Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-07-11
ABRAHAM LINCoLN's MEsS.or
DEMAND FOR FOUR HUNDRED Tt1o,,c,,
AND FO UR HUNDRED MILLION S ~ " GnS 91ND NE

DEMAND FOR FOUR HUNDRED r1,o,,c
AND FOUR HUNDRED MILLIONS GfD T0aInD hEN
Felo,o-citizens Of the Senate
and House Of Representative.
Havlng been convened on an exlraordinorU"
authorized by the Constitution, your aeno occasion az
Ito any ordinary subject of legislation. not called
At the beginning of the present Presidantio,
months ago. the functions of the Federal erm -four
found to be generally suspended within the We're
sof South GaroIDa Georgia, Alabama, Msssspn States
lana and Florida, excepting those of the Post i ou
sment. n'e Depart
Within these states, all the forts, arseuaIs. doot
custom houses and the like including the
opary property in and about them had bo and sta
shed in open hostility to this Government e1ed and
Forts Pckens, Taylor and Jefferson on and only
Ida coast, and Fort SUMTER in Charleston hsTb e tor
aCarolna. '0or' South
The ferts thus seized had been put in mnros
ones had been built and armed fore les had ndon
zed, and were organizing all avowedy with the organ
Federal Government in near these Stats OF the
Sbesieged or menaced by warke preparations. o either
Sciay Fort sumter was nearly surrounded by tP
tied hostile batteries, with guns equal in ouaitv ~ Po
its own, and ounumbeIng the latter as pefbsn oe
! A dsproportionate share of the Federal musko,
zhes had somehow found their way into these ana
been seized to be used against the Government l mad
stions OF the public revenue lying within them had Ia
9sezed for the same object. The navy scattered
Giant seas, leaving but very small part of it " thin
medate reach of the Government. Officers Of The F IN
and navy had resigned in great numbers and Of
resignlng large proportion had taken up arms aran,
EGovernment o"uetue
q simultaneously and in connection with all tbi =,
pose to sever the Federal Union openly avowpS
accordance with this purpose, ordinance had been &
ed in each OF these States declaring these States res
sfor nstutng combined Government of these StRlS
been pl gaed, and this illegal organization in
Eacter of Confederate States already invoknr
stion, aid and intervention from foreign powers OouF
d Finding this condition of things and ieeyinr II tob
imperative duty upon the incoming Executive Ia nre
spossibe, the contamination of such an at emnt r.
the Federal Union, choice Of to that end beY
indispensable. '
8 This choice was made and declared in tho inorau-
The DOcV chosen looked n o'"l
Fall peaceful measures before resort to any str6n
Zones 1t sought only to hold the public places and n
&erty not already wrested from the Government ana r
Gcoect the revenues, rel ying the rest for time d,r
kson and the ballot-boX.
q 1t promised continuance of the mails at Goverrrra
&expense to the very people who resisting the G
ernment, and it gave repeated pledges against any Az
urbance to any of the people any OF their RIGHTS NJ
Gall that President might constitutiOnaly and ptf
sSbly do in such case, every thing orbome witbG
which it deemed possible to keep the Government Nv
EOot.
81 On the 9Th of March, the present incumban fret sr
Ebay in Office, letter from Major Anderson compandi
Bat Fort Sumter, written the 2Sth of February AND
Ereceived at the War Department the 4th of March
fSwas by that Department placed in his hands This %
eXpressed the professional opinion Of the writer that
Endorsements could not be thrown into that fort With,
1.-THE time for his relief rendered necessary by the Limited
Esupply OF provisions, and with view of holding posses
sion OF the same, with force of less than 10000 good
@and well-dsciplined men. This opinion was cODcgre
Fin by all the officers of his command, and their memo
Eranda on the subject were made enclosures of Major
AAnderson's letter.
