The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-08
THE NATIONAL CRISIS.

THE NATIONAL CRISIS.
I'm pertant Csrrespomdence-Le from 80
vernsr Wise-ssspected Parties In Nortn
Carolina -Warlike Pre- par ations i'm Fort
Moultrie, &C., &c.
An interesting circumstances connected with
the lint, which the teachers and pupils OF the
Columbia Is. CD Female College during tnis
their present recess) are preparing for the use,
IL need he. of our Southern army, fs, that IL Is
from linen sheets, spun and wove by woman
of the Revolution of l776. tthe great. grand
mother of one Of the teachers OF the institu-
tien.)
coRaRspoNDRNoB BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT
AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CoAAissioN-
ERs.
The Charleston papers publish the cores
poudence between the South Carolina Com.
missiouers and President Buchanan. The Com
mssioners, in Their letter. announce to the Ere
sident that they are fully empowered to
treat. on the part of SOUTH Carolina, for the
forts, light houses, &c. owned by the United
States. within her limits. Before these nego-
tiations could proceed, however, the ''even's
Of the last twenty. four hours" (Which in
Guided the act of Maj. Anderson,) should,
Lucy buthhs 10 AoP~N"~~ ~ Wv
Their letter concludes:
We came here the representatives. Of an author
ity W. lch cou at any time within the past sixty
da h We taken possession OF the forts IN tharies-
that we cannot doubt delr mined to trust to scu'
honor rather tnan to its ow power flnce our
arrival an I'm ;er OF the Ghse, u ao.,a as
your riders mas dismantled one fort and occupied
al s rs 10 we
Until these circumstances gre exclaimed IN a
manner which relieves US oil al doulS as 10 tne
quoted We are forced to suspend ALL discussion as
to any arrange met ts by which our mutual inter
ests mi. hit be am caby ad listed
And in cunclus on We wouio urge upon yon the
immedl. te Withdraw al of the troops from the har
Dor of Charleston Under present clrcu instances
thew re- q stantlng menace which Tepders n go
ii atom In ,sslbie and AS our recent experience
shows. threa'ens speedily to bling to bloody
temperance and JUDGMENT
Very respectfully. your ob't serv'ts.
IN. A 1 A. s"ANA' comm's.
To the President of tbs United StatfS.
The President, in his reply, denies that any
pledge was given to South Carolina, and gives
this version of the supposed arrangement:
This being the condition of the parties, on
Saturday, 9Th December, four of the Represen-
tatives from South Carolina called on me, and
requested an interview. We had an earnest
conversation on the suhiectof these forts, and
The best means of preventing collision be-
tween the parties, for the purpose Of spariuE
the effusion of blood. sugges ted for pruden-
tial reasons, it would be best TO put in writing
what they said to me verbally. They did so
accordingly, and on Monday morning, the 10th
instant, three Of them presented to me paper,
signed by all the Representatives from South
Carolina with single exception, OF which the
following is a copy:
To Has EIcsiEency James Buchanan,
President United States:
In compliance with our st tement to you yester-
day, Wa now express to you our strong convlc
any BODY of the people of the State south Caro-
lima, will either attack or moest the United States
forts the harbor OF Char ton previously to the
action f the Convention and We hope and believe
net until an offer ha, been made, through an 40
cable arrangement of all matters between the
State and the Federal Cove InnieDt, provided that
ard their relative mlliary status shall remain as
at present. JOHN MCtl UEEN,
" n W W! h So4es.
LAURrNCE NJ. kEITT.
Washington, 9th Deos m5er. 1869.
AND here must, in justice to myself, re-
mark that, at the time the paper was presented
to me. objected to the word ''provided," as it
might be construed into an agreement on my
part which l never would make. They SAID
thet nothing was further from their intention
they did not so underst aDd it, and should
not so consider it. 1t is evident they could
en- ter in 10 no reciprocal agreement with me on
the subject They did not profess to have au-
thority 10 do this, and were acting in their in
diyiduai character. / considered It as nOthIn ~
more in effect than the promise of highly
honorable Gentlemen 10 exert their influence
Tor the purpose expressed;
The world knows that have never sent any
reinforcements the forts in Omar lesion har-
bor and | have certainly never authorized
any change TO be made in their relative mill tary
status. Bearing upon this subject, refer
No. .NF
War, on the 18th inst, to Maj. Anderson, but
not brought to my notice until the 2lstin IL
is as follows
ora4dunl OF the Verbal Instructions TO Ma
jOr AH6tTs5a, lSt 8rttHefy, L0MMaHdiHg F0s
Moni-rte, South Carolina:
You ara aware of the great anxiety of the Sec
Rotary of War that a coliIslCn { the troops With
he penple of this Sta g snail he avoided, and Of
his stud ed dete rmi nation to pursue with
reference to the mi itary force and forts in this
ha Dor winch shat, guard against such collision
He has, therefore, carefully abstained from in
c,easlng the force at this point, or taki"g any
measures which mig hit adj to ,hs present excited
state of the plbilc mind or which would how ,
dou BIT on the confidence he feels that South Caro-
lima " i'll not atte mpt bv vloience, Ia obtain pos
session Of the pubic works or interfere with their
BIT as the ecu sci and acts of rash impu-
sive pefsrls may possibly dIsappOInt these ex pee
tatons of the Government, he deems it proper
THAT you should be prepared, With inst ions, TO
meet S" unhappy CONTINGENCY: he has there
fore. directed me, verbally, TO give you such in
You are carefully to avoid every act which
would neediessl' tend To provoke agg resslon, and
for that reason yen are not. without sssity, to
ks UP any position which could be construed
into the assrmptGon of a hostile attitude; but you
a e to hold possess on OF the forts IN his h4rbor
and If attacked. you are to defend yourself to the
The smallness of your foros will not permit
you pc haps, to occupy more than one Of the
three fcr's; but an attack or attempt /. take
D, s<ess GA of euher Of them, will he reear led
as n act of hostility, and you may then put our
G mmand mo either of them which you may
dem most proper, to increase its power OF resist
ance ,ou are also author Zed to take sim Jar
steps VIII n yer YOU have tangible evidence of a
design TO .roceed 20 hostile act:
Assistant AdIu.ant- General"
"FoRT MouLTRIE, 8. c , Dec IL, 1867
s'This ia IN conformity to my Instructions to
Major Buell.. JOHN Is. FLOYD
"SecTstar OF " arr
These were the last instructions transmitted
to Major Anderson before his removal to Fort
Sumter. with single exception, III regard 10 q
particul lar which does net in any degree affect
the present question. Under these circum-
stances 1t is clear that jor Anderson &c ted
upon his own responsibility and without au-
thori Y unless, indeed, he mad tang BILE evil
denee of design to proceed 10 a hos Tile act'
on the part of The authorities OF South Caro-
lina which has not been alleged. Sill he is a
brave and honorable officer, and Justice re-
ouires that he should not be condemned with
out fair hearing.
BE this as it may when learned that Mai
Anderson had left Fort Moultrie and proceed
ed to Fort Sumter, my first promptings were
to command him to return 10 his former posi-.
ton. aud there to await the contingencies pre-
cen ted IN his instructions. This would only
have been done, with any degree of safety 70
the Command, by the concurrence of the Sou th
Carolina authorities. But before any steps