Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-13

render Fort Sumter, nor deprive himself Of
the most entire liberty 10 send reinforcements
to 1t whenever Il wac believed to be In danger,
or requested by Major Anderson. It is strange
that Gen Scott was not apprised Of this we'll
known fact. Il was then, With some astonIeh-
nent, that learned from the statement Of the
Seneral that he had, on the l2th March, 1861,
advised that Major Anderson should be instruct
ca 10 evacuate the fort as soon &c suitable traus
portation could be procured to carry himself
and biz command TO New York. A military
necessity for capitulation may have existed
in case there should be an attack upon the fort,
or demand for Its surrender; but surely none
such could have existed for its voluntary eur
render and abandonment. ~
Probably that to which the General means
TO refer was not the quasi, but the actual truce
OF arms concluded at Charleston ON the llth
January, 1851, between Governor Plckens and
Major Anderson, without the knowledge of the
President. IL was on the Ssh Of January that
the Star of the West, under the American dag,
Has fred upon IN The harbor Of Charleston by
order OF Governor Pickens. Immediately after
this outrage Major Anderson sent Gag to the
ldoVernor, stating that he presumed the aot had
been unauthorized, and for tina. reason be had,
not opened fire from Fort Sumter on the ada.
cent batteries; but demanding its disayowal,
and, IT this were not sent in q reasonable time,
he would consider IL war, and FIRE on any vessel
that attempted to leave the hsrbor. Two days
after this occurrence, on the llth January,
Governor Pickens had the audsclty to demand
OF MAJOR Anderson the surrender of the FORT
In his answer of the same date the Major made
the following proposition: HShould your Ex-
cellency deem ft, previous to arms, to refer
this matter to Washington, Il would afford me
the sincerest pleasure to depute one of my OH.
GERS TO accompany any messenger you may deem
proper to be the bearer of your demand" This
proposition was promptly accepted by the Gov
ernor, and, in pursuance thereof, he sent on bis
part Hon. j. w. Hayne, tho Attorney General
OF South Carolina,Ito Washington, whilst Major
Anderson deputed Lieut.. Hall, of the United
States Army, to accompany him. These gentle
men arrived together in Washington on the
evening Of the 18Th January, when the President
obtained the fra. knowledge of the transaction.
Bat IL will be recolected that no time intervened
between the return Of the Star Of the West to
New York and the arrival of the messenger
bearing copy OF the truce at Washington,
within which it would have been possible to
send reintorcements to Fort Sumter. Both
events occurred about the same time.
thus truce, or suspension of arms, was con-
cluded between the parties, to continue until
the question OF the surrender of the fort should
be decided by the President Until this decision
Major Anderson had placed It out Of his own
power to ask for reinforcements, and equally
out OF the power of the Government to send
them without violation of public faith This
was what writers on public law denominate "a
partial truce under which hostilities are auspen-
ded only In certain places, as bstwee town
and the army besieging it" IL is possible that
the President, under the laws of war, might
od dna IN
the opposite party; but neither General Scott
nor any other person ever suggested this expe-
dent. This would have been to cast refec
ton on Major Anderson, who, beyond question,
acted from the highest and purest motives
Did General Scott ever propose to violate this
truce during its exiatence2 Rhe did, am not
now, and never was, aware Of the fact. Indeed.
think he would have been one Of the last
men in the world to propose such measure.
Col. Hayne did not deliver the letter which
he bore from Governor Pickens, demanding the
surrender Of the fort, to the President until the
3lst of January. The documents containing
the reasons for this worrying delay we're com
municated to Congress In q special message OF
the 9th of February, to which refer the reader.
On the 5th of February, the Secretary of War,
under the instructions OF the President, gave
peremptory refusal to this demand in an able
subject, explaining and jushfying the conduct
of the President throughout. Its concluding
sentence Is both eloquent and emphatic:
II (says- Mr.. Holt with all the multiplied proofs
which exist Of the Presidents anxiety for peace and Of
the earnesness with which he has pursued IT, the suhof
tiles Of that State shall assault Fort Sumter and mper
the lives of the handful Of brave and loyal shut up
within Its wallis and thus plunge country into the
horrors Of civil then upon them and those they
present must rest the responsibility.
The truce was then ended, and Gen. Scott is
incorrect In stating that il lasted to the end of
that Administration. h
An expedition was quietly fitted out OF New
York, under the supervision Of Gen. Scott, to
be ready for any contingency. He arranged its
details, and regarded the reinforcenen.s thus
provided as sufficient. This was ready to sail
for Fort Sumter on five hours notice. II is Of
this expedition that Gen. Scott thus speaks:
Secretaries Holt and Toucy Captain Ward Of the navy,
and myself with the knowledge Of the President settled
upon the employment, under the Captain Of three
four steamers belonging to the Coast Survey but he was
kept back BY the truce,
A strange inconsistency. The truce had ex-
pred with Mr.. Hollis letter to Col. Hsyne on
the 5th of February, and General Scott, In his
statement, says oft would have been easy to
reinforce this fort down about the 18th of
routuaLy' WY bueup uiu uUb bue kotuhOEct-
ments proceed7 This was simply because of
Communications from Major Anderson. II was
most fortunate that they did not proceed; be-
cause the three or four small steamers which
were to bear them would never havsreached the
fort, and in the attempt must have been captured
or destroyed. The vast insdequacy Of the force
provided to accomplish the object was demon
ssrated by information received from Major
Anderson at the War Department. on the last
day of the Administration. -.--- 'a' s'e
| Ipurposely forbear at present to say more on
this subject, lest might, however unintention-
ally, do injustice to one or more Of the parties
concerned, In consequence Of the brevity re-
quired by the nature of this communication -
The facrs relating TO II, with the appropriate
accomplishments, have been fully presented in
historical review, prepared year ago, which
will ere long be published This review con.
tains sketch Of the four last months of my
Administration. Itis impartial; at least such
| Ia my honest conviction That IL has not yet
been published has arisen solely from an ap-
prehension, no longer entertained, shat somel
thing therein might be uniustly perverted into
an interference with the Government in q vigor-
aus prosecution Of the war for the maintenance
of the Constitution and the restoration Of the
Union, which was far, very far, from my In
tention. til ISisss ic6 hsd
After q careful retrospect, can solemnly
declare before God and my country thst can
not reptoach myself with any act Of commits.
eion or omission since the existing troubles
commenced have never doubted that my
countrymen would yet do me Justice In my
special message Of the S!h of January, 1861,
presented q full and fair exposition Of the
alarming condition Of the country, and urged
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