Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-02-23
PcKENs COURT HOUSE. s. G. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 80, 1861


therefore, be a psurpston for the Executive
to attempt to restrain their hands by au agree
mont in regard to matters over which he has
no constitutional control. If he were thus to
'acts they might pass laws which he should be |
bound to obey, though in conflict with his
agreement. I" The proposition, it is suggested, !
was addressed. to. you under the laws as they
now are, and, was not intended to refer to
neg condition of things arising under new
legislation.
f 1t was addressed to the Executive discre.
ton, acting under e&istingllaws. If Congress
should, Under the war-inakimg power, or in
any other way, legislate in a manner to affect
the peace of South Carolina, her interests or
her rights, it would not be accomplished in
secret South Carolina would have timely
notice, and she would, [ trust, endeavor to
meet the emergency. 1t Is added in the let.
ter of Mr. Holt, that :, at the present moment
Iit,is not deeued necessary to reinforce Major
Anderson, because Inc makes no such request,
and feels quite secure in his postion."a But
should. his safety require it, every effort will
be made to supply reinfpreemcnts, This would
seem to ignore the other branch of the propo,
sition made by the Senators, viz that no at
tack was to bc made on Fort Sumter during
I the period suggested, and that Major Ander-
son should enjoy the facilities of couinrunica-
I ton, &c, &c. 49,
| advert to this point, however, for the
purpose of saying that to send reinforcements
to Fort Sumter could not serve as a means of
I protccting and preserring property, for as
must be known to your Government it would
| inevitably lead to immediate hostilitics,a in
which property on all sides would necessarily
suffer, South Carolina has every disposition
to presorye,the public peace, aud feels, am
| sure, in full force, those high, " Christian and
moralduties" referred to by your Secretary,
and it is submitted thuto on her part there is
scarcely airy consideration of mere property,
apart from honor and safety, which could in
duce her to do ought TO leopard that peace,
I still less to inauguratc a protr.cted and bloody
civil war. She rests her position on some
thing higher thanmere property. tbs aeon
sidcrstion of her own dignity yas a Sovereign,
and the safety of her people, which prompts
her, to demand that this property should not
longer be used as military post bya Govern
ment sheno longer acknowledges. She feels
this to be an imperative duty. 1t has, in
fact, become an absolute necessity of her con-
dition, RcpudiatinG as you do the idea of CO..
orcion, avowing peaceful intentions, and ex-
pressing a patriots horror for civil war and
DitOuy btlllC UtlOuH tIuOS0 WHO. once were
brethren, it is hoped that on further consider
alton you will not, on "a mere question of
property, refuse the reasonable demand of
South Carolina, Which honor and necessity
alike compel her to Nndicate. Should you
disappoint this hope, the responsibility for the
result surely does MT rest with her If Nthe
evils of war are to be encountered, especially
the ealanitics of civil war, an elevated states
uranship would seem to require. that it should
be accepted as the unavoidable alternative of
something still more disastrous, such as ma
tional- dishonor or measures materially affect
| ing the safety or porlnanentsinterests of a peo-
pie, or that it should be choice deliberately
made and entered upon as war, and Of set
purpose. But that war should be the Incl
dent or accident attendant ON a policy
professedy PEACEFUL and 3 not required to
effect the object which is aEowcd'as the only
end Intended, can only be excused when there
has been no warning given as to che conse-
quencos -.
=. am further instructed to say that South
Gnrollbh cannot, by her silence, appear to ac-
auiesce in the ilnputqtiod that shc'w;,s guilty
of an act of, unproyoked aggression in firing
on tho Starof the West. Though an un-
armed vessel, she was flied with armed men
entering her territory against herSwill, with
the purpose of reinforcing garrison held,
within her limits. against, her protest. She
forbears to recriminate by discussing the ques-
tion of the propriety of attempting such a re-
iuforceuieht at all, as we'll as dfethe disguised
and secret manner in which it was intended
to be effected. :, And on this occasionshe' viii
sayonothng as to the manner in which Fort.
Sumter was taken into the possession of its
present occupants. The interposition Of the
Senator's who have addressed you, was cir
.cumstncel unexpected by my Government,
and unsolicited certainly by me. The Coy
ernor, while he appreciates the high aud gen
erohs motives by which they were prompted,
and while fully he approves the delay which,
in Difference to them, has taken place ID the
presentation of the demand, feels that it can
not longer be withheld ~
+ 4 eoncude with an extract from the insttuc-
tions just received by me from the Govern
ment of South Carolina.
T., g The letter of the President, through Mr..
Holt, may be received as the replS 20 the
question you we're ipstrpetedto ask, as to his
'assdrtion of his right to send reinforcements
ito'F Fort sumter tYou.were instructed to say
TO him ify he asserted that right that the
Ststeof South Carolina regarded such Alright
When asserted, or with au attempt at its exer-
else, as declaration of war. ~ ''F'
s5s" IfSthe President intends it shall pot be
% = jde1sTo6a, IL is proper, tcayaid Any sis-
conception hereafter,,t that' he should'b be in-
formed of the manner in which the Governor
4 tgill fonl ~ III -ti.t -f'...