Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-07-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fs.lo,e citizens et'tas Senate and House O

ago, the functions OF the Federal Govern.
ment were found to be generally suspended
within the several States of South Carolina
Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi, Louisiana
and Florida, excepting those only of the
Post Office Department. Within these
States all the forts, arsenals, dock wards.
custom houses, &C.. including all the NOV
able and stationary property in and about
them. had been seized and held in omen
! hostility to this Government, excentinq
! only Forts Pickens. Taylor and jefferson
| on aud near the Florida coasts, and Fort
| Sumter aud Charleston harbor. The forts
/ thus seized had been put in improved con-
ldition, new ones bad been built and armed
Osher forces had been organized and were
lorganizing, all avOwediy for the same hos
liule purposes. The forts remaining in the
Federal possession in aud near those States
were either beseiged or menaced by war
l like Preparations. Especially Fort Sumter
was neatly surrounded BIZ well protected
hostile batteries, with guns equal in quail
/ ity to the lest of its own, and outnumber-
ing the latter as ten to one. A dispronor,
tinnate share Of the Federal muskets and
| rifles had somehow found their way into
1 these States, and had been seized to he
used agai st the Government. AccumuIa.
Itiui's I the Iuhlic revenue had been seized
Tor the same object. The navy was scat
tered IN distant seas, leaving but a yery
small part of it within the immediate reach
OF the y yernment. Oticers of the federal
army bad fesigned in great numbers, and
7 oi th"se resigned great portion hal taken
Hup arms against the Gov ernmeut Sim.
ultaneonsiy and In connection with all this.
| u purpose TO sever the Federal Union was
! In
purp lse, an ordinance had been reported.
IN each OF these States, declaring the State
respectively to be separated from the Fed
eral Union. The formula for instituting a
combined Government for these States had
been promulgated, and this illegal organic
alton in the character of the Confederate
States. was already asking recognition, aid,
and Intervention from foreign powers
Finding this condition of means, and belIev.
/ ing 1t to De an imperative duty upon the
4 incoming Executive to prevent if possible.
\ the contamination Of such attempt TO des,
troy the Federal Union, a choice of two
things TO the end became Indispensable
This choice was made and declared in tho
inau2ura address The rolicy chosen
| looked to the Exhaustion of ali neacobIa
measures before q resort to any stronger
! one. ltsought only to hold the public
| places anc property not already wrested
from the Government and to collec, tbo
revenue relying for the rest on time. dis
cussion and the ballot box. 1t promised
the continuance of the mails at the govern
menFs expense to the very people who
were resisting the government, and gave
repeated pledges against any disturbance
of any of the people or any Of their rights
of all that which President might con
stitutionally and justifably do in such n
case. Everything was forborne without
which 1t was believed possible to keen the
government on foot
On the fifth Of March, the present incum
bents first full day in office, letter from
Major Anderson, COMMANDING at Fnrt
/ Sumter, written On the 2Stb O. Februarv
ard received at the War Departmonton the
4th OF March, was by that Department
J placed in his hands. This letter expressed
the professional opinion Of the yriier that
| reiforcementS could not be thrown into
| that tort IN time for his relief, rendered
necessary by the limited supply of urovis,
! ions and with a view of holding nossessio,
| OF the same), with force of less than %
| OUU well disciplined men This oninion
was concurred in by all the officers of his
| command and their memoranda on the
/ subject were made Enclosures of Major
| Andersou's letter. The whole was im1c.
| diatGly laid before Lieutenant General
| Scott, who at once concurred with Major
Anderson in his decision. On reflection
| however, he took full time in consulting
with other officers, both of the army and
navy, and at the end of four DAYS came
reluctantly cut decidedly to the same con-
clusion as before. He also stated at the
same time that no such sufficient force was
then al the control of the Government or
could be raised and brought to the ground
within the time when the provisions in
the Fort would be exhausted
In purely mi itary point of view. this
confined the Administration to the mere
matter of getting the garrison safeiv ont
of the Fort. 1t was believed. however
that to g. abandon that situation under the
circumstances would be Utterly ruinops.
that the necessity under which it was he
done would not be fully understood. that bv
many it would be orstrued as n mart If
voluntary policy that at home it would
discourage the friends of the Union. en
holden its adversaries and 90 far to inspre
to the latter recognition abroad. and that
IN fact 1t would be our national destruction
This could not be allowed. Starvation was
not yet upon the garrison, and ere il would
be reached, Fort Pickeus might be rein
forced. This last would be a clear indico.
ton of policy, and would better enable the
country to accept the evacuation of Sumter
as military necessity. Then an order
was at once directed to be sent for the
landing OF the troops from the steamship
Brooklyn into Fort Pickens. This order
could not go by land but must take the
surer and slower rout by sea. The first
returning news from the order was received
Just one week before the fall of Sumter
The news itself was that the 5ficer com
handing the Sabine, to which vessel the
troops had been transferred from the
Brooklyn, acting upon some armist,ce of
the late administration, and of the exist.
ence OF which the present administration
u? to the time the order was despatched
had only too vague and uncertain rumore
to nix attention, had refused to land tb,,
troops.
To now reinforce Fort Pickens before tho
Crisis would be reached at Fort Sumter was
impossible, rendered SO by the mere en-
baustion OF provisions in the latter named
Fort. In precaution against such a con-
tngency the Government had a fewsdavs
before commenced preparing an expedition
as we'll adapted as might be to relieve Fort
Sumter, which expedition was intended I'm |
be ultimately used or not according to cir
The strongest anticipatad
case for using it was now presented. and II |
was resolved to send it forward. as bod |
been intended. In this contingency il was
also resolved to notify the Governor n
South Carolina that he might exnect on
attempt would be made to provision tho
Fort, and that if the attempt sh lid NOT he
resisted, there would he no attcmnt ~
throw IN men, arms, or ammunition. viii
out further notice, or in case Of an attaoL
upon the Fort. This notice was accor5,n,
Iy gwen, wheTeupon the fort was sitacksd
nnd bombarded to its fall, not even xra;,;no
the arrival of the provision expedition.
IL Is thus seen that the assault ucon ord
reduction If Fort Snn,.or -. NP"" anu