The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-07-12
PRESIBRNT'S MESSAGE
FeLOp Citizens Of hs Senate and
House Of RepreseR t0tirs

Having convened In an extraordinary
Convention, as authorized BY the Consti-
tuition, your attention is not cullod to any
ordinary subjects Of Legislation.
Al the beginning Of the present Ptesi-
Dental term, four months ago, the func-
tions ofthe Federal Government were
found 60 be generally suspended within
the several States Of South Corolinp,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana
and Florida--cxcepting those only Oft the
Post Office Department
Within these States all the forts, aric-
nails, dock-yards, custom houses, &c, in
cluding ali the moveablc and stationary
property in and about them, had been
seized and held in open hostility to this
Government, excepting only Forts Pick
ems, Taylor, and Jefferson, on aud near
the Florida coast, and Fort Sumter in
Chorleston ha-bor
The forts thus seized, had been put in
improved condition. New ones had been
built and armed forces had been orgauiz-
ed and were organizing, all avowedly for
the same purposes, 1h lorts remajnil & n
the Federal POSSESSION In and near those
States, were either bosiegcd or menuced
by wurlikc preparations; especially Fort
Sumter was nearly surrounded by well
protected hostil batteries, with guns
equal In quality to the best Of its own
and out numbering the latter perhaps ten
70 one,
A disproportionote share OF the FEEDER
al muskets aud rifles had somehow found
their way into these States and had been
seized to be used against the Government.
Accommodations Of tho public revenue ly-
ing Within them had been seized for the
same object. The Navy was scattered
in distant seas, leaving but a very small
part of it within the immediate reach ol
the Government. Officers Of the FEEDER
al Army had resigned in great numbers,
and of those resigned a great portion
had taken up arms against the Govern
meut.
Simultaneously and in connoxion with
all this, the purpose TO sever the Federal
Union was openly Oyowed. In accord
ance with this purpose an Ordinance had
been adopted in each Of those States, de-
claring the States respectively TO be sep
arated from the National Union.
The formula for iustituting a combin-
ed government for these States had been
promulgated and this illegal organization
In the character ofthe Confederate States
was already Invoking recognition, aid and
! Intervention from foreign powers. Find.
inc this condition OF things, and believing
| il 10 be the imperative duty upon tho in
coming Executive to prevent if possible
the contamination of such attempt to de
stroy the Federal Union, a choiee o
means, to that end, became indis2ensa
bic. This choice was made and was dc
clared in the inaugural address. Th'
policy chosen looked to the exhaustion
| of ali peaceable measures before resort
10 any stronger ones. II sought only "a
hold the public places and property moi
already wrested from the Government
and to collect tho revenue, relying for the
! rest on time, discussion and the ballot.
box 1t promised the continuance Of the
mails at the Governments expense 10 the
very people who were resisting the Gov
ernment, and gave repeated pledges a.
gainst any disturbance to any of the poo
pie or any Of their rights--of all that
which a President might constitutionally
and mstifably do in such case. Ev-
erything was fOrebornc, without which
Il was believed possible to keep the Gov.
eminent on foot. On the 9th OF March
the present incumbent's first full day in
office, letter from Major Anderson,
commanding at Fort Sumter, written on
the 29th Of February an received at the
War Department on the 4th of March,
was by that ID apartment placed in his
hands. This letter expressed the pro-
fessionol opinion oCthe writer that rein
forcements could not be thrown into that
fort In time for his relief, rende ed nee.
essary by the limited supply of proys.
ions and with view of holding posses
sion ofthe same, with a force OF less thar
twenty-thousand well disciplined men
This opinion was concurred in by all tlC
officers Of his command and their memo.
randa on the subject were made inclos
ures cfMoj, Anderson's letter. The
whole was Immediately laid before Lieu
Ger. Sc1tt, who at once concuTtd will
Maj. Anderson in his opinion. On re
Election, however, he took full time il
consulting with othtr officers both of tht
army and navy, and at the end of fou
days came reluctantly and decidedly I,
the same conclusion as before. He alsC
stated at the same time that no such suf
ficient force was then at the control o.
the Government or could be raised and
brought TO the ground within the time
when the provisions ia the fort would be
exhausted. In purely military point oi
view, this reduced the duty Of the Admin.
istration to the mere matter ofgotting the
garrison safely ont of the fort. IL was
believed, however, that to so abando1
that position, under the circumstances
would be utterly Tuinousj thlt the nee
essity under which it was TO be done
would not be fully understood; that by
many il would be construed as q part oI
/, voluntary policy that q home it would
discourage the friends Of the Union, EN-
bolden It's adversaries and 90 far to in
sure TO the latter recognition abroad
that, in fact, it would be our national de-.
struction consummated. This could not
be allowed. Starvation was OF yet up.
on the garrison,a and ere it would be reach.
ed, Ft. Pickens might be reinforced
This last would be o clear Indication Of
policy and would better enable the coun-
try TO accept the evacuation Of Fl. Sum-
ter, as military necessity. Then an
order was at once directed TO be sent for
the landing Of the troops from the steam
ship Brooklyn into Fort Pickens. This
order could not 60 by land, butm take
the longer and slower route by sea, The
first return news from the order was re-
ceived lust one week before the all OF
Sumter. The news Itself wss that the
officer commanding the Sabine, to which
vessel the troops had been transferred
from the Brooklyn, acting upon some
quasi armistioe Of the late Administra-
ton, and Of the existence Of which the
present Administration Ap 10 tho time
the order was despatched had only too