Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-08
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DEMAND YaR youRs HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN
i. AND. FOUR az EnRED AILLrUNS OF poLLARSt I,
Fsllov eisiSas Of tie S.nuts :. $50
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called 10 any ordinary subject Of legislation.
At the beginning Of the resent Presidential term -four
months ago. the functions of the Federal Government
found TO be generally suspended within the several
States of South Csroirs Georgia. Alabams, Mississippi
Louisiana and Florida, excepting those only OF the Pot
0ihce Department
Within these States oil the fors arsenals kyards
custom Aousss and the like Including the movable and
sta ionsry property in and ebout them had been seized
aud held in open hostility 10 this Government except
ing only Forts Pickens, Taylor aud ,ferson, Oh aud
near the Florida coast and Fort SUMTER in Charleston
barbor, South Carolina.
The forts thus seized had been put IN improved con-
dton, new ones had been built and armed forces bad
been org anized and organizing, all svowedy with
the same hostile nurpose. The forts remaining In the
possession OF The Federal Government IN aud hear these
States we're either bestg ed or menaced By warse pre-
para,ions End esp, caly Fort Sumter was nearly sur
rounded by well protected hostile batteries with gubs
equal in quality to the best OF its OWE, aud ounuinoer
ing the latter as, perhaps, Ten to one
disproportiouate share Of the Federal muskets and
rA bad som, how fouad thtir way into these States
and had been seized used sgains. the Government
Accommodations O. the public revenue lying within them
.d been seized for the OH CT The navy wasscat
tered 10 distant seas leaving Tut very small par OF IL
within the immediate reach Of the Government, Officers
of the Federal army and navy had resigned 10 great
NUMBER aud OF those resgung large proportion had
taken up arms against the Government.
",
to sever the Federal Union openly avowed
In accordance with this purpose ordinance had been
adopted in each OF these States declaring these States
respectively to be separated IRON the National Union
A formula fer iDshuting combined Government oil
these States had been gated, and this Illegal
eanzation in the character OF Confederate al
ready invoking recognition aid and Intervention from ior-
eigB powers
Fldug this condition of thirg and believing ii to be
an imperative duty upon the incoming Exc, uve to pre-
yeut If possible the cousu nmaon Of su;h a.temp,
to destroy the Federal Union, choice oil means TO that
end tecame indispensable.
This choice was made aud declared in the Inaugural
address The policy chosen looked TO the exhaustion OF
all peaseabe before resort to any stronger
ones Il sought ony to be ii the public places and pro
pery not already wrested from the Government and 10
collect the revenues relying for the res: time, Discus
sion aud the ballot bCx
IL promised continuance OF the mails at Government
pense the very people who were esstug The Gov
ernment and gave pledges against any dsur
bancs any Of The people any OF their rights VI ell
that President might consatu,ionsy and ustihaby do
in such case everything Was iorborne without which 1t
was deemed possible to keep the Government on foot
On the 9th Aarca the pr sent ircumoenrs hFst full
day iu Office letter Tom Major Anderson, commanding
a. FSr Sumter, written on the 18th OF February and re-
ceyed az the War Department the OF March, WAS
by that Department peed his hands This letter
Or, ssed the professional opinion OF the writer that rein
orceents could be thrown into that fort within the
time for his relief rendered necessary by the limited sup
ply of provisions, and with view-ot holding possession
of the same with force OF less than 10000 good and
vel.disciplined This opinion was concurred in by
all the officers OF his command and their memoranda
the subiec. xete made enclosures OF ~ or Audrrsons
letter.
The whole wac Immediately laid before Lieut.. General
Scott who eoncmrcd with Gnuersl Anderson III
opirion o. tAectoD however, he took full time, con-
sui ing wi officers both OF the army aud nsvy, and at
the end of four days ldctsny, but decidedly, TO
the same conclusion before. He also stated II the
same time lha. o such sufficient force then the
eoutrol Of the govern ment or ccull be raised aud
brought on the ground within the Tune when tho pro
visions Ia the fort you'd be exhausted.
