Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-02-23
VOL. XII.--NO. %.

ever in its character, and of this you wero
distinctly informed in my communication of
the 3ist of January You have the original
demand as delivered to me by Governor Pick
ems on the 18th of January, and you have an
extract from the further instructions received
by me expressly stating that.he, the Governor,
was " con- frnlel y in the views he entertained
on the 18th of January by that very CORES
pondeuce which you assign as the cause of
the alledged modification. You assume that
the character of the demand has been modi-
fed, yet you have from me but one communi-
cation, and that asserts the contrary, and you
have nothing from the Governor but the very
demand ITSELF which you say has been modi-
fed. What purpose Of peace or concilatiou
your Secretary could have had in view in the
introduction of this point at all, it is difficult
to perceive. You next attempt to ridiculo
the proposal presented "as simply an offer on
the part of South Carolina to buy Fort Sumter
and contents as property Of the United States,
sustained bya declaration in effect that if she
is not permitted to make the purchase she
will seize the fort by force of arms" 1t is
difficult to consider this as any other than in
territorial misconstruction. You were told
that South Carolina, asa separate indepen-
| dent sovereignty, would not tolerate the occu-
patton, by foreign troops, of military post
within her limits, but, that inasmuch as you,
IN repeated messages and in your corrcspon-
dence, had laid much stress y upon the char
acter of your duties, arising from considering
forts as property, South Carolina, so far as
this matter ofproperty, suggested by yourself,
was concerned, would make compensation for
all injury done the property, in the exercise
of her sovereign right of eminent domain;
and this your Secretary calls proposal to pur-
chase The idea of purchase is entirely in
consistent with the assertion of paramount
right in the purchaser. L had supposed that
an "interest in property" as such could be no
other than "purely proprietary" and if con-
fined myself to this narrow view of your Gre
latlons" to Fort Sumter, you, at least, should.
not consider them subjects of criticism. Until
your letter of yesterday, you chose so to con-
slider your relations, in everything which you
have written, or which has been written under
your direction. 1t was precisely because you
had yourself chosen to place your action upon
the ground of "purely proprietary" right
that the proposal of compensation was made,
and you now admit that in this view 9" it (lort
Sumter) would probably be subjected to the
exercise of the right of eminent domain"
| In your letter of yesterday (through your
Secretary you shift your position. You claim
that your Government bearssto Fort Sumter
."political relations of much higher and more
imposing character" 1t was no part of my
mission to discuss the "poltical relations"
| of the United States Government to anything
within the Territorial limits of South Carroll
ma. South Carolina Claims to have dissolved
all political conncxion with your Government,
and tohaye destroyed all " political relations" "
of your Government with everything within
her borders. She is unquestionably at this
| m /Io (,IcJo q ,,lo
Government, exercising complete sovereignty
over every foot Of her soil except Fort Sumter
Now that the intention is avowed to hold
this place as a military post, with claim of
exclusive jurisdiction OH the part of Govern
mcnt foreign to South Carolina, it will be for
the authorities to determine what is the course
| proper to be pursued. 1t is vain to ignore the
! fact that South Carolina is to yours foreign
Government, and how with this patent fact
! before you, you can consider the continued
occupations of a fort in her harbor pacific
measure, and parcel of peaceful policy, pass
es certainly my c apprehension
! You say that the fort WAS garrisoned for our
protection, and is held for the same purposes
for which it has been held since its construc-
ton. Are you not aware, that to hold, in the
territory of foreign power, fortress against
her will, avowedly for the purpose of protect
ing her citizens is, perhaps, the highest insult
which one government can offer to another?
But Fort Sumter was never garrisoned at all
until South Carolina had dissolved her connec-
tion with your Government This garrison
entered it in the night, with every circum-
stance Of secrecy, after spiking the guns and
burning the guncarriages, "a and cutting down
the flag staff of an adjacent fort, which was
then abandoned. Z 1.E ,aV
South Carolina had not taken Fort Sumter
into her own possession only, because of her
misplaced crnfdepce in q aGoverument which
deceived her. A fortress occupied under the
circumstances above stated, is considered by
you, not only as no cause of irritation, but
you represent it as held for our protectionl
, Your Excelency's Secretary has INDUCED
il. irony ON vory grave subject.
7 As TO the responsibility for consequences,
7if, iHdecd, 1t does rest on us, can assure your
Exccllcncy we are happily unconscious Of the
fact. - = :; ~. = .s.
r. I return to Charleston tomorrow.
49, With considerations of high regard,
| am, very respectfully
(Signed) L.,W ILAYNE, Special Envoy
RAiLRoAD 'GuARDED- President FELTON,,
of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more r.iilrrd, says the Washington States,
has stationed guards at all the bridges on that
highway, to prevent any injury to those struc-
lures from tile hands of the persons who have
threatonn th DIR dostruotion A., ,,r6yont I e.,