Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-09-04
MISCELLANEOUS,
Who Began the War.

\ few Of our readers at the South are
blaming us for supporting the United
States Government in what they charac-
terize its unholy war upon the South =
Ii we know our own hearts we wish to do
justice to all concerned, and we will simply
ask those of our Southern readers who
feel agSrieved because we support the Gov
ernment, who began the war" This is
an important question and should not be
answered except by reference to stubborn
facts. We will state few which cannot
be denied During the Administration of
James Buchanan, the Secretary of War,
John B. Floyd, of Virginia, began the
work of depicting the United States arsen-
ais in the Northern States, and he trans
ferred from Il single arsenal III 200 mus
kets to Southern arsenals. We have this
on the authority Of a Richmond paper
These United States arSenals were seized
by the State authorities, and the guns put
IN the hands OF the State militia, in many
instances while the States in question were
IN the Union. Large sums OF money were
appropriated to arm those States-and for
what purpose? Will any sane man deny
that the object was to use them against
the Federal Government? If So let facts
speak for themselves
In reference to the forts. Joseph Holt,
OF kentucky. acting Secretary of War, in
his letter to Mr.. llayne, of South Carolina,
who came to demand the retrocession of
trrt Sumter to that State, says on behalf
Ui the Federal Government, we are equally
opposed to the coerc;ve policy rractced
10y South Carolina, and after reducing the
pretensions of the Federal Government to
the lowest standard, we are constrained to
hold that the United States have at least
as much right to be left in the undisturbed
occupation of that which she holds in con-
travention of the legal title vested in the
Federal Government
We believe all will acknowledge that, SO
far as the legal title to that fort was con-
cerned, it was vested in the Federal Gov
ernment.
The next fact which brings us to the i'm
mediate point of war, is found in the cores
pondence of Beauregard and Major An
darson. At IL o'clock p NJ, April IL,
the former addressed the latter, inquiring
the time at which you will evacuate Fort
Sumter, and agree in the meantime you
Will not use your guns against US unless
ours shall be employed against you Ma
Jor Anderson replied at q o'clock on the
morning of April 18th that | will if pro-
vided with the necessary means of traspor-
tatlon, evacuate Fort Sumter by noon on
the 10Th, should | not receive prior to that
time, controlling instructions from my Gov
ernment, or additional supplies, and that
L will not in the meantime open my fire
upon your forces, unless compelled to do
so by some hostile act against this Fort or
the flag of my Government Who began
the attack? Is it not fact that Gen.
Beauregard opened fire upon the Fort in
two hours from the date of Anderson's re-
ply? Who can deny this fact? Certainly
no one. How was this attack received by
the Government at Montgomery? Mr..
Davis was not able to answer the call of
the multitude /; but his Secretary of War,
Walker, used the following language =
No man., he said, could tell where the
war now commenced would end; but he
would prophecy that the flag which now
faunts the breeze here, would float over
the dome of the old Capitol at Washing
ten before the first of May. Let them
try Southern chivalry and test the extent
of Southern resources, and it might float
eventually over Faneuil Hall ITSELF
Secretary Walker says the war was COM
menced, April 18th, and of course he
had reference to the attack on Sumter. He
furthermore says, and as high officer at the
head of the War Department, the intima-
ton had marked official significance, that
be would prophecy the capture Of Wash
ington, for certainly no one could ever sup