Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1861-02-27


procuring the latter. The incoming adj
miuistratiou believed it to be it, imp2r
alive dnty to prevent the thEslttuea dis
memberment. Tue choice Of means and
the indispensable poIcy chosen, indicat-
ed in the inaugural, the exhaustion Of
ali peaceful measures belVre resort "
coercion. The government seokir on
ly to hold public places nd property
unwrested, the Collectit1 Of the revenue,
relying upon time and discussion At the
ballot.box for the rest, promising mean.
time the continuance Of the mails. EY,
erything was fOrebOrne compatible with
keeping the government on foot. On
March fourth q letter was received from
Sumter, Anderson stating that the place
could not be held. After consultation
with Gen. Scott, who conceded that the
force at the disposal of the government
was not adequate for the relief of Sum
ter without immediate victualing.
The administration duty was reduc-
ed to The safe Withdrawal ofthe garrison,
it believed however, that tie abandon.
ment of Sumter, was utterly ruinots-
that the action would be misunderstood
d~iscouraging the friends of the Union,
em~boldening its enemies and eucourag-
ing Confederate recognition abroad--in
fact national destruction. This course
was unbelievable
Previous to Sumter's starvation Pick.
ems might hay5 been reinforced, indicat,
Ing Administrations policy, and prepar.
ing the public mind for SUMTER oyacu.
alton, as a military necessity. Orders
were Immediately issued for Picken'.
reinforcement, orders ~impassiblo by land
were sent by sea.
The week before SumteF's fgr the
Brooklyn under Buchanan S quasi arm.
istice refused to land troops to reinforce
PiCkens.
The government pIaned an expedition
to victual Sumpter to be used Or not, a,
circumstances might require. Contin.
gences required the corsumation of thi,
plan. Gov Pickens was notified that j
the victualing Of Sumter was unresis.od
no attempt would be made to throw IL
iheu, arms or ammunition, without no
tice.
The fort was taken without waitin,
for the victualing expedition. Thus tn,
attack on Sumter was in no sense IN self
defense. The assailants knew that il
no event could Sumter be mischieyous
They were notified that feeding hungr,
men was the only object. That tn,
government only wished to retain nomi
nal possession of the fort, thus preserv
ing the Union from dissolution, an,
trusting to time and the discussion a
the ballot-box, for final adjustment. Th.
fort was assailed for no other object thai
to drive out visible Federal autborit,
and forcing immediate dissolution
This the executive understood, and hay
ing been inaugurated, you can have n
conflict without yourselves being tn
aggreSsors.
Lincoln took pains to keep this de
claration good in the circumstances sur
rounding Sumter affairs. Then tn,
Confederates began the conflict, the,
have forced upon the country a destruC
tive issue, and immediate dissolution q
the Union, or blood embracing NOR
than the fate Of the Union. It solve
the question, whether a peoples govern
ment can be maintained III its integrit
and its territory defended against dbmel
tic foes. Whether individuals too fe,
to control an administration by orgahi
law, can break up a government, thu
ending free government, on earth.
forces this question" must govern
ment be too strong for the peoples lii
erty, or too weak TO maintain its ON
existence :" No choice was left but
call out the war power Of the COVER
ment to resist the force employed f
its destruction.
:. The response to the call surpassed o.
most saIgnine expectations. Delawa
alone, however. Of slave States respon
ed, few slave State regiments ha
4 been raised by Individual enterprise a
accepted. The border States were \
qGiforn in theI The course