The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-01-16

'''"'NN, poh'iuE bdlc Ou lnt ZoIIl INSTANT,
declaring that ''tae Union now suhsrslug
between South Carolina and other States,
under the name OF the "Unied States of
America, Is hereby drssoned.'
In answer To this comrnunicsrion,
have TO say, that my posl,l"n. AS PresI
dent Uf the United States, WAS clearly
defined III the Message to Congress, On
the Sd instant. In that | stated that,
apart trJin the execution OF the laws, SO
lar S tli, may be practicable, the Execu
tive has no power 10 decide what sta he
the feiauous between The Federal Cow
erniHent and South Cnrelna lie has
tsen invested with 40 such discretion
lie possesses no power To change the re
lauons hereo eA,slIng betw eer them.
much less 10 ncNnuw.euge the indeprn
dence Of thai State. TINS would be TO
Invest mere Executive officer with the
power OF recognising the dissolution C
the Co"iedera,y among our ihIrtyIthree
sovereign States. 1t bears NO resemblance
TO the recognition OF foreign de fdcto
Goserbmeut, iuvolvIuC no such rcspon>i
bllty. Any attempt 10 do this Won Il.
on tbs part, be a raked ACT of usurp,llun.
1t is, therefore, my du,y to suLmit to
Congress the whole question H. al its
bearings"
Such is my opinion still could there.
lore meet yon o"iy AS private gentleman
oil the highest character, aud was cuuie,v
wItllng To conmunlcnt. to Congress an,
proposition YOU might have 10 make to
that body upon the subject OF tins you
were we'll aware. 1t was my earnest de
sire that such disposition ml. ht he
made OF the whole subject by Congress-
who a!oue possess the power, as to pre-
vent the inauguration of y civil war be.
tween the parties IN regard TO the posses
sion Of the Federal iorls in the harbor of
Charleston and therefore deeply re-.
grel, that. IN your opinion, "the events OF
the last twenty ,iour hours render this i'm
possible"
In conclusion you urge upon me 'lhe
immediate wi.hdrawl VI the troops i"m
the harHor oi Cnar estou.' staunL tnn
"under present circumstances they are "A
standing meua"e winch renders negolia
ton Impossible, and as our recent expc
rlence shows, threatens speedily 10 brug
to bloody issue questions whIch ough,
to he settled with temperance aud juug
ment."
The reason for this change in your po
sition is, that since your Airiva! III W ash.
ingIon, IAN officer OF the United >lates,
acting, as We (you) are assu,rd, not onIy
without, but agalnsI, your (mN) orders,
has dismantIed one fort and occupied
another. thus altering TO most Impor
tant extent the condition Of affairs under
which We Cou) came You also aiiege
that you came here 'ths represent atives
of an authority which could n. any time
within ihe past sixty days have taken
possession OF the for,s 10 Charleston bar
bor, but which, upon pledges given III
manner that We ,ou) cannot doubt. de'
termin.C to trust to your (my) honor
rather than to its power"
This brings me TO consideration OF
lhe nature Of those alleged pledges, aud
IN what manner they ave been observed
last, stated, IN regard I" the property Of
the UnIIed States H. Suulh Caro.iua, ths
II "has been purchased iur "A lair eq"iva
lent by the consent ui ;Le Legislature OF
the State, for lie erection Of TORS, maya
zines, arseDals, DC, aud over these The
authority TO exercise exclusive legislation
has been expressly granted 10y ths Con
sututIon 10 Congress Ii is not believed
that any attempt will tie made To eApei
the United States from tbs property hy
force but # IN this should prove to be
mistaken, tue officer 10 command OF the
ioTts has received orders 10 act strictly on
the defensive. In such contiugeuc,
the responsibility for all consequences
would rgh,fuiy rest upon the heads Of
The assaIianis.'
This being the condition Of the parties
on Saturday, 8ih December, tour of the
representatives rom South Carolina call
ed on ne, and requested an interview -
We bad nn earnest conversation on the
subject OF these forts. aud the best means
OF preventing u collision b-twe cen the par
ties, Tor tue purpose oi sparIng the eifu
sion OF blood. suggested, lorpInden,iai
reasons, that it wouia be best To put in
writing whs, they said TO me verbally
They did SO accordingly, and on Monday
morning, the 10Th instant, three Of them
presented 10 me paper signed by all the
representatives Of South Caro- ina, With
a single excdpuon, Of which the following
is a coPrSskk
"7o & eliency james Buchanan,
& President United States !:
In compliance With our statement TO
you Yesterday, we now express to you
our strong convictions that neither The
constituted sutboriliss, nor any bddy OF
The people Of the Stale Of Sopth Carolina,
will either attack OF molest toe Uoi,ed
States forts in the hsrbor Of Charleston
previousI, I, the action Of the Convention
+, aud we hope and believe NOT until an offer
has been made through an accredited
representative to negotiate for an amica
bic arrangement Of all matters between
the State and the Federal Government,
provided that no reinforce,nen.s shall be
.