The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-07-08
Presidents Message.

THE Message, as it came over the wires,
was SO full of errors as to be almost unin-
teIligible. Many sentences and paragraphs
are hopelessly obscure, and so tangled as to
defy every effort to make them readable
Imperfect as it is, in this Issue, it is vastly
better than the copy from which it was Ia
ken.-EDs. jour.
FslIoaO-citizens Of the Senate -
and House Of Representatives.
Having been convened on an extraordi-
nary occasion, as authorized by the Gonsti-
tution. your attention is not called to any
ordinary subject Of legislation at the be-
ginning of the present Presidential term. Is
Four months ago, the functions of the
Federal Government were found to be gem
orally suspended within the several States
of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi. Louisiana, and Florida, excepting
only those Of the Postofice Department
within these States. The forts, arsenals,
docks, gharbors, custom houses, and the like,
including the movable and stationary prop
erty in and about them, had been seized,
and were held. in open hostility to the Gov
ernment, excepting only Forts Piekens,
Taylor, and Jefferson, on and near the Flor
ida coast, and Fort Sumter, in Charleston
harhor, S. c. The forts thus seized had
been putin an improved condition, new ones
had been built, and armed forces had been
organized and were organizing, all ayowed-
ly with the same hostile purpose; the forts
remaining in the possession Of the Federal
Government, in and near these States, were
either beseiged or menaceG by warlike pre-
parations, and especially Fort Sumter was
nearly surrounded by well protected hostile
batteries, with guns equal in quality to the
best of its own, and outnumberiBg the lat
ter as perhaps ten to one; disproportion-
ate share of the Federal muskets and rifles
had somehow found their way into these
States, and had been seized to be used
against the Government; accumulations of
the public revenue lying within them had
been seized for the same object; the navy
was scattered in distant seas, leaving but
very small part within the immediate use
Of the Government +; the officers of the Fed
eral army and navy had resigned in great
numbers, and of those resigning large pro-
portion had taken up arms against the Gov
eminent simultaneously, and in competition
with all these, the purpose to sever the Fed
eral Union was openly avowed. In accord
ance with this purpose an ordinance had
been adopted in each of these States, declar-
ing the States respectively to be separated
from the National Union, and formula for
combining and instituting combined Gov
eminent of these States had been promul-
gated, and this Illegal Organization in the
character of Confederate States was already
invoking recognition and intervention from
foreign powers.
Finding this condition of things and be-
lieving it to be the imperative duty of
the incoming Executive to prevent, if pos
sible, the contamination of such attempts to
destroy the Federal Union, choice of means
to that end became indispensable. This
choice was made and declared in the inaugu-
raj address. The policy chosen looked to
the exhaustion of all peaceful measures be-
fore resort to any stronger ones it sought
only to hold the public places and property
not already wrested from the Government,
and TO collect the revenue, relying for the
rest on time, discussion, and the ballot-box.
1t promised continuance of the mails at
Government expense to the very people who
were resisting the Government, and it gave
repeated pledges against any disturbance to
any of the people or to any of their rights
Of all that which a President might consti-
tutionaIy and jastifably do in such a case.
Everything was forborne withent which it
was believed possible to keep the Govern
ment on 1oof. On the 9th of March, the
present incumbents first full day in office, a
/ letter of Major Anderson, commanding at
Fort Sumter, written on the 18th of Febru-
4 airy, and received at the War Department
on the 4th of March, was by that Depart
ment placed in his hands. This letter ex-
pressed the professional opinion of the wri-
/ ter, that reinforcements co'ild not be thrown
/ into that fort within the time for his relief
rendered necessary by the limited supply Of
/ provisions, and with view of holding pos
session of the same, with force of less than
4 10000 good and well disciplined men. This
opinion was concurred in by all the officers
/ of his command, and their memoranda on
the subject were made Enclosures of Major
Anderson's letter. The whole was imme-
diately laid before Lieut.. Gen. Scott, who
at once concurred with Major Anderson in
opinion. On reflection, however, he took
full time and consultation with other Off
GERS, both of the army and navy, and at the
end Of four days came reluctantly but deci-
dedly to the same conclusion as before. He
also stated at the same time, that such suffi-
cient force was not at 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 military point of view, this
\ reduced the duty of the Administration in
the case to the mere matter of taking the
garrison safely out of the fort. It was be-
lieved, however, to abandon that position
under the circumstances would be utterly
ruinous; that the necessity under whict it
was to be done would not be fully under
stood that by this means it would be con-
strued as part of a voluntary policy that
at home it would discourage the friends OF
the . nion, embolden its adversaries, and go
far to insure to the latter Il recognition
abroad that in fact it would be our ma
tioual destruction contaminated. This
could not be allowed. Starvation was not
yet upon the garrison, and ere it would be
reached Fort Pickens might be Reinforced
This last would be a clear indication Of
policy, and would better enable the country
to accept the evacuation of Fort Sumter a;
military necessity. An order was al
once directed to be sent for the landing o.
the troops from the steamship Brooklyn in
to Fort Pickens. This order could not &C
by land, but must take the longer anC
slower route by sea The first return new:
from the order was read but one week be-
fore the fall of Fort Sumters The news its