The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-11-14


&C And this truce lasted to the end Of the
Administration" Things altogether distinct
in their nature are often so blended in this
statement that it is difficult to separate them.
Such is eminently the case in connecting the
facts relative to Charleston with Pensacola.
Having already treated of the charge OF hav-
ing kept back reinforcements from Pensacola,
shall now say something Of the charge of hav-
ing also kept them back from Charleston. Nei-
ther truce, nor quasi truce, nor any thing like
it, was ever concluded between the President
and any human authority concerning Charles
ton. On the contrary, the South Carolina COM
missioners first and last, and all the time, were
informed that the President could never surren-
der Fort Sumter, nor deprive himself OF the
most entire liberty to send reinforcements to it
whenever it was believed to be in danger, or re-
quested 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 Cen
eral, that he had, on the 18th March, 1861,
advised that Major Anderson should be instruc-
ted to eyacuatei the fort as soon as suitable
transportation could be procured to carry him.
self and his company to New York. A milf
tary necessity for capitulation may have ex-
listed in case there should be an attack upon the
fort, or a demand for its surrender; but surely
none could have existed for its voluntary sur
render and abandonment.
Probably that to which the General means
to refer was not the gaasi but the actual truce
of arms concluded at Charleston on the lth of
/ January, 1881, between Governor Pickens and
| Major Anderson without the knowledge OF the
President. II was on the 9th of January that
| the Star of the West, under the American flag,
was fired upon in the harbor of Charleston, by
order of Governor Pickens. Immediately af-
| ter this outrage, Major Anderson sent a flag to
the Governor, stating that he presumed the act
had been unauthorized, and for that reason he
hal not opened fire from Fort Sumter on the
adjacent batteries; but demanding its disavow-
al, and, if this were not sent in a 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 lth Janua-
ry. Governor Pickens had the audacity to de-
mani of Major Anderson the surrender OF the
fort. In his answer of the same date, the Ma
jor made the following proposition: "Should
your Excellency deem fit, previous to resort
to arms, to refer this matter to Washington, it
would afford me the sncerest pleasure to de-
pute one of my officers to accompany any mes
senger you may deem proper to be the bearer
of your demand" This spropostion was prompt-
y accepted by the Governor, and, in pursuance
thereof, he seut, on his part, Hon. j. w Hayne,
the Attorney General of South Carolina, to
Washington, whilst Major Anderson deputed
Lieut. Hall, of the United States army, to ac-
company him. These gentlemen arrived togeth-
er in Washington, on the evening of the 18th
January, when the President obtained the first
knowledge of the transaction. But 1t will be
recoected that no time interviewed 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 reinforcements
to Fort Sumter Both events occurred about
the same time.
Thus truce, or suspension of arms, was
concluded between the parties, to continue un-
til the question of the surrender OF the forts
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 denoml-
nate s'a partial truce under which hostiltleS are
suspended only in certain places, as between
town and the army besieging it." 1t is possi-
BILE that the President, under the laws OF war,
might have annulled this truce upon due notice
to the opposite party; but neither Gen Scott
nor any other person ever suggested this expe-
dent. This would have been to cast refiec-
ton on Major Anderson, who, beyond question,
acted from the highest and purest motives. Did
Gen. Scott ever propose to violate this truce
during its existence? If he 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 a measure.
Col. Hayne did not deliver the letter which
he bore from Col. Pickens, demanding the sur
render of the fort, to the President until the
3lst of January. The documents containing
the reasons for this worrying delay were COM
municated to Congress in special message OF
the 9Th of February, to which refer the read
er. On the 5th of February the Secretary of
War, under the instructions of the President,
gave a peremptory refusal to this demand in an
able and comprehensive letter, reviewing the |
whole subject, explaining and justifying the con-
duct of the President throughout. His conclu-
ding sentence is both eloquent and emphatic:
"If (says Mr. Holt,) with all the multiplied
proofs which exist of the Presidents anxiety |
for peace, and of the earnestness with which he
has pursued it, the authorities of that State shall
assault Fort Sumter and impcril the lives OF the
handful of brave and loyal men shut up within
its walls, and thus plunge our country into the
horrors of civil war, then upon them and those
they represent must rest the responsibility.
The truce was then ended, and General Scott
is incorrect in stating that it lasted to the end
of that Administration"
An expedition was quietly fitted out at New
York, under the supervisors OF Gen. Scott, 70
be ready for any contingency. He arranged ITS