New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-08

have done hsd | entered into positive ard orimi
agreement with parties capable ofcon'rlctl5, anoue
such agreement would have beel On m1 nat, ITO Il
The nature of nv olcia duties npOsslbl Ide "ofiI
knows that Lave never sent any reenioromeh' 10
the FORTS in Charleston haFbor, and nave
neyer authorized any change % be male Ia tu Iei
| i've military status. Bearing npJn thls h5n 'rt !
refer Won 10 anorIer Issued nv the Secretary OF war on
,b nh inst 10 Major Andersol but not brougnt 10
nv notice uutii the 2is inst. II Is ca ijiio"s ~ -,
o ri oysu1,i,a9 royt Mon,rrie south Cariiao
won are of the great anxiety OF the SrGeey ., III
be- sTossd and Of L studied I" pnraue coG i
with to The force '9 h tbarcre carefully
abssied iacIeang the force at tna poln 80, ~
Init or which would ang doubt on the conidsni"
he eals that South Carolina viii not a. auit oy VI ~,
tain possession ofthe Pablic works OF n'e'ie'e WIZ"
a. .be counsel and acts of rash and mpnve rrsons
nniT dsnpoSn these expectations of the Government
be- EN- Il proper tbs. you should be prepared WI
to NEE, 50 s1a 1ip SsS So .neS .tac ion.
You aga carefully 20 avoid every act when "ouu ~ ~
/ tend TO provoke aggression, and for that recon yoI
| without he7e..ity up any p3'ion VIII n c9d r
stiued assumption OF hostile st,nds' Do you %
are 20 defspd vou self 20 che la: exrrrniiy -.
% NOR, than ore ofshe thr.n forts, but at.ss or aop
possession ofener Of ;neri wi De Isnde ~, b Of
them "b'eS yoa nii III I'D to axe snisr step wherever
Gem hive tt,sibe evidence of tcsn 10 pToreos 20 '
vi, 80 N''' D. P BUrLEe A,iI9nt Adjuton 'iene'S|'
| =" Fort NJslfr... >. G Dec d. 100 -. Nj, rou
jobs u. FLOYD SECRETARY o. "af
yhese were ne last instruclJns transmiitod 10 ha
Anderson Lefore his removal 10 Fort SAINT WIN
sippge except ~ in rcgind 10 particular WIZ h2a'
MOI in any degrs affect the present questlon thdef
thee circumstances, it Is clear that Mai' AU1os u
acted npon his own responsibility, ana wihou' s@.h2r
i,v ,rlesa indeed he had "tanhle evidence OF de-
.ian 10 proceed to a hostile aet' on the part OF the
anthoIitts of South Caroliaa, which bao not eeen
ALLEGED Sill be Is brave and honorable officer, aud
Justice requires that he should not be condemrel NlA-
H. Ills as il NAV. when learned that Major ADder-
-on had lett Fort Moultre and proceeded 10 Fort sum
ter my first promptiDgs were TO conIan1 nun 70 re-
tnn to biz former position, and there to await thoon,
tin, rtcics presented in his instru tiOns ms W)lh
ouly have been done with any degree OF .aety TO he
Command by the concurrence OF the nth tar,lina
authorizes. But benre any steps could pos l'iy nave
been taken in this direction, we received norm'on
that the Palmetto hag h0aed OUT 20 the breeze at
Caslr Pinckncy, and urge military force went over
las tiuht the 57ibl 10 Fort Monlirie.
Tins the authorities of South Carolina, without
waiting or asking Tor any explanations and Doubtless,
he, ing n yOu have expressed H. that inc OF e. ma
acted NOT ONLY without, but against, my ord;s, on the
very neat day after the night when the removal Was
made s,zed by military force two OF The three fen
ernI forts in The harbur of Charleston, ana nay" coy
cred them under their iag Instead OF t'a 81 ihe
United States. ~ this gloomy period Of our history
startling events succeed each other rapidly.
