Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-20


the Cotton Confederacy.
1t plain and direct invitation to peace, on
the part of the North. Ii may seem like hui
initiating act on the part of great and strong
government to adopt the course alluded to. 1t
would be SO toward any other people. The same
rules of ettquet and feeling, however, do not
obtain in differences between brothers as between
strangers. 1t is doubtful whether the policy of
this evacuation will strike citizens of the North
favorable at first view. 1t is even doubtful
whether its effect will be good on the South
Patriotic citizens, however, of all sections will
not, we think, wish to question the prudence Of
of any measure which looks to the harmonious
adjustment OF the present serious difficulties. 1t
is within the range Of probabtie; that this
course my lead to final peace. Ii so. it will
never be condemned in after days. The policy
will be found, ifadopted, to have proceeded from
wise and patriotic considerations.
We continue further our quotations from the
Republican press on the evacuation of Fort Sum
ter by the LINCOLN Administration. The "groans
of the Br;tons" are truly htart-rending. just to
think that the President of their choice, whom
they nominated
'Becluse the people did demand
A lerol herO
Leader Of our Spartan baGd,'
and who they loudly proclaimed, would soon take
hold and possess the Forts that the "inbecile Ad-
ministration of BUCHANAN had delivered over to
the Southern traitors, should signalize his Ad-
ministration by surrendering the most important
position of all, is indeed excrucatinS! 1t is too
bad to think that after all the denunciations
poured upon the head Of old Buck for refusing to
reinforce Fort Sumter after one unsuccessful
effort to do so, and the confident and exultant
wait till LINCOLN is President, he will show you
whether a few shot from a one-eyed sand-hill
battery will scarce hin. off, he will show you how
ANDERSON is to be reinforced" that same "hero' .
and "leader" ofthe "Spartanba band" should now ac-
tually refuse to reinforce Major ANDERSON and sur
render the Fort without effort, and without firing
a shot But we have no heart to aggravate the
distress of our Republican friends. We feel for
theml We know that their "sufferings is intol-
erable!' We condole with them in their aiflic-
iions, And in this spirit, as offering some relief
to tneir agonizcd souls, we give them the conso-
Iation afforded by their own papers:
The New York Post, edited by WILLIAM c..
BRYANT, one of the LINCOLN electors at large for
the State Of New York, thus protests against the
evacuation, which, it alleges, will produce gen
eral howl of Indignation:
We DO not know that it is vet wholly impossi
bic to save the honor of the nation the military
advisers OF the Cabinet, who are competent to
form an opinion, will decide upon that point; but
we do know that if Major Anderson is ordered to
beat an ignominious retreat, the act will produce
q general howl of Indignation. No real Ameri-
can we care not what his politics, will consent to
see his nation degraded and dishonOred without a
vehement protest.
True. it is said the withdrawal of the garrison
from Fort Sumter viii have good effect in the
border States that it will deprive the Secession
lists there of their principal means of nhaming
the popular passions; but such pleas are both
useless and cowardiy. The border States do not
mem to leave the Union their people have given
evidence enough OF that fact, ana it IS but poor
compliment to their patriotism or their honor to
say that their adherence can only be purchased by
sacrifices which involve the lasting disgrace o. the
Union. Let it be once understood that the Union
can only be saved by vacating the General Gov
eminent of all its functions, and the question will
arise whether it is worth saving at all.
The New York Commercial Rep is surprised
and indignant. Itsays:
We would fain hope that the President will see
Administration and be saved the necessity ofthus
severing the last link of the Federal sovereignty
over The State of South Carolina, and by conse-
quence over the other seeding States.
But this alleged purpose of evacuating Fort Sum-
ter and giving possession of it to the rebels, is in
some respects inexplicable, and may after all not
really be entertained If the Notifications around
Charleston harbor are so formidable that no force
the United States can bring against them can
tI.,fT
Gen. Scott, who had frequent interviews with Mr.
Lincoln, permitted the President elect to remain
in ignorance of the fact and to declare in his in
augural message that ne would hold all the forts
and other public property handed down TO him,
and collect the revenues in addtlOnI Ii is not
supposable that Gen. Scott was ignorant of any
military operations in the port of Charleston even
il he were not informed of the straits to which
Major Anderson is now alleged to be reduced.
The Commercial concludes that if Fort Sumter
is surrendered, Fort Pickens must be also given
up, and, therefore, 'the controversy is at an end.
The revolution in the South is successful. The
Southern Confederacy is rival sovereign Re-
public on this continent t-a r--.'
The Tribune is rabid. 1t groans, means, and
bowls in the following terrific manner:
Better at once give up the Federal Government
as AN exploded humbug, than attempt to carry it
on with half our ports open TO foreign goods with
out paving duty, or at least without paying into
the Federal treasury.
And-ungraeious as it may seem-we can not
feel nor effect tlankiulnesss for that kind of
quiescence in the rule of President Lincoln which
exacts of him an abdcation Of the essential
function of his Office as condition precedent,
and strips him of half his rightiul power while
cOncelinC him his title and salary. Assault
The Washington correspondent of the Tribune
writes:
There is great fever among the Republicans
in the city on accouIft of the orders for the re-
tirement ofthe troops iron Fort Sumter. Every
man is ferocious at the bare idea of such thing.
The act is deprecated and denounced in every
form of anathena. s.f q .-r-a
Even the Evansville (Ind.,) JouoRal (Repub-
lican.) don't like the thing. 1t says:
1.-THE fort is abandoned it win be because the
Government is unable TO hold it. That is the
long and short of the whole story. We presume
| it is out of the power of the Government to save
it or the attempt would be made. The last Con
sress killed every measure which looked ike
Strengthening the Presidents hands, and until
Congress furnishes him with men to re enforce
forts 1t snot Likely they will be re enforced. The
secessonists are probably as well aware of this
fact as ourselves, and if they get possession OF
Sumter they will consider it prize won by their
skill and energy. 1t is to be hoped the Admins
tration-if they do give Anderson orders to leave
will instruct him to blow the fortifcation TO
atoms, thing that could be done very easily and
! without much danger.
"Per CONTRA" the organs of the Administration
in Washington Justify the step under difieren;
reasons. The new organ. the Republic, says:
| The fort has no strategetic Importance, and it
may have been supposed that the Welding OF the
point TO the pride of South Carolina could very
wei be afforded by great Government, especial
~ as this would satisfy the country generally OF
the pacific policy of the Administration, and en-
able il, without the appearance OF coercion, to be
more stringent in the enforcement OF the revenue
| laws .,.-.-..
The other organ, the National Inteligencp,
whose editor is LINCOLN new Postmaster, speaks
thus:
! We need not say that we re ,eive this inte'li-
gence (the proposed evacuation) with great salts
| faction, which Is enhanced by the reason assigned
in explanation of the decision to which the Adj
ministration is said TO have in the premises.
/ In making such concession to the cause of con