The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-07-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, June 5.
Fsllow- Citzens ofMe Senate.
and House of Representatives: =

ana House OF Representatives. -
Having been convened on an extlaor.
dinary occasion. as authorized by the
Constitution, your attention is net cal
led to any ordinary subject Of legisla'
tfon.
At the beginning of the present presi
dental term. four months ago, the func.
lions of the Federal Government were
found - be generally suspended within
the several States Of South Carolina, Geor-
gia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana;and
Florida. excepting only those of the Post
Office Department. Within these States
the forts, arsenals. dock yards, custom
houses, the like including the movable
and stationary property in and about them
had been seized and were held in open
hostility to the Government excepting
only Forts Pickens, Taylor and Jefferson,
on and near the Florida coast. aud Fort
Sumter IN Charleston barbor, South
Carolina.
The forts thus seized had beer put in
approved condition. New ones had been
built. and armed forces had been organi
zed and were organizing, all avowedly
with the same hostile purpose.
The forts remaining in the possession
of the Federal Government, and near these
States. were either besieged or menared
by warlike preparations, especially, For,
Sumter was nearly surrounded by well
protected hostile batteries, with guns equal
in quality to the rest of its own, and out.
numbering the latter, perhaps ten to one
A disproportionate share of the Federal
muskets and rifles had somehow found
their way into these States and had been
seized, to be used against the Govern
ment. Accumulations of the public rev
enue lying within them bad been seized
for the same object. The navy was
scattered in distant seas, leaving but q
very small part Of it within the immedi
ate reach Of the Government Officers
Of the Federal Army and Navy had re-
signed in great numbers, and of those re.
signing large proportion Of them had
taken up arms against the Government
Simultaneously. in connection with al
this, the purpose 20 sever the Fedora
Union was openly avowed. In accordance
with this purpose an ordinance had beer
adopted ip each of these States declaring
the States respectively to DO separated
from the National Union. For institu
ting a combined Government of these
States formula had been promulgated
and this illegal organization in the char
acier of the Confederate States were Al
ready invoking recognition, aid and in
tervention from foreign powers.
Seeing this condition OF things, ant
believing it to be an imperative duty up
on the incoming Executive to prevent, i
possible, the cousummation OF such al
attempt to destroy the Federal Union,
choice of means to that end become in
dispensible. The choice we made wa
declared in the inaugural address. Th
policy chosen looked 10 the exhaustion
of all peaceful measures before a resOr
to any stronger ones. 1t sought only t.
hold the public places and property no
already wrested from the government, ant
to collect the revenue, relying for the res
on time, discussion and the ballot box.
II promised continuance of the mail
at government expense, to the very peo
pie who were resisting the government
and it gave repeated pledges against an,
disturbance to any of the people or any o
theit rights, of all that which a Presiden
might constitutionally & justiisbly do il
such case. Everything was lorbore, with
out which 1t was believed possible to keel
the government on foot On the fifth o
March. the present incumbrent's frs
full day in office letter of Major Ander
sons, commanding at Fort Sumter, writ
ten on the 28th of February, and receiv
ed at the War Department on the 4th o
March, was by that Department, placed il
his hands. This letter expressed th
professional opinion Of the writer that re
Inducements could not be thrown int,
that fort in the time for his relief, rem
dered necessary by the limited supply o
provisions, aud with view Of holding
possession Of the same. with force o
less than twenty thousand good aud wei
disciplined men.
This, opinion was coucurred in by al
the officers Of his command. and thei
memoranda on the subject were made. ant
enclosed In Major Andsrson's letter. Th,
whole was immedistsly laid before Lieut.