The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1862-12-13
NUMBER Is.

This important information satisfied the Gov.
ernment that there was no present necessity
for sending renforcements, and that when
sent they should 90, not in vessel Of COM
merce but of war Hence the countermand
was despatched by telegraph to New York
but the vessel had sailed short time before
it reached The officer (CoI, ScotD to whom it
was addressed"
A statement Of the facts. established BY
dates, proves conclusively that the President
WAS not only willing but anxious in the brief.
est period to reinforce Fort Sumter.
THE FLORIDA FORTS.
On the 4th Of January, the day before the
departure of the Star of the West from New
York as Gen. Scott in his statement admits,
succor was sen, to Fort Taylor, Key West,
and to Fort Jefferson, Tortugas Island which
reached these points in time for their securi.
ty He nevertheless speculates on the con.
sequences which might have followed had the
reinforcements not reached their destination
in due time, and even expresses the ordinary
opinion that with the present possession Of
these forts, "the rebels might have purchased
an arly recognition"
CHARLESTON.
1t shall next advert to the statement that
the expedition under Captain Ward "of
three or four small steamers on the Coast
Survey" was kept back by something like
truce or a,mistice, made here, embracing
Charleston and Pensacola ha,bors, agreed
upon by the late President and certain prin.
cipal seceders Of South Carolina, Florida,
Louisiana, etc, and this truce lasted to the
end of the Administration. Things alto.
gerber distinct in their nature are often 80
blended in this statement that it is difficult
to separate them. Such is eminently the
case in connecting the facts relative to Char.
lesion with Pensacola.
Having already treated Of the charge Of
having kept back reinforcemenis from Penr
sacola, shall now say something Of the
charge of having kept them back from
Charleston. Neither a truce, nor quasi truce
nor anything like it, was never concluded be-
tween the President and any human auhori
ity concerning Charleston. On the contrary.
the South Carolina Commissioners, first and
last, and all the time, were informed that
the President could never surrender Fort
Sumter, nor deprive himself of the most en-,
whenever it was believed to be in danger,
or requested by Major Anderson. 1t is
strange that Gen. Scott was not apprised of
this well known fact. 1t was then, with
some astonishment, that | learned from the
statement of the General that he had on the
18th March, 1861, advised that Major Ander.
son should be instructed to evacuate the fort
as soon as suitable transportation could be
procured to carry himself and his command
to New York. military necessity for a
captulation may have existed in case there
should be an attack upon the fort, or de'
mand for it's surrender: but surely none such
could have existed for its voluntary surren.
der and abandonment
THE QUESTION OF TRUCE.
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 Of January, 1861, between Governor
Pckens and Major Anderson, without the
knowledge of the President. 1t was on the
9th of January that the Star vf the Vest un.
der the American flag, was fired upon in the
harbor of Charleston by order Of Governor
Pickens. Immediately after this outrage
Major Anderson sent a flag to the Governor
stating that he presumed the act had been
unauthorized, and for that reason he had not
opened fire from Fort Sumter on the ad-
jacent batteries; but demanding its disavowal,
and, if this were not sent in reasonable
time, he would consider it war, and fire on
any vessel that attempted to leave the harbor.
Two days after this occurrence, on the llth
January, Governor Pickens had the audarity
70 Of H. he nlar
of the fort. In his answer of the same date
the Major made tho following propositions
"Should your Excelency deem fit. previous
to a resort to arms, to refer this matter to
Washington, it would afford me the sncerest
pleasure to depute one Of my officers to
accompany any messenger you may deem
proper to be the bearer of your demand."-
This proposition was promptly accepted by
the Governor, and, in pursuance thereof. he
sent on his par! Hon. j. w. Hayne, the All
torneyIGenera of Sonth Carolina, to Wash.
ton, whilst Major Anderson deputed Lieuten-
ant Hall of the United States army, to
accompany him. These gentlemen arrived
together in Washington on the evening Of
the 10Th January, when the President ob.
tained the first knowledge of tho transactions.
but it will he recollected that no time inter.
vened between the return OF the Star of the
West to New York and the arrival Of the
bearing copy of the truce at
Washington within which it could have
/ cen impossible to send renforcements to
Fort Sumter. Both events occurred about
the same time.
Thus truce, or suspension of arms was
concluded between the parties, to continue
until the question of the surrender Of the
fort should be decided by the President
Uutil this decision Major Anderson had
placed it out of his own power to ask for
reinforcemepts and equally out oft the pow.
or of the Government to send them without
a violation Of public faith. This is what
writer's ON nnhlic law dan1mina "a martial