Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-01-17

war or to authorize the employment of military |
force in all cases contemplated by the Constitu-
ton, and they alone possess the power to re-
move all the grievances which might lead to war;
and to secure peace and union to this distracted !
country. On them, and on them alone, rests
the responsibility. The Union is a sacred trust,
left by our revolutionary fathers for their de-
scendants. and never did any other people in
herit so rich a legacy. 1t has rendered us pros
porous in peace and triumphant in war. The
national flag has voted in glory over every sea,
an1 under its shadow American citizens have
found protection and respect in all lands be-
meath the sun. If we descend to considerations
-of purely material interest, when il. the history
of all time has a Conlederacy been bound to- |
gether by such strong ties of mutual INTEREST,"
Each portion Of it is dependant upon all, and |
all upon each portion, for prosperity and domes- |
tic security. Free trade throughout the whole
supplies the wants of one portion from the pro-
ductions of another, and scatters wealth every
where. The great planting and fai nng States
require the aid of the commercial and navgat
ing States to send thei productions to domestic
and foreign markets, and furnish the naval
power to render their transformations secure
against all hostile attacks.
Should the Union perish in the midst OF the
present excitement, we have already had a sad
foretaste of the universal suffering which would
result from its destruction. The calamity would
be severe in every portion of the Union, and
would be quite as great, to say the least in the
Southern as in the Northern States.
The greatest aggravation of the evil and that
which would place in the most unfavorabe
light, both before the world and posterity, is, as
! am firmly convinced, that the secession move
ment has been chiefly based upon misapprehen-
sion at the South Of the sentiments of the ma
iority in several of the Northern States. Let
the question be answered from the political as
semblies to the ballot-boX, and the people them
selves would speedily redress the serious grev-
ances which the South have suffered. But in
Heavens name let the trial be made before we
plunge into armed conflict upon the mere as
sumption that there is no other alternative
Time is a great conservative power. Let us
pause at the momentOus point, and afford the
| people, both of the North and South, an OPP
portunity for reflection. Would that South
| Carolina had been convinced of this truth be-
fore ner precipitate action. ! therefore appeal
through YOU to the people of the country, to
declare in their might that the Union must and
shall be preserved by all constitutional means.
| most earnestly recommend that you devote
Yourselves to the question how this can be ac-
compliShed in peace. All other questions, when
compared with this, sink into insignificance.-
The present is TO time for paliaiyes. Prompt
action is required. a delay in Congress to
prescribe or recommend distinct and practical
proposition for conciiaton, may drive us TO a
point from which it will be almost impossible
10 recede. A common ground on which con-
citation and harmony may be produced, is sure
" not unattainable.
The proposition to compromise, by letting
the North have exclusive control of the territory
above certain line, and to give Southern in
| hall hot line tn
receive universal approbaton In itself, indeed
it may not be entirely satisfactory but when
The alternative is between reasonable concession
on both sides and the destruction of the Union,
il is an imputution on the patriotism OF Con-
gress to assert that its members will hesitate a
moment. Even now the danger is upon u.s.
In several States which have not yet seeded,
the forts, arsenals and magazines of the United
States have been seized. This is by far the
most serious step which has been taken since
the commencement of the troubles. This pub
lie property has long been left without garriSons
and troops for its protection, because no person
doubted its security under the flag Of the coun-
try in any State of the Union. Besides, our
small army has scarcely been sufficient to guard
= our remote frontiers against Indian incursions.
The seizure Of this property. from all appear
l anceS has been purely aggressive, and not in re-
Sstance TO any attempt to coerce State or
2 States to remain in The Union. At the begin
\ ming of these unhappy troubles, determined
f that no act of mine should increase the excite
ment in either section of the country. If the
political conflict were to end in civil war, il was
my determined purpose not TO commence 1t
$ nor to furnish an excuse for it by any act O
t this Government. My opinion remains un
, changed, that justice well as sound policy re
+ quire us still to seek peaceful solution OF rh'
Il lot, tl,n md
, South. Entertaining this conviction, refraineC
= even from sending reinforcements to Maj. An
= derson, who commanded the forts of Charleston
5 harbor until an absolute necessity for doing 81
d should make itself apparent, lest 1t might b.
e regarded as a menace of military coercion, ant
= thus furnish provocation, or at least pretex
d for an outbreak on the part of South Carolina
/ No necessity for these reinforcements seeme
e to exist. was assured by distinguished, up
h right gentlemen of South Carolina that no at
? tack on Major Anderson was intended, but tina
l. on the contrary it was the desire OF the Stat
e authorities as much as it was my own, to avol
y, the fatal consequences which must eventual
: follow mitar, collision. And here | deem
y proper to submit for your information copies c
ID a communication dated 2Sth December, 1861
'e addressed to me by X. W. Barnwell, }. ii. Al
a. ans, and James l.. Orr, Commissioners of Sout
lie Carolina, with the accompanying documents an
. copies of my answer thereto, dated Dec. 3D.
In further explanation Of Major An !erson's rt
ic moval from Fort Moutrie to Fort Sumter, it
S. proper to state that after my answer to ii
I'd South Carolina Commissioners S. the War Depar
r ment eceiyed letter from that gallant office
dated Dec. 81, 1860, the day after his mov'
H. ment, from which the following is an extract I:
I'd Il will add, as my opinion that many thins
p convinced me that the authorities of the Sta
by designed to proceed to an hostile act (evdent
Nv referring to the orders dated Dec. IL, of Il
so late Secretary of War;. Under the impressic
ht | could not hesitate that it was my solemn du
tie to move my command from fort which v
mt could not probably have held longer than 4
he or 60 hours. to this one where my power
&C. resistance is increased to very great degree
lie. 1t will be recollected that the concluding pa
u of the orders was in the following words:
ed "Ihe smallness of your force will not prem
nd you, perhaps, TO occupy more than one of 4
ht three forts but an attack on, or attempt TO tai
ill possession of either one Of them, will he r
to garded as an act of hostility, and you may tn,
u put your command into either of them viii
is YOU may deem most proper 10 increase its pow
! of resistance. You are also authorized 10 ta
ad similar defensive steps whenever YOU have ia
te, gible evidence of design to proceed to an he
u tile act"
I'M 1t is said that serious apprehensions are
some extent entertained, in which | do n
ry share that the peace of this District may