The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-02-15
Correspondence between the President
and Col. Haync.
WAsurycroS, Feb. 8.

Il
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.
The President In his mt sage, which has
been transmitted to both Houses, gives the
correspondence between himself and Colonel
IIaync. Much Of II has been already pub
lished. The following Is tho substance Of
the concluding part:
Mr.. Haynes letter Of Jan. 3lst. after sta.
ting that refusal to surrender Fort Sumter
would occasion war. and that the question Is
one Of mere property, says:
"If the evils Of war are to be encountered,
and especially the calamities Of civil war,
elevated craftsmanship would seem to require
that II should be accepted as an unavoidable
alternative Of something still more disastrous,
such rs national dishonor OF measures mate
rally affecting the safety or permanent in.
tercsts Of the people that il should DO q
choice deliberately made, entered upon and
of set purpose but that war, which should
be an incident or accident attendant upon q
policy professcdly peaceful and not required
to effect the object which is allowed as the
only end intended, can only be excused where
no warning has been given as to the conse-
aucnces. South Carolina cannot, by her ST.
lence, appear to acquiesce in the imputat'on,
that she is guilty Of an act OF unpro,oked
aggression in firing upon the Star OF the
West. Though On unarmed vessel, she was
dllcd with armed men, entering her territory
Tor hostile purpose"
Gov. Pickens' instructions TO him accompa
ny Mr.. Haynes letter.
Mr.. Holt, Secretary Of War, replied on
the 9th, acknowledging the receipt Of MIR.
Haynes letter by the President. lie 6nt
gives q summary Of Mr.. Haynes instruc-
tons which are to the effect, "l do not come
rs military man TO demand the surrender
of o fortress, but Us q legal officer OF the
State-its Attorney General-to claim for
the State the exercise Of its undoubted right
of eminent domain, and to pledge the State
to make good all injuries to property" &C.,
which may arise from the exercise Of the
claim. The proposition therefore is, says
Mr.. Holt, to buy Fort Sumter. sustained by
declaration in effect that IL South Carolina
is NOT permitted 10 make The purchase she ,ciil
seize The fort by force Of arms. As an invita-.
ton for u negotiation for the transfer OF
property between friendly governments, this
proposal impresses the President Us having
assumed an unusual form. He has, bowcy-
or, investigated the claim on which It pro-
fesses to be based, apart from the declaration
that accompanies It. The title Of the Uni.
ted States to the fort is complete and incon-
testibo. Were its interest in the property
proprietary, in the ordinary occupation Of
the term, Il might be subjected to the exer-
else of the rights of eminent domain. But
it has political rights TO it much higher and
Of more imposing character than those OF
mere proprietorship, 1t has absolute jurisdic-
ton over the fort and the soil upon which It
stands, which is clearly incompatible with
the claim of eminent domain. This author
ity il derived from the peaceful session OF 1t
by South Carolina herself under provision
OF the Constitution of the United States
South Carolina can no more assert the right
of eminent domain over Fort Sumter than
Maryland can over the Districtof Columbia.
The President, however, is relieved from
the necessity of further pursuing this inqui-
nv, by the fact that he has not the constitu.
tIonal power to cedc or surrender. The
question of reinforcing Fort Sumter was SO
fully disposed Of in my letter OF the 22d oil
January to Senator Slidell, copy Of which
accompanies this, that its discussion will no,
be renewed.
The aforementioned letter signifed-"At
the present moment 1t is not deemed ncces.
sary to reinforce Major Anderson, because he
makes no such request; should his 81 lety,
however, require reinlorcements, every effort
will be made to supply them"
/ can add nothing to the cxplicitness Of
this language. which still applies to the ex-
listing status.
In letter of Senator Davis and others TO
yourself (says Mr.. Holt further), they say 1t
il especially due FROM South Carolina to their
State, to say nothing OF other slayeholdlng
States, that she should SO far US is consistent
with her honor, avoid initiating hostilities
between her and the United States, or any
other Power. and you now give the President
the gratifying assurance that South Carolina
has every disposition to preserve the public
peace and since he is sincerely animated by
the same desire, il would seem that this COM
mon and patriotic object must be OF certain
attainment. II Is difficult, however, to rec
onoilc this with the declaration on your part
that South Carolina's dignity and sovereign
W, 10 we'll Us tHc ndicty VI HVi P'opio'
prompts her to demand that this property
shall not longer DO used as military post
by the government. She no longer acknswl-
edges, after stating that in case Of an ut
tempt by any foreign power to capture
Charleston, the batteries Of Fort Sumter will
DO used for her protection. lie says-liow
the presence of small garrison, actuated
by such spirit, can compromise the dignity
or honor of South Carolina, the President Is
at loss to understand. The attitude Of the
Government is neither mcnacing, defiant nor
unfriendly. II tho announcement, 50 re-
peatedly made, of the Presidents pacific pur-
poses in continuing the occupation Of Fort
Sumter until the question is settled by com.
petcnt authority, has failed to impress the
government of South Carolina, the iorbear-
ance 20 not accepted, then neither language
nor conduct can possibly furnish such pledge.
II. with all the multiplied proofs Of the
Presidents anxiety for peace, the authorities
of South Carolina shall assault Fort Sumter
and peril the lives Of the handful Of brave,
loyal men shut up within It's walls, and thus
plunge our common country into the horrors
Of o civil war, then upon them and those they
represent must rest The responsibility.
The Southern Post.Ofices.