Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-02-23

been acquired by force of public law, and
IN ouly be disposed of under the same sol
cmn sanctions. The President, as the head
of the Executive branch of the Government
only, can no more sell and transfer Fort Sum
ter to South Carolina than he can sell and
convey the Capital of the United States to
Maryland or to any other State or individual
seeking to possess it. His Excellcncy the
Governor is too familiar with the Constitu-
ton of the United States, and with the limit
ations upon the powers of the Chief Magis-
trate of the Government it has established,
not to appreciate at once the souudness of
this legal proposition
The question of reinforcing Fort Sumter
is ofully disposed of in my letter to Senator
.Sldell and others, under date of the 22d of
January-a copy of which accompanies this
that it's discussion will not now be renew
ed. i then said; /" At the present moment
1T is not deemed necessary to reinforce Major
Anderson, because he makes no such request,
Should his safety however, require reinforce
ments, every effort will be made to supply
them" can add nothing to the cxplicitnoss
of this language, which still applies to the ex-
isting status. The right to send forward re-
Inducements, when in the judgment of the
President the safety of the garrison requires
them, rests on the same unqucstionable foun-
dotion as the right to occupy the fortress
itself
In the letter of Senator Davis and others
to yourself, under date of the 18th ultimo,
they say, eve therefore, think it especially
due from South Carolina TO our States to
say nothing of other slaveholding States
that she should, as far as she can consistently
with her honor, avoid initiating hostiities
between her and the United States or any
other power" and you now yourself give to
the President the gratifying assurance that
"SOuth Carolina has every disposition to
preserve the public peace;" and since he is
himself sincerely animated by the same de-
sire, it would seem that this common and pat
riotic object must be of certain attainment.
1t is difficult, however, to reconcile with this
assurance the declaration on your part, that
4" it is a consideration of her (South Carroll
na's) own dignity as a sovereign, and thcsafe-
ty of her people which prompts her to demand
that this properly should not longer be used
as q military post by a Government she no
longer acknowledges" and the thought you so
constantly prcScut, that this occupation must
lead to collision of arms, and the prevalence
of civil war Fort Sumteris in itself mili-
tary post and nothing else, and it would seem
that not so much the fact as the purpose Of
its use, should give to it hostile or friendly
character. This fortress is now held by the
Government of the United States, for the
same objects for which it has been held from
the completion of its construction These
enemy now to attempt the capture of Charles
tn,, I'm i oc IS
harbor, the whole force of the batteries of
protection. How the presence of small gar
rison actuated, by such a spirit as this, can
compromise the dignity or honor Of South
Carolina, or become a source of irritation to
her people, the President is at loss to un-
derstand. The attitude of that garrison, as
has been often declared, isneither menacing,
nor defiant, nor unfriendly. 1t is acting un-
der orders to stand strictly on the defensive,
and the Government and people of South
Carolina must we'll know that they can never
receive aught but shelter from its guns, un-
less inNthe, absence of all provocation, they
should assault it and seek its destruction,
The. intent with which this fortress is held by
the Prcsidcntis truthfully stated by Senator
Davis and Others, in their letter to yourself of
the 10Th January, in which they say, Z" it is
not held with any hostile or unfrendly pur-
pose towards your State, but merely as prop
erty of the United States, which the Presi.
dent deems it his duty to protect and pre-
serve" '.' % ~ ~ e ~r'r. Z. ~
IF the announcement, so repeatedly made,
of the Presidents pacific purposes in contin-
uing the occupation of Fort Sumter until the
-questionsshall have been settled by competent
authority, has failed to impress the Govern
ment of South Carolina, the forbering con-
duct of his administration for thclast few
months, should be received as conclusive cyi-
dence of his sincerity. And, if this forbear-
ances in view of the circumstances which
have so severely triedit, be not accepted as a
satisfactory pledge of the peaceful policy of
this Administration towards South Carolina,
then it MAY be @fely affirnicd, that neither
language or conduct can possibly furnish one.
IT,, with all the multiplied proofs, which ex-
ist, of the Presidents anxiety for peace, and
of the carncstncss with which he has pursued
it, the authorities of that State shall assault
Fort Sumter, and peril the lives of the hand.
full of brave and loyal men shut up within its
walls, and thuspiunge our COMMON country
into the horrorsof civil war, then upon them
and those they represent, must rest the re-
spohsibility. O. :. 49,.
Very respectfully, your obedient tservantg
=. (SigneD J.HoLr, Secretary of War,
TO the Hon. l. W. Haync,s Attorney Gen.
crai Of the State of South Caroiii4a. -,
7. S-Tbe President has not, as you, have
been informed, received a copy Of the letter
to yourself from the Senators, Communicating
a .