The New York herald., 1862-11-02

" esssv sur capitalation may have exsted IN case
dere shosA be attack upon the fort or demand Tor
surrender but surely ncse such could have i0
ia voluntary surrender and abandonment.
Probably thai which the General 70 refer was
os the quasi but the actual truce Of concluded ~
CHARLESTON the nth Of January 1851 between cover
nor rckens MAJOR Anderson withos. the knowledge
az the President the 9th Of January that the
sa q Ss 9 ss e. @
Immediately AFTER this outrage MAJOR Anderson sent
flag the Governor stating that he presumed the ocl naa
been and for that he had not opened
fire from Fort Sumter the adjacent batteries but 90
manding dsavowal, and, THE were not sent ~
vessel that attempted 70 leave the harSor Two day.
after this the l1th Janaary Gov FMks
had the aadac'ty 70 demand Of MAJOR Aadersoa !p> sur
render Of The fort In his of the yp6 date the
Major the following pToposition:-"soud your Ex-
ceency deem st. previous 70 resor 10 arms 70 refer
cerest pleasure 70 epase one q my ocers 70 accompany
any messenger you may deem proper 70 be the bearer OF
your demand" THIS rouosition proNptly accepted
by the Governor, and thereof be sent on he
part Hon. j. ". Hayne the Attorney General Of South
Caroi~a. 70 Washington whilst Major Anderson dsluted
Lieuteusnf Hall Of the Uned States Army, 10 accom-
pany aim. These gentlemen arrived together Wash
ngscn ON the evening Of the 18th Of January when the
But Il will be recolected that no time between
Of the Star Of the West New York and the
% the %Sh bearing o. the a.
send renforcements TO Fort Sumter Both events occur
red about the same time.
Thus truce, suspension OF arms, concluded be-
tween the parties TO continue until the question Of the
surreader Of the fort ahoud be decided by the President
Until this desson Mayor Anderson had placed il
biz power ask for reinforcemenis and equally out
Of the power or the government 10 send them without
violation Of public faith This was what writer's pb
lie law denominate "a partial truce nndcr which hos
ties are suspended only in certain places as between
town and the army besegng itn ts possible that the
President, under the laws Of might have anDnlled
this truce upon due notice TO the opposite party but
neither Gen. Scott any other person suggested
this expedient This would have been 10 cast reflection
Major Anderson who beyond question: acted from the
highest motives Did Gen. Scott propose
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 Governor Pckens demanding the surrender of the
fort. TO the President until the 31st Of January The
documents containing the reasons for this worrying delay
we're communicated TO Congress in special message Of
the sh Of February to which refer the reader On the
9th February Secretary War under the nstruc-
tons Of the President gave peremptory refusal this
demand, in an able and comprehensive letter. reviewing
the whole subject explaining and justfyng the conduct
Of the President throughout Its concluding sentence
both eloquent and emphatic
II (says Mr. Hol), with all the multiplied proofs which
with Which he has prsG.d It. the authorities Of
that state shall assault Fort Sumter and mperil the lives Of
and thus plunge our country into the horrors OF civil
sponsibilliy.
The truce was then ended and General Scott 10 ncor-
rect in stating "thst it lasted 20 the end of that admins
tration."
An expedition was quietly fitted out of New York, un-
der the Of General Scott TO be ready for any
reniorcemcnts thus provided for sufficient This
ready to sail for Fort Sumter five hours notice. II
Of this expedition that General Scott thus speaks
81 he
employment, under captain, or steamers
belonging the Coast Survey he KEEP, back BY the
truce.
A strange inconsistency The truce had expired with
Mr. Holt's letter to Colonel Hayne the 5th Of Febru
ary and General Scott in his statement says cit would
have been easy reinforce this fort down about the
18th Of February Why, then did not the reinforce
mens proceedf This was simply because Of commnnica.
tons from Major Anderson. most fortunate that
they did not proceed because the three four small
steamers which were to bear them wound have
reached the and IN the attempt must have been
tured destroyed The inadequacy Of the force
provided TO accomplish the object demonstrated by
Information received from Major Anderson at the War
Department the last day OF the administration. z
purposely orbear at present to say more this cub
TO Of the parties concerned consequence Of
the brevity required by the nature Of this conmunca
tion. The facts relating TO it, with the appropriate
review, prepared year ago. which will long be pub
lshed This review contains sketch Of the four last
months of my administration. II is impartial at least
is my honest conviction That il has yet been
published has arisen solely from apprehension,
Justly perverted into interference with the government
In vigorous prosecution Of the for the maintenance
Of the constitution aud the restoration Of the Union which
was far, very far, from my intention.
After careful retrospect, soemnly declare be-
fore God and country that cannot reproach myself
with any commission omission since the existing
troubles commenced. l have never doubted that my
countrymen would yet do me justice. In my special
message Of the sth Of January, 1861, presented full
and fair exposition Of the alarming condition Of the copn
try and urged Congress either to adopt measures Of COM
PROMISE failing in this to prepare for the ast serna
tive. In both aspects my recommendation dsre-
garded. shall close this document with quotation Of
the last sentences Of that message, as follows
In conclusion !. may be permitted me to remark that
have often warned my countymen OF the dangers which
surround This be the last time shall refer
The subject officially. feel that my duty has faith
fully though IL may be imperfecty performed; and what
the result be, shall my grave
seiousness that al least meant well for my country
Your obedient servant,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
wHEAT1ASp, NEAR LANCASTER, Oct. 2s, 1862