The Shreveport weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1861-1861, 1861-07-15

that if the victualling was unresis-
ted, no attempt would be made to
throw in men, arms or ammunition.
Without notice, the fort was taken
without waiting for the vietualing
expedition Thus the attack on
Fort Sumter was in no sense in self
defence the assailants knew in no
event could Fort Sumter be mischie-
vous they were notified that feed
ing hungry men was the only object
Of the Government; that the Govern
Inent only wished to maintain nomi-
nal possession of the fort, thus pre-
serving the Union from dissolution
trusting to time, discussion and the
ballot-box for a final adjustment.
The fort was assailed for the object
Of driving out visible Federal author
ity-forcing immediate dissolution.
This the Executive understood,
and having been inaugurated, said
can you have no conflict without
yourselves being the aggressors.
LINCOLN took pains to keep this de-
claration good in the circumstances
surrounding the Sumter affair. The
Confederates began the conflict they
have forced upon the country the
destructive issue of Immediate disso-
lution, or the shedding of blood en-
bracing more than the fate of the
Union. It forces the question
whether a peoples government can
maintain the integrity gifts territory
against domestic foes; whether indi-
viduais, too few to control admins
tration by original law. can break
mp govcrnment-thrs ending free
government on earth, it forces this
Iues'ion-muSt government be too
strong for peoples liberty. or too
weak 10 maintain its own existence.
No chance is left but to call out the
war powers Of our government to
resis; the forces employed for its dcS-
tr,iction. The response to calls for
troops has surpassed the most san
guinc Observation-Disclosures alone.
ding. \ few slave States, respon-
ding. \ few slave State regiments
have been raised by individual en-
;erpriscs, and have been accepted.
The border states We're not uniform
in their action.
The course taken by Virginia was
most remarkable ard important
Her convention proceeded to consid-
er this question in s-sion when Sum
ter fell. with large Union majority,
i l.
of the Union. made extensive militia
ry preparations seized Federal pro-
property, received large bodies of
Confederate troops, entered into n
treaty with the Confederatcs, sent
representatives TO Confederate conn
ellis and permitted the insurrcctionary
government to be transferred 10 Nir-
ginia's Capitol.
The Government has no choice
left but to enter Virginia. and does
so with less regret from having been
called to protect loyal citizens whom
il was bound to sustain.
Other border States favored armed
neutrality-tl.at armins being to pre-
vent union and disunion troops occu-
pying their soil. This would be dis
union complete. Figuratively, it
would be building impossible walls
along the line of separation, yet I'M
der the guisc Of neutrality would tic
the hands of the Unionists and feed
insurrectionists taking all the trou-
Die from secession hands, except
what arises from external blockade,
and would be giving malcontents to
dis union without struggle of their
own. 1t recognizes no fidelity to the
Constitution, no obligation to main
tain Union, while many loyalists
favor it. 1t is very injurious.
Recurring to the action of the gov
ernment-it first called for $4,000
men and then proclaimed blockade.
The insurrectionists announced pri-
vateering, a call was made for three
years troops, and large additions
were made to the army and navy
These measures We're ventured upon
under popular demand, and public
necessity. trusting to Congressional
ratification. Soon after, it was con-
@lutftt II dIitN 10 authorize tiie Noln-
handing General to suspend habeas
corpas wher" public safety required
This was necessary to the execution
of the laws.
The continuance of this law, made
in such extreme tenderness to the cit
liens liberty, practically relieved
more of the guilty than the innocent
To state the question more directly:
Are all the laws but one to be unexe-
cuted, and government go to pieces
lest one be violated? But it was be-
heved that the suspension of the
ha6eas corpus was not unconstitution-
al; forbearance has been so eXtraor-
binary and so long continued, as in
duced foreign nations to shape their
actions on a superstition of an early