The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-11-10
render, bot surely mono .uh cruld have szsted for

render, bat surely none sth cculi have existed for
IL. voluntary surrender ~ rhand,nment
Probably that to whinh fhs Gsnsrsl meant to
arms coneiud.d At Snasssen on the - Of aS JAM,
AIRY, 1907. between Gov. Flckens and M.tor ander.
son, wltheu. the knowled6s Of the Ffssdent. 1t
was on the 9th Of January that TIE Sssr of the
West under the Americas nag, wss fr d upon IN
the harbor Of Charleston by order of Gov PIX.
ems. Imme diatsly after this utrage NJ r .nder-
son sent sg to tse Governor stating tina: he pre-
sumed the act had been unauthorized a11 for IL
reason be hal not opened 6-s from Fort SurlFsr
The adjarent batteries, bat demanding it, s,ss.
vowAl, and II this were net sent in rees5ns.,ls
time he would consider 1t war and Are On any veg
sci that attempted 70 leave the harhor
Two days after this occurrence, On ths tn of
January Governor Plcksns had the audsci!y to de-
mand Of Major Anderson tbs surrendet Of ths
fort. In bis answer Of the ssme GATE the Re jlr
made tho following proposition: "ahould your Ex-
ce.'srcy deem ht, previous to resort to arms, TO
refer this matter Washingto it vvonId afford me
tho sincerest pleasure 10 deputs one Of my off eers
TO accompany any mesaenger you may deem
proper to "a the bearer OF you demand" This
proposition was promptly aceeptea by ths Gov
ernor, aud, In pursna ancs Thereof Il. sent On his
part, Hon. J. W. Hayne, the Attoraey Genera! of
South Carolina, to Washirtton whilst M.Ior An
dsEson deputed Lieut.. Hal, of tha united States
army, 20 accompany hiTa, Thsss geatlemen ar
rived together in wssnsrssep on tbs evening Of
l3th OF January, whtn Il ~ resident obtained the
hrst knowiedse ct the tTansAstson 4Batf win BS
recoliscted that no tina iuteryensd betwsen the
return OF tn. Star Of the West {, New York and
the &rr;vel Of the msasnssr becripg a copy of the
truss at Washington within which Il would hsve
osen poseibis 30 send rei1forceas's Fort Sum.
ter Both events occurred about tho asIao time
ituA trucs. or suspension os Ayn,e, vss con
ciuaed between the parties (, sonticus uutil the
question Of tho Surrender of tha fort should be do
oiced by the Presjsnt Until this decision Major
Anderson hsd p!sced il ont Of biz own power TO
ask for renforeeu,en.s. and equally OF, of the
powsr OF tho Government TO send thsr. vyittout
violsiIon OF public faith This wes WHIST writer's
on anbic law deno11inata - partial trace under
wnico hosfiiities are guspended only In Certain
places, as between town and tho army besisging
it."
I. Il possible that the President under the lava
o: TGr, might have Rnnulled this truce upcD aus
noss 10 the opposite party; but rsither Gen. Scott
nor any otnsf person ever suggested this expedieLt.
This would have been to cass Z ref action on Major
Anderson, who, bsyond question acted from the
hisheSt aad purest motives Did Gen. Scott ever
propose to violate this truce during Its existencei
Ii be did, Aln not now, and never Was aware of
tbs f.ct. Indeed, think he would have been one
OF tha last msn in the world to propose such
measure.
Colonel Hayne did not deliver the letter which
be bore from Governor Pickens, demanding the
surrender OF the fo-t, to the President uot the 81 1t
OF Janua'y. TIE document containing the rea.
sons for this worrying delay were communicated to
congress in special message OF the Sth OF Feb
rusry to which l refer the reader Gu the 5th Of
Fehrcsry the Secretary of War, under the in.trus-
tioAs OF the President, gave persmpt3Ty refusal
10 sais denaad in able and comprehensive lat
ter, reviewing the whols sutject, explaining and
lustlying the conduct OF the President ghout
its concluding sentence Ia bath slcadsnt ard en-
phatic.
