Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-05-30

messngc from INC PresIdems.
oThc insurrection which syet existing in the
limited States and aimed al the overthrow Of
the Federal Constitution and Union was gland-
estinly prepared during the winter of 1850 and
1861. and assumed an open Organization, id the
form of reasonable provisional GoycfnINlsht
at Montgomery, Alabama, on the 18th day Feb-
ruary, 1861. On the 18th day of April, 1861
the insurgents committed the iaagrantnct Of civ.
il war, by the bombardment and capture ofFort
Sumter, which cut off the hope of immediate
conciliation Immediately afterwards all roads
and avenues to this city were obstrucied and
the Capital wasPut into a condition of siegcfthe
mails, in every direction were stopped and the
lines Of telegraph cut off by the insurgents and
the military aud naval forces which had been
called out by the Government for the defense OF
Washington, were prevented from reaching the
city by organized and reasonable resistance
In the State Of Maryland there was no adequate
and effective organization for the public defense.
Congress had indefinitely adjourned there was
no way TO convene them. 1t became necessary
for me to chose whether, using only the existing
means, agencies aud processes which Congress
had provided, i shonld let the Government Gill
into ruin, or whethaB availing myself of the
broader powers conferred by the Constitution
in cases Of insurrection, would make an effort
to save it with all its blessings for the present
age and for posterity. l thereupon summoned
my constitutional advisers, the Heads of all the
departments, to me, on Sunday, the Goth day oi
April 1861, at the office of the Navy depart
ment, aud then and there with their unanimous
concurrence, ] directed that an armed revenue
lcutter should proceed to sea TO afford protection
to the commercial, marine and especially to the
California treasure ships then on their way tc
this coast, | also directed the commandment Of
the Navy yard at Boston to purchase or charter
and arm, as'quickly as possible, five steamship,
| for purposes of public defense l directed tht
commandant of the Navy yard at Philadelphia
to purchase or charter an equal number for tht
Same purpose. / directed the commandant a
! New Y ork to purchase or charter and arm an
equal number. ] directed Commander Gilln,
to purchase or charter and arm and put to Sc,
two other vessels Similar directions were Civ,
en- to Commander Dupont with a view to tn,
opening of passages by water to and from tho
capital. directed the several officers TO TAX,
the advice, and obtain the aid and efficient ser.
vices in the matter of his Excellency Edwin d
Morgan, Governor of New York, or in his alb
sence George ID, Morgan, VIM. Evarts, II. Nj
Blatchford and Moses II. Grinnell, who were BY
my direction especially empowered by the Sec'y
of the Navy TO act for his department in thai
crisis in matters pertaining to the forwarding Of
troops and supplies for the public defense on
Morgan and Alex. Cummings, of the city ol
New York, should be authorized by the Secre-
/ tary of War, Simon Cameron, to make all the
necessary arrangements for the transportation
| of troops and munitions of war, in aid and as
sstance of the officers ofthe army ofthe United
States until communication by mail and tele-
graph should be completely re-established be-
tween the cities Of Washington and New York
No security was required to be given bv them
1o,f1 Of
of inability to consult with the other On tn,
same occasion l authorized and directed thu
Secretary OF the Treasury to advance without
requiring security of two millions OF dollars oi
public money to Jno. A. Dix. Geo. Opdyke and
Richard NJ. Blatchford of New