Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-07-06
LATEST NEWS.
By TELEGRAPH
TO THE WORCESTER DAILY SPY
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

EeLow Citizens Of The Senate and House OF Rep.
TeSentdtiUeS -
Having been convened on an extraordinary
occasion, as authorized by the constitution,
your attention is not called TO any ordinary
subject of legislation. AT the beginning of
the present presidential term, four months
ago, the functions OF the federal government
were found to be generally suspended within
the several states Of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida,
excepting only those Of the post Office depart
ment within those states. All the forts ARISEN.
ais, dock yards, custom houses, and the like,
including the movable and stationary property
in and about them, had been seized, and were
held IN open hostility to the government ex
ceptlng only forts Pickens, Taylor, and Jeiier-
son, on aud near the Florida coast. and fort
Sumter, III Charleston harbor, South Carolina;
the forts thus seized were put in improved
condition, new ones were built and filled with
munitions and troops, every thing indicating
hostile purpose
The forts remaining in possession of the
federal government in and near these states
were either beseiged or menaced by warke
preparations, and especially Fort Sumter was
nearly surrounded bv well protected hostile
batteries, with guns equal in quality to the best
of its own, and outnumberlng the latter as
perhaps ten to one. A disproportionate share
of the federal muskets and rifles had somehow
found their way into those states, and had
been seized to be used against the govern
ment. Accommodations of public revenue ly.
ing within them had been seized for the same
object The navy was scattered in distant
seas, but very small part of it within the
immediate reach OF the government Officers
of the federal army and navy had resigned III
great numbers. and of those resigning large
nrp fol
government simultaneously and in connec-
ton with all this, purpose to sever the Fed
raj Union was openly avowed. In accordance
with this purpose, an ordinance had been
adopted IN each of these states declaring the
states respectively to be separated from the
the National Union. formula for institute
ing combined government of these states
had been promulgated, and this illegal or
ganization, in the character Of confederate
states, was already invoking recognition, aid
and Intervention from foreign powers.
Ending this condition OF things, and believ'
ing it to be imperative duty upon the incom-
ing executive TO prevent, if possible, the con
summation OF such an attempt to destroy the
federal Union, choice of means 10 that end
became indispensable. This choice was made
and was declared in the inaugural address.
The policy chosen looked to the exhaustion
OF all peaceful measures before resort to any
stronger ones. 1t sought only to hold the pub
lie places and property, not already wrested
from government, and to collect the revenue
Relying for the rest on time, discussion, and
the ballot-boX, it promised continuance of the
mails, at government expense, to the very PEG
pie who were resisting the government, and
gave repeated pledges against any disturbance
to any of the people, or any OF their rights,
of all that which a president might constitu-
tionally do in such case. Everything was
forborne, without which it was believed not TO
be possible to keep the government on foot.
On the 9th of March, the present inCumbents
first full day in office a letter OF Major Andtr-
son, commanding at Fort Sumter, written on
the 18th OF February, and received at the war
department on the 4th OF March, was, by that
department, placed in his hands. This letter
expressed the professional opinion Of the writer
that reinforcements could not be thrown into
that fort within time for his relief, rendered
necessary by limited supply of provisions,
and with the view of holding the same with a
force of less than twenty thousand good and
well.disciplined men This opinion was con-
Cured in by all the officers OF his command,
and their memoranda on thats subject was
made, enclosed in Major Andersons letter.
The whole was Immediately laid before Leu-
tenant General Scott, who at once conculred
with Major Anderson in opinion. On refiee
ton, h owever, he took full time, consulting
wi til other officers, both of the army and ma
Wy, and at the end of four days came reluc-
family, but decidedly, to the same conclusion
as before.
He also stated at the same time that no such
sufficient force was then at the control of the
government, or could be raised and brought
to the ground within the time when the pro
visions Of the fort would be exhausted In
purely military point of view, this reduced the
duty Of the administration of the case TO the
mere matter OF getting the garrison safely out
of the fort. 1t was believed, however, that to
so abandon that position, under the circum-
stances, would be utterly runous, and that the
necessity under which 1t was to be done would
not be fully understood, and that, by many, it
would be construed as a part of voluntary
policy, and that at home, it would discour-
age the friends of the Union, embolden
its adversarics, and go far to insure the latter
recognition abroad that, in fact it would be
our national destruction cOnsammated This
conld not be allowed. Starvation was not yet
upon the gar ison and ere it could be reached
Fort Pickens might be reinforced. This last
would be clear indication of policy, and
would better enable the country to accept the
evacuation of Fort Sumter as a military ne
cessity. An order was at once dneete to be
sent for the landing of the troops from cam
L
could not go by land but must take the longer
and slower route by sea. The first return
news from the order was received just a week
before the fall of Fort Sumter. The news it.
self was, that the officer commanding the Sa-
blne, TO Which vessel the troops had been
transferred from the Brooklyn, acting upon
some quasi armistice of the late administration,
and OF the existence of which the present adj
minstratioH, up to the time the order was dis
patched, had only too vague and uncertain ru-
mors to fix attention, had refused to land
troops. 70 now reinforce Fort Pickens before
crisis would be reached at Fort Sumter,
was mpossible-rendered SO by near exhaus-
ton of provisions. In the latter named fort,
in preeaution against such conjecture. the
government had few days before commenced
preparing an expedition, as well adapted as
might be to relieve Fort Sumter, which expe
dition was in ended to be ultimately used or
not, according to circumstances. The strong
est anticipated case for using it was now pre-
scented, and it was resolved to send it forward,
as it had beenintended in this contingency.
1t was also resolved to notify the governor
of South Carolina, that he might expect an
attempt would be made to provision the fort
and that if the attempt should not be resisted
there would be no effort to put in men, arms
or ammunition, without further notice, or in
case of an attack upon the fort. This notice
was accordingly given. Whereupon the fprt
was attacked and bombarded to its fall, with
out even awaiting the arrival of the provision
ing expedition. 1t is thus seen that the as
saut upon and reduction of fort Sumter was
in no sense a matter of self defense on the part
of the assaiIanls They well knew that the
garrison in the fort could by no possibility
commit aggression upon them. They knew
they were expressly notified that the giving OF
bread to few brave and hungry men of the
garrison, was all which would, on that occa-
sion, be attempted, unless they themselves by