Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-03-11

70
Mr. Holt, late Secretary of War, pub
fishes in the -RatioDal EafeELi9eResg = long
and severe reply IN the statement recently
Issued BY ex-Secretary Thompson from his
retreat u Mississippi. Mr.. Holt s indig-
nant at Thompsonts declaration that the
movement for the reinforcement Of Fort
Sumter Was "A eoaeealed trick, On the
contrary, he asserts that the project Of re-
{ inforring Major Anderson was repeatedly
and frankly discussed IN the Cabinet, and
adds: r.
the sesolalioa Of Tie Pnesideat Uas-u.n-
( uouneed in terms as emphatic as be Proba-
bly, ever addressed TO one Of his SeeretA-
ries. at Is now all over, and reinfoIce-
ments mRst be sent was his language
and these words were spoken in open
council, the honorable Secretary Of tie
Interiar himself being presents II vas IN
stFiet accordance with the command thus
/ given that The Star Of the West vas char
tered and the reinforeemeuts sent forward
In all these Circumstances the public Viii
look IN vain for any traces Of 'trirk' on
the part Of General Scott OF Of The Serre-
taTy Of War. IL Is true that, IN the hope
OF avoiding waste Of human life, an en-
dearer Was made to 'eoaeear the eIpedi-
lion from the hostile troops Ia charge Of
The foSts and batteries in Charleston har-
I Dor; but this endeayor the vigilance and
zeal OF the Secretary defeated
The following extract from Mr. Hollis
letter explains point Whirh has given
rise TO dispute:
The 'eOuntermAud' spoken Of vas not
more cordially sanctioned by the Prsident
than 1t was by General Scott and myselE
IL VAS given, not because OF any dissent
/ from the order on the past of the PreSl-
dent, but because Of 4 letter Feneira9 that
{ dag .frOnl HgiOr 4adzsoA, stStlly, a sFfet.
ttgf K regG0aed Iiplssf o. secRrr a Eis I,0-
SitloaI and yet more because OF intelligence
which late on Saturday evening reached
che Department that heavy talttEy had
been erected among the sand bills at the
entrance 10 Charieston harbor, which
would probably destroy any unarmed yes
sci land such VAS the Star of the Westl
which might attempt 70 make its way up
10 Fort Sumter, This important Informs
ton sahShed The government that there
was no present necessity for sending rein
forcements, and that when sent they
should 60, not IN vessel Of commerce,
but OF war. Hence the countrrmand was
despatched by Telegraph TO New York, but
the vessel had sailed a short time before It
reached the officer % whom II rEas ad-
dressed
M Holt adds that ethis plain Etatemeat
IS submitted in the belief that, before an
intelligent aud candid public, 1t win AFFORD
complete vindication Of my conduct, as
well as Of the conduct of that illustrious
patriot and soldier, Lieutenant General
Scott whose Stainless honor certainly
needs no defence At my hands against the
asPersions Of the present or of any other
assailant"
The following noble Tindication of his
own conduct concludes Mr. Hollis explana-
tioa=
''If this explanation shall seeure to me
the confidence OF those true hearted pa
triots who VIII love our uuion better than
all the sPoils aud power which revolution
can promise, then shall little regsid the
condemnation OF men who, for the last
two months, have necessarily denounced
me throughout the South, simply and
solely because have refused TO lllaeken
my soul with perjury, by betraying the
government of my countFy, while in its
service. J. HoLT-"