. Almost Immediately after the fall Of Sumter many
members Of their msj1ry over the original Dis.
union minority, and with them adopted ordinance for
Withdrawing the State from the Union.
Whether tubs change was wrought by their great ap-
proval of tue assault upon SUMTER the great
ment at the Governments resistance to that ASSAULT
not definitely known. Although they submitted the
ordinance for ratification to vote OF the people, to be-
taken day, then somewhat more than mouth dis
Ant the Convention and the Legislature which also
session at the time aud place, with leading
bers OF the state not members Of either, Immediately
acting II the State already Of the
ousy forward all over the State They seized United
States Armory at Harpers Forty and the Navy Yard at
into their State large bodies Of troops with their warke
appointments from the so-ealled Seeded States They
Into uT
cooperation with the called Confederate siHies and
sont members to their Congress At Montgomery. ard
nnay they permitted the iusurreetonary Government to
be- transferred TO their Capital at Richmond.
The people Of Virginia have thus allowed this giant
Instruction TO make Its nest within her borders, and
this Government has choice lett but to deal with it
where II finds IT. and II has the less regret the loyal
citizens have In due form claimed lis prot elton Those
aud protect as being Virginia.
In the Border States. SO called in fact tho Middle
States there those who favor policy which they
cal armed neutrality; that Is aTming Of those States
to prevent the Union forces passing way the dis
union the other their soil This would be disnnon
competsl hguratively speaking. II would be the build
ing Of an impossible wall along the line OF separation,
and yet not quite impossible for under The gusO
Of neutrality II woud tie the hands Of the Union men,
aud freely pass supplies from among them to thoi
rectonlsf which il could not do as an open enemy Al
stroke 1t would take all the trouble of the sands Of
Secession, except only what proceeds from the Nonn
blockade 1t would do for the dsunonists, that shich
all things they desire-fee them we'll aud give
them dsunion without struggle Of their It
cognizes fidelity to the Constitution obligation to
favored doubtless loyal, it Is nevertheless i'll
furious In effect.
Recurring to he action Of the Government IT mag he
stated that at frat call was made for 10000 militia AID
rapidly following this proclamation Issued or
closing the ports Of the nsureeonary districts by pro-
ceedings in the nature Of blockade So far ali was
believed to be strictly legal At this point the surrec
tionts announced their purpose to enter upon the prac
to serve three years unless discharged aud also
for large additions 10 the regular army and navy.
These measures whether strictly legal not,
nm wis ha a and
and public necessity, trusting then that Con-
gress would readily raby them II Is believed that moth
log has been done beyond the Constitutional competency
Of Congress.
Soon after the first call for militia 1t was considered
duty to authorize the commanding general In proper
cases. according his discretion to suspend the privi
eye oil the writ Of hnbeas corpus In other words
aud dean without resort to the ordinary processes
and form Of lAwsuoh individuals he might deem
gerous the public safety. This authority has purpose
" been exercised but very sparngy Nevertheless the
questioned aud the attention Of the country
called to the proposition that one who is sworn to take
self violate them. OF consideration giv.
en- to the questions Of power and propIety hei5re this
matter aete The whole Of the laws which were
required DO faithfully executed, being resisted
aud failing ofexecuton in nearly onethd OF the States.
Must they be allowed to fnay fail of execution,
necessary their execution single law made In
such extreme tenderness Of the citizens liberty that
practically It relieves Of the guilty than Of the In
nocent, should, to a very limited extent DO violated.
To state the question directly all tho laws hut
pieces Test that one be violated Even n such case
would the tieAl oath b. broken II the Government
should be overthrown, when 1t believed that dis
regarding single law would tend to presarve III
But 1t was not believed that this question was
presented. 1t was not believed that any law
was violated. The provision of the Censtitu-
ton that the privilege of the writ of hqbeas
corpus shall not be suspended unless when in
cases of rebellion or invasion the public safe
ty may require it, is equivalent to provision
that such privilege may be suspended when in
cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety
does require it. 1t was decided that we have
"a case Of rebellion, and that the public safety
does require the qualified suspension of the
privilege of the writ which was authorized to
he made.