Ga the very day, the 9th inst, that possession o,
tle.e two forts ~ taken ie Palmetto lag ricd
over the Federal Custom House and Posl-oiice IN
CL,tlp,f0u and on the day every officer oi the
Customs Collector Naval Officer, Surveyor and AP-
pai,er-r, signed their offices. And this aithohgiH
was well known from the language of my Message
hat ~ an Executive officer felt myself bound TO
collect the rcl AZ the port Of Char ton under IN
eN.,ing laws. In the harbor OF Charleston We now
iird three forts confronting each o'herl over ah :"
whth the Federal nag hnat-d only four days ago. hut
now over two OF them this flag has been suppLnied
aud The Palmetto lag ha, been substituted in IL s'oaf.
Il j. under al hc-e circum-t ancos that am urged
inn' fiaiey 10 withdraw the troops from lho uaroor
of Chalc-on aud am informed that without THU ne
gonlion Is impossible. 1hi' ! cannot do; this VIII
not Do. Slch an idea was never thought 81 by me IN
apy los.iblc coniingongy. No aus0n had bccl uai'
in any Communication between myself and any human
being But tie inference il, that am bonnd 10 with
drnw n troops from the only fort remaining IN the
pose lion Of ifo United Statc-, in the harbor OF
jhaft-ton because ia, officer there Ia command o. all
tie forts thought proper, without instructions, u
change h- portion from one If them 10 another.
Al j. point Of writing, have received iniormI mon
by telegraph, from Captain Humphreys, IN command
Of The Arcnal nj Charleston, thai II has to-day sun
dny The Sub been iakcn 10y force Of arms. II II
estimated thai the munitions OF war belonging 10 Che
United Stae- in this Ar mi are worth hall mili'n
f dolurs.
only Ia add that while il il my duty to defend Fort
sumter ~ Il portion of the public property o! the
Uncd States, against hostile attacks from Whichever
quarter they may come by such means IA | may Pos-
so- t- purpose de- not perceive hox such defense
a.u lc construed Into "a menace against the clty ol
tlatlt. ton.
With goa, Fe-an,l s'd remain ye Ec,P,'g,i9,,
T. itr Hon. Rargsr W. BsaSrsf', jaws H. AD'f',
.,srs T.. onE
W,sEI>cros, u. C., Jan. I, 1861
SIR: We have the honor 10 acknowledge the r. eipt
of your letter 81 the Dh December in reply % note
addr-scd by ur you, on the 18th oi the zane month";
a. Commissioner frutn South Carolina.
In reference to the declaration with which yonr re-
ply oommoncca that your petition as President OF the
United Statce wa- claily defined in the Message to
Congrets on the 81 instant; that you pos.err no
power to change the relations heretofore cxiing be-
veen South Carolina aud the States, much les To
aolowledgo the Independence Of that state, and that
consequently YOU could meet only private gentle
men of the highest character, with an entire MihhS-
ne.- communicate 10 Congress any proportion we
might have to make" We deem II only necessary TO
say ;hat the State of South Carolina having m the
eAer,iso Of tla great right OF sefgoNernment wnch
undcIi.s all political organizations decr'a net
splf sovereign and independent we, %. hef r'pn'h
tiyeH IL special holIcitude ar 10 thc chtcicr III
WI Won might recognize ns.
SAITH lied tia, the STATE had imply exercised h'r VIZ
questionable right, we were prepared III order 10 len
substantial good To waive tie formal coh-lderd'loH
which your constitutional scrupes might nave pc
vented yon from exter ding We came here therefore,
expecting 10 be received you OH receive nh ana
r.itn.ilv content with that entire willingness oi when
Won assured us 10 submit any proposition to Congress
wli we might have 10 make upon the SUBJECT oi Tue
nderrndrnCe of the State. That Willingness was .n-
ple rcogr iion oi the condition Of public affairs Tnch
rendered our presence necessary. In this po-ilon,
however il i our duty both TO the state which we
rpr,e.n, and 10 ourselves 10 correct several important
INTERPRETATIONS OF our letter, into which yon nave
| fallen.
Won say sn was my earnest desire that such dis
po.iiion -houd be made of the whole subject by Ton
ess who ulone posse-s the power, 10 prevent the
Inauguration of "a civil war between the parties IA re-
4 \ al. F.lt tFraf1