IL Gays Mr Eolt) with all the multiplied proofs
Winch exist OF the Presidents anxiety for peace
and Of the earnestne.s with which he has pursued
It, the au horitiss OF 'hat State sna assault Fort
Sumter and imperu the lives of the handful OF
brave ana loyal men shut up within its wallis, 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 ihLt 1t lasted to the end Of
that administration.'
AN expedition was quietly fitted out e. = sv
York, under tbs supervision of Gsn Scott 10 bo
READY for any contingency. He arranged is te-
60 ior Is suficisns. This was ready to ssii FOR
Fots Sumter on five hours notice Il t OF this ex-
pedllion that General Scott thus speaks
at thai tirse whsn this (tne truoe) had passed
away, Secretaries holt and foucry, Capt. Ward, of
bhe navy, and myself with the knowledge Of the
President. settled upon tbs employ mea at under the
Captain, Of three or four steamers belonging to the
Coss! Survey but ne was Kept back 10y ihe truce .
A strange In consistency. fhe trucs had expired
With MIR. Hoits letter to Col, Heyna on the 5th of
February, and Gen Soots In his statement Saya ---
1T would have bson easy TO reinforce this fost
down to about Inc 18th CT February" Why, then
did not the achievements proocsi' This was
simply oecanao Ct communications froin Major an
deraon /; wes most fortunate that they did not
proee7d because the y or small steamers which
we're 10 bear them would never have reaehe.i the
fort. and In the attempt must have beal captl.ed
or destroyed. The v3as iuadsqGacy Of tbs force
provided to accomplish tbs object was dsmonstra-
tsd by information received from Major Anderson
at the War Department. on he last day of the al
II n.stratioG.
purposely tcrosar a. present TO ssy more On
Last min III
DO inJurtics 20 ons or moro of tie parties ooIseraed
Ii consequence of tho breyty re4u.csd / by the Ia
ture OF this communication. The .a-tI relating to
u with the appropriate a3som psniIn have been
full! presenieS In a historical review, prepared 4
SeaI age, which viii ere long be psbiishsd This
sevie ~ contsics sketch OF thc last four :nontag o:
.iy -1in nstr.ou. II is impartial, s.s ls.as such
Is !nS h0nes! conviction. Fhas it na3 pot yst bean
publ led has aIisaa go,aly fsoTu spprehs ns:or
no longer cat rtsned that sclae hing therein Ds
perverted INTO a1 in:orference with tbe Govern
II n IN vigorous Prosecution ct tue WeF foE tic
maintenance or lie Constitution sUd tie rss:o-a.
JoA 0, tho Union, which was f..c very I.r from
my intention.
iAfsog careful retrospect, CAL tolsmn!y dsc,ars
orfo->e God and MY eoul ry ina. csnnos repIcach
myself with airy act OF commission or emission
9ncs the existing sroubses coilu;eu Led / have
never dcuoied thss my count.ynAn would ye: do
NO }ustics IA mp special Message of tie Stb OF
JANUARY 1861, presented tl1 x1t ar expos
tioa oi the Alarming eondi!oa Of the Country and
" Se0 congress etSl-F 10 soSrt Lis lsures OF cox:
promise, or, failing IL this, 10 pgep.s tos tas !sst
aisorna i've. IL both aspects my recommends. !on
wss disregardsd. email cioss tbs document with
quotation d tie ;at sentences OF ths! message as
follows:
In conciustoa ii vii! be permitted lie 10 remark
ihat hsF3 otsu warned my COZ. tr,m5n OF tds
dangers which nc v surround us iAis rlay os toe
last time shall refer the subjsot ofIaiSly feel
t.iat my duty a.s oeen faithfully. though Ii may %
inpsFiecty performed sId whatever tie result
may be, shall carry to uY grsvs the consciousness
ih.. at leait Iasans we'll ior my copntry"
Your obeuieI. servant
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WaKATLaND, near Lancaster, Oct. 20, lSos.
TN. EKyER In NILMIaGrON There Wera