In . purely military point of sies this reduced the
duty OF The Administration Ia the 10 the
OF getting tss garson safely cut Of the fort IL
btiyet howeU T. that TO abandon uAt position under
the circumstances would be utterly rusous that the
csssifg uuder which Il done could not BE- fully under
stood: that b. many it would De construed part of
voluntary poles that AZ hone soud disorg niz, The
friends Of the Uior. dnbodsn s Gdse,sei,s, and 20
far To- ensure 90 the latter Recognition abroad. That
in fact IL could he national destruction consuu.
mated This could not be allowed
Starvation yet upon the Hsrrson, ard Gre 10
would be reached YsrI Pckens might DC reinforced.
This last would be clear indication Of policy, and
would better enable the country TO accept the evacuation
OF Fort Sumter ~ ni!,.srs nse,,sity. An order vas
al once directed be Tor the andng OF ihe troops
order could so BY land but pss take he longer and
slower route by seA-
The first return news from the order received jnst
one seek before tho fall oil Fort Sumter. Ihe news L.
self Vas that the officer commanding tic Sabine. 10
which vessel the troops had been transferred from the
Brock,p acting upon quasi srmisiice OF the late
AimLis taiion aud of the s4is.nce OF shich the pre-
sent ADMINISTRATION, up 10 the une u which the Or
der Dispatched, nad only too vague and uncertain
rumors TO d. attention. had refused 10 land The troope
p..L. hat,ra ,.i.fs MIA ha
reached at For, Sumter impossible rendered so by
to near exhaustion Of provisions In tie latter named
fort.
In precaution against such unctu,e, the Govern
mept bad lss days before, commenced preparing an
expedition, as we adapted night be, to relieve Fort
Sumter, which expedition was inupded 70 be ultimate
ly used oc not according 70 circumstance The strong.
Anticipated case ier ushg 1t sas now presented AUD
il was resolved 90 send it forward
A. had been intended in this contingency Il also
resolved 20 notify the Governor OF South Carolina that
he might expect attempt would be made to provision
the fort and that il the attempt should not be resisted
there would be effort to thros in men, ANS or am
mutation without further notice. or in se oil an attack
upon the fort This notice was accordingly given,
shereupon the fort attacked and bombAded TO its
fall without asaiing the arrival OF the provisioning
expedition.
IL thus seen that the assault upon aud reduction Of
Fort Sumter vas 10 mater ofselfdeence on
the part OF the ssssnts They well knew that the gar
on In the for, could by no possibility commit aggres
sion upon them. They knew, they we're expressly mott
Ged that the giving a bread to the ie" brave and hum
sry men Of the garrison all which would on tina. oc
sasson be tempted, unless themselves by resisting So
much should provide more.
Tey knew tia, this Government desired TO keep the
garrison in the fort nat TO assal them, but erey to
maintain visible IoseesSon aud thus to preserve the
Union from active and immediate dissolution trusting US
treinbefore stated time, discussion and the ballot
box for final adjustment and they ssyailed and reduced
the fort for precisely the reverse oect-to drive out The
visible authority OF the Federal Union, and thus io:ce
20 immediate dissolution That this their ect the
Executive vel understood.
Aud having said to them In tho inaugural address
Dyou can have no conflict without being yourselves the
he took pns not only To keep this decara-
ton good but also 10 keep the teee from the
power Of ingenious sophistry az that the world should
not be able TO IN sunlers aud it. BY the eaar at Foit
saufer with its surrounding ereuastapees that point
vas reached.
Then and thereby tho sssailants OF the Government
began the conflict OF arms without gun In sight or in
expectancy TO the fire, only the few in the
Fort sent to that hsrbor years before for their pro-
tecou and still ready 10 give that protection in whatever
was lawful
In this ac di,carding all else they have forced upon
the country the distinct issue-mmeds.s dissolEisa
blood Aud this issue embraces more than the tate OF
these United States IL PRESENTS to the whole family OF
man the QUESTION whether constitutional Republic or
Democracy, government OF the people by the same
peopls can or maintain its territorial integrity
agans. its own domestic foes Il presents the question
whether discontened ndiyGusa 200 fe~ In numbers to
control administration according to organic law In ANY
case can always upon the ptetences made in this case
or On other preences arbitrarily without any petence,
break up their Government aud thus practically put an
md W free goverainent upos sns earth.
Il forces W 10 ask Is there n all Republics this nhe-
rent and fatal weakness Must government OF neces
sty be too stroUg for the liberties OF its own people, or
too weak 70 maintain it, own e4stence So viewing the
issue no choice left but call out the power OF
the government apd 50 TO resist forea employed for its