Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-07-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


Fsllsw Citisens of the Senate and House Of |
Representatives Having been convened on |
au extraordinary occasion authorized by the |
Constitution, your attention is not called to |
any ordinary subject Of legislation. At the
beginning Of the Presidential term, -four
months ago, the functions Of the Federal
Government we're found to be generally
suspended within the several States OF South
Carolius, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Florida. excepting only those
OF the Post Office Department Within
these States oil the forts, arsenas, dock
yards, custom houses and the like, bad been
seized and we're held 10 open hostility to this
Government, excepting only forts Pickeps,
Taylor, and Jefferson, on and near the
Florida coast, and Fort Sumter, in Charles.
ton harbor, South Carolina. The forts thus
seized had been put in improved condition.
New ones had been built, and armed forces
had been organized and we're organizing, all
avowedly with the same hostile purpose
The forts remaining in the possession of the
Federal Government 10 and near these States
we're either besieged or menaced by warlike
preparations, and especially Fort Sumpter,
which was nearly surrounned by wellpro.
jected hostile batteries with guns equal in
quality to the best Of its own, and outhum.
bering the latter as perhaps ten TO one.
disproportiouate share of the Federal mus.
kets and rifles had somehow found their way
into these States, and had been seized to be
used against the Government. Accumula-
tions Of the public revenue, lying within
them, had been seized for the same object.
The navy was scattered in distant seas,
leaving but very small part of it within the
immediate reach of the Cow. nment. OH.
GERS of the Federal army and navy had re.
signed 10 great numbers and Of those resign
ing large proportion had taken up arms
against the Government. simultaneously,
| and in connection with all this, the purpose
! to sever the Federal 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 National Union.
I A formula for instituting a combined Govern.
ment of these States had been promulgated,
| and this illegal organization in the character
| of Confederate States was already invoking,
! recognition, aid, and Intervention from foreig6
! Powers.
Finding this condition Of things. and be-
| lieving it to be an imperative duty upon the
incoming Executive TO prevent If possible,
the consummation OF such attempt to destroy
the Federal Union, choice Of means to 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 o
resort to any stronger ones. 1t sought only
to hold the public places and property not
already wrested from the Government, and
to collect the revenue, relying for the rest on
time, discussion. and the ballot box. 1t
promised continuance of the mails, OF the
Governments expense, to the very people
who were resisting the Government, and it
gave repeated pledges against any disturbaD-
ces to any of the people. or any OF their
rights. OF all that which 4 President might
constitutiopally aud justiiably do in such a
case everything was Iorb0fne, without which
it was believed possible to keep the Govern
ment on foot.
On the 9th of March, the present ncum
bents first full day in Office, letter of NJ ajol
Anderson, commanding at Fort Sumpter
written on the 2sta of February, and received
at the War Department on the 4th OF March
, was, by that Department, placed 10 bis bands
This letter expressed the professional opinion
of the writer that reinforcements could no
be thrown into that fort, within the time fo
/, his relief rendered necessary by the Limited
), supply of PROVISIONS and with view of bold
ing possession Of the same, With force o
; less than 10000 good and well.discipline'
. men. This opinion was concurrcd in by al
. the officers OF his command aud their memo
randa oD the subject we're made enclosures O
Major Andersons letter. The whole wa
Immediately laid before Lieut. General scott
who at ouce coucurred with Major Anderson
10 that opinion. On reflection, however. b
took foil lime, consulting with other officers
both of the army aud navy, and at the en-
Of four days came reluctantly, but decidedly
to the same conclusion ns before. He ais
NJ tat at ha Ia a N N len
y force was then within the control of th
% Government, or could be raised and brough
K to the ground within the time when tb
Il provisions 10 the fort would be exhausted :
IS ln o purely military point Of view, tn
Il reduced the duty of the Administration 10 th
10 case to the mere matter Of getting the garr
% son safely out of the fort. 1t was believed
20 however, that to so abandon that position
g under the circumstances, would be uiter
le ruinous that the necessity under which
D, was to be done would not be fully understood
Of that by many il would be construed as u pal
~ Of a voluntary policy; that at home it woul
" discourage the friends Of the Union, embolde
ii it's sdverssrles, and 60 far to insure the iatt'
Z recognition abroad that, 10 fact, it wou
iu be our national destruction coHsummated.-
ct This could not be allowed. Starvation WI
| not yet upon the garrison, and ere it won
i
,ir This last would be clear indication of polio
en- and would better enable the country to accel
of the evacuation of Fort Sumpser as militia
vu necessity. An order was al once directed
en- be sent for the landing of the troops from Il
en- steamship Brooklyn into Fort Pickens.'
ed This order could not 60 by land, but mu
take the longer and slower route by Sc
", The first return news from the order W
,is received Just one week before the fall of FO
ad Suupter. The Dews itself was that &
st. officer commanding the Sabine, to which We
ut sci the troops had been transferred from I
sy Brooklyn, acting upon some quasi armlstl
ey of the late Administration, and OF the OK
m, tencs of which the present Admnistratlc
to up to the time the order was despatched b
ho only too vague and uncertain rumors to
we attention, had refused to land the troops,
10 To now reinforce Fort Pckeus before cri
ild would be reached at Fort Sumpter was j
Ice possible, rendered so by the near exhaust
of Of provisions 10 the latter named fort.
In such a conjulcture the Government b
The few days before commenced preparing
ay. expedition, as well adapted as might be,
as relieve Fort Sumpter. which expedition "
one | ;ntandad In ha nj talp uaad nr mot arcO