The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-24
Montgomery, May &, 1861.
Mr. Justice Campbell to Secretary Se0ard.

Wr. Justice Campbell to SscretGTy Se11ard.
WAsHINGToN CRY, april l3, 1861.
SIR-On the 18th of March ult., / left
with Judge Crawford. one OF the Commits
sioners of the Confederate States, note
| in writing TO the effect following;
4 feel entire confidence that Fort
| Sumter will be evacuated in the next FIVE
days. And this measure. is felt as impo-
| sing great responsibility on the admins
tration.
Il feel entire confidence that no mea-
sure changing the existing status, preju-
dicially 20 the Southern Confederate
States, is at present contemplated.
Il feel an entire confidence that an inn
mediate demand for answer to the com
munication of the Commissioners will be
productive of evil and not of good. / do
not believe that it ought at this time to
be pressed"
The substance of this statement l COM
municated to you the same evening by
letter, Eve days eaTyT Bss,,Ts ssra =
the effect that Sumter was not evacuated,
but that Major Anderson was at work ma
king repairs.
The next day, after conversing with you,
/ communicated TO Judge Crawford in
writing. that the failure to evacuate Sum-
ter was not the result of bad faith, but
the intention to fulfill the engagement,
and that as regarded Pickens, should
have notice of any design to alter the ex-
isting status there. Mr.. Justice Nelson
was present at these conversations three
in number. and ! submitted to him each
of my written communications to Judge
Crawford aud informed Judge c., that
they had his Judge Nelson's) sanction
] gave you on the 22d OF March, a sub
stantial copy of the statement / had made
on the 18th.
The Both of March arrived, and at that
time a telegram came from Gov. Pickens,
inquiring concerning Col. Lamon, whose
visit to Charleston he supposed had a con-
nection with the proposed evacuation of
Fort Sumter.
left that with you, and was to have
an answer the following Monday, list of
April On the lst of April / received
from you the statement in writing: "I
am satisfed) the Government will not un-
dertake TO supply Fort Sumter without
giving notice to Gov. P.'' The words Il am
satisfied" were for me to use as expires
sive of confidence in the remainder Of
the declaration.
The proposition as originally prepared,
was "The President may desire to supply
Sumter, but will not do So &C, and your
verbal explanation was that you did not
believe any such attempt would be made,
and that there was no design to reinforce
Sumter
There was a departure from the pledges
of the previous month, but, with the YER
bal explanation. did not consider it a
matter then to complain of. ! simply
stated to you that / had that assurance
previously.
Ga the 7th of April I addressed you
letter on the subject of the alarm that the
preparations by the Government had
created. and asked you if the assurances
] had given were well or ill-founded In
respect to Sumter your reply was, Faith
as TO Sumter. fully kept-wait and see"
In the mornings paper | read, IAN au-
thorized messenger from President LIN
coin informed Gov. Pickeus and Gen.
Beauregard that provisions viii be sent to
Fort Sumter-peaceably or oAer7Cise by
force" This was the Sth Of April, at
Charleston, the day following your last
assurance, and Is the evidence Of the full
faith | was invited 10 wait-for and see. In
the same paper l read that intercepted
dispatches disclosed the fact that Mr.. Fox.
who had been allowed to visit Major An
derson. on the pledge that his purpose
was pacific, employed his opportunity 70
devise a plan for supplying the Fort BY
force, and that this plan had been adopt
was in process Of execution. Ny recol-
lection Of the date Of Mr.. Fox's visit car
ries il 70 a day IN March. ] learn he j. "a
near connection OF a member of the Cahi-
net. Nv connection with the Commis-
sioners and yourself was superiDduced by
a conversation with Justice Nelson. He
informed me Of your strong dispositions
IN favor Of peace, and that you were op-
pressed with a demand Of the C0mmis-
sioners Of the Confederate States for re-
plv 70 their first letter. and that you de-
sired to avoid il if possible at that time
I told him I might perhaps be Of some
service in arranging the difficulty. I came
10 your Office entirely at his request and
without the knowledge Of either Of the
Commissioners. Your depression was OBJ
yious to both Judge Nelson and myself.
I was gratifed al the character Of the
counsels YOU were desirous Of pursuing
and much impressed with your observa-
ton that a civil war might be prevented
by the success Of my mediation J on
read a letter Of Mr. Weed TO show how
irAsoms ard responsible the Withdrawal
Of troops from Sumter was. A portion ri
my communication to Judge Crawford on
the 18th Of March was founded upon
these remarks. and the pledge to evacuats
Sumter Is less forcible than the words
you employed These words were Be-
fore this letter reaches you a proposed
letter by me TO President Davis Sumter
viii have been evacuated.
The Commissioners who received those
communication. conclude they have been
abused and overreached The Mont
gomerE Government hold the same opin-
ION. The Commissioners have supposed
thai my communications were with YOU.
and upon the hypothesis we're prepared
70 arraign you before the country IN con
nect5on with the President. placed a
peremptOry prohibition upon this az be-
ing contrary 70 the terms OF my communi-
cations with them pledged rnyself 20
them TO communicate information upon
what I considered as the best authority.
and they were 10 confde IN the ability Of
myself aided by Judge Nelson. 70 deter
mine upon the eredibility Of nv infor-
mant-
! think no candid man who VIII read
over what have written. and considers
Tor noms1t what Is going On a. Sumter,