H The whole immediately laid before Lieut. Gen Scott
Ewho at once concurred with Cen Anderson in opinion m
ESreecton however, he took full time consulting with off,
cers both Of the army and navy. aud the Of fun
days ca ne reluctantly but decidedly to the same c0p
Eas before He also stated at the same time that no m
Insufficient force then at the control of The Government
Eor could be raised and brought on the ground within %
time when the provisions in the fo!t would exhausted
q In purely military point OF vi this redu. ed the duty
Sol the administration in the case to the matter
kA,raff tf thnr Il
hOwever that to abandon THAI position under ccuu
tances would be erly runous that the necessity uad
(which it done could not be fully Understood; that by
nany it would be construed part of a voluntary poi,
tna ct home it would disorganize the friends of the Union
a recognition abroad That in fact it national
bSdestruction contaminated. This could be allowed
Starvation was not yet upon the garrison and would
E3he reached, Fort Pickens might be reiLto ced
M This last would be clear indication poicy and wo1ll
sbetter enable the country accept he
dirs ted be landing the troops from the
kteamship Brooklyn into Fort ickeas This order could
by land, but must take the longer and
10y
The first return from the order was received Just
EoDeweek before the fall of Fort Sumter. The
Ewas that the officer commanding the Sabine, which
sel the troops had been transferred from the Brooklyn
ing upon some quasi armistce Of the late Adm n5Taoa
Eand OF the existence of which the present Administration
Cup the time which the order dispatched o
Etoo vague and uncertain Iumors to Tx attention. hade
TO land inc troops 10 now reinforce Fort fchel
possbie 50 by the near exhaustion ii provisions
gym the latter-named fort.
ia In precaution against such conjuncure the Govern
s8men had few days before, commenced pairing nez
Expedition, well adapted might be, to relieve Fort
oumter, which expedition was intended to be ultimately
Eused not, according to crcum The strongest
participated case for using it presented and
AVA resolved to send it forward.
lE As had been intended in this contingency it also re-
@solved to notify The Governor OF South Carolina That he
Nmght expect attempt would be made to provision the
Effort and that if the attempt should be resisted there
eEwould be effort to throw i'll men, ammunition
without further notice. in of an attack h
This notice accordingly given the fort was
attacked and bombarded to lis fall, without even awaiting
lsa the arrival of the provisioning expedition.
1t is thus seen that the assault upon aud reduction to
1ESSumer WAS IN no sense matter of seGetence on ep
of the assailants They well knew that the garrison in
could by no possibility commit aggression upon them
~ Ii ey knew they expressly notified that the Sg
to the few brave and hungry the garrison vas
all which would on that occasion be attempted unless tne
nkNseves, by resisting much, should provoke more
q They knew that this Government desired keep the gar
rison in the fort, not assai them merely mailman
&vsble possession and thus to preserve the Union
TEtual and immediate dissolution trusting, as hereinDe
stated, to time, discussion and the baOtbox for hn a
ENLISTMENT and they assaed and reduced the fort for pre-
ecsey the reverse Object-to drive out the visible authority
of the Federal Union, and thus force to immediate y
luton That this their object, the Executive well IN
Ederstood
all having SAID to them in the inaugural address, y
can have conflict without being yourself as the agrees
os he took pains not only to keep this declaration go
ibu also to keep the free from the power OF &
ous sophistry as that the world should not be abe 10 M
understand it. By the affair at Fort sumter win is -
astounding circumstances, that point was reached ,,
VI Ihen and thereby the assallants OF the Government
&the conflict of arms, without gun in sight or IN eAP
oMcy to return their fire. only the few IN the to s
that harbor years before for their protection AID SUI
Eready to give that protection in whatever was lawful ~
In this act, dscardhg ali else, they have forced uPon
Ecountry the distinct issue-mmediae dissolution OF @
And this issue embraces than the fate ot these o
Estates. presents the whole family OF man tue qe
CD whether constitutional Republic or Democracy uo
, ment of the people by the same people, can OF tI
maintain its territorial integrity against its own @ @
dHtoes. presents the question whether dsc0ntenGu M
nj viduas too few in numbers to control Administration M
Hcording to organic law in any case, can always u
Experiences made in this case, in other pretene
Il rary without any pretence, break up their mon
land thus practically put an end to free Government
It she earth. -. .l.rent
IA 1t forces to ask Is there in all Republics tns b..
q $and fatal weakness Must Government OF Sek
#too strong for the liberties of its peope VI e DO
Ito maintain its own existence 80 viewing VIC be Gov
choice was left but to call out the power o. ln @
ernment and to resist force employed LOT It's "'
Hby TO- ce for its preservation. -, oor,trv was