The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-05-08

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delayed the ssdvsi Of the expedition, and gave
time to the commander of os .fprcessat Charles.
ten to ask and receive the instfuctiops ef this
Government Even then, under an tie provo
cation incident 10 the contenpoAous refusal 70
listen 70 our Commissionerk and fhe tortuous
course OF the Government Of the United States,
was sincerely anxious TO avoid the efusion ol
blood, and drecssd proposal to be made % the
commander Of Fort Sumter. who had ayowed
himself to be nearly out Of provisions. that we
would abstain from directing our FIRE on Fort
Sumter Il he would promise not to open fire on
our forces unless first attacked. This proposal
was refused, and the conclusion was reached
that the design Of the United States ives 10
place the besicging force At Charleston between
the simultaneous fire Of the feet and the fort
There remained, therefore, no alternative but to
direct that the fort should At once be reduced,
This order was executed by Gen. ,Beauregard,
with the skin and success which were naturally
70 be expected from the well-known character
Of that gallant officer; and, although. the BON,
bardment lasted only thirty-three hours. our
flag did not wsgs 0xer It's battered walls. until
after the appearance OF the hostile feet Of
Charleston. Fortunately, not q life was lost on
our side, and we were grati6ed in being spared
the necessity OF useless effusion Of blood, by
the prudent caution of the officers who com.
mandcd the fleet, in abstaining from the evi
IDENTIFY futile effort 10 enter the harbor for the
relief Of Major Anderson. 1refer to the report
Of the Secretary Of War, and the papers which
accompscy IL for further details Of this bril-
liant affair.
In this connection, I cannot refrain from q
well-descryed tribute to the noble State. the
eminent soldierly qualities OF whose people
were. so conspicuously displayed in the port ol
Charleston. For months thcy had been irri.
tated by the spectacle Of fortress held within
their principal harbor, as a standing menace
against their peace and Independence Built in
part with their own money, Its custody confided
with their own consent to an agent who held
no power over theri other than such rs thew
had themselves delegated for their own benefit
intended to be used by that agent for their ewn
protection against foreign attack, they saw 4
held with persistent tenacity as means of OF
fchse against them by the very government
which they had established for their protection.
They had bclcaguercd It for months-- felt entire
confidence in their power to capture it-ye,
yielded to the requirements Of discipline, curbcd
their impaticnce, submitted without complaint
to the nnaccustomed hardships lsbeys and pri
vations OF protracted siege, ana when al
length their patience was rewarded by the sig
nal for attack, and success had crowned their
steady and gallant conduct-even In the very
moment Of triumph--thcy eyinced q chivairous
regard for the feelings Of tho brave but unfor
tunatc officer who had been compelled to lower
his flag. All manifestations Of exultation were
checked in his presence. Their commanding
general, with their cordial approval and the con
sent OF his government refraincd from imposing
any terms that could wound the sensibilitics ol
the commander of the fort. lie was permitted
to retire with the honors Of war, to salute his
flag, to depart freely with all his command. and
was escorted to the vessel in which he embarked
with the highest marks Of respect from those
against whom his guns had been so recently
directed. Not only decs every event connected
with the siege reflect the highest honor on South
Carolina, but the forbearancc of her people and
Of this Government from making any harsh
use OF q victory obtained under such peculiar
circumstances Of provocation, attest to the full
est extent the absence Of any purpose beyond
saSuring their own tranquility, and the sincere
desire to AVOID the caiaMities 81 bloody war
Scarcely had the President Of the United
States received intelligence Of the failure Of ths
scheme which he had devised for the reinforce.
ment of Fort Sumter, when he issued the decla
ration Of war against this oOnfcderacy. which
has prompted me to convoke you. In this ex
srs0rdinaFy production that high functionary
affects total ignorance Of the existence Of an In
dependent Government, which, possessing In,
entire and enthusiastic devotion Of the people
is exercising its functions withort question oyc,
seven sovereign States-oyer more than fiy,
millions Of people-and over territory who's,
area exceeds half a million Of square miles
He terms sovereign States Combinations to-
powerful to be Suppressed by the orfinar,
course of iudicia, proceednes. or bv ne i,osu,,
vested in the marshals by iaw.n He calls fo,
an army Of 70, 900 men TO act rs posse eo,a;
tqtus in aid Of the process Of courts In STATE,
whore no courts EXIT. whose mandates and IA
crees are not cheerfully obeved and resncrte,
by A willing people. - He ayows That the :. trs
service to be assigned 70 the forces called ont
will be. not to execute the proccss ~ co,rts
but to capture forts and stronebolds s;tustef
WITHIN the admitted limits of THIS Confederacv
and rarrisoned by its troops and decIarfs tha
"tbis effort is intended !. 10 maintain tbe ner
petuisy Of popuIar ,coycrument.p- Ho conc,,,Je,
by commanding the apersops composine m,
Combinations Aforesaid v to-vit the Eve million.
of inhabitants Of these States. a to retire peace
ABLY to their respectiye abodes within trc,t,
daysn ~. -..', !, = e.. 80
Annarentlv contradictory as .ra ths tor,,s a
This singular document one nolnt was unm;s
takably evident The President of tbe IJn;tef
States called for an army of seventy Ave tho,,
sand men. whose ,frsf service was 10 he n r,,
ture our forts II was a nlain dec,srat;on q
war which Il was nal at liberty 10 d;.re.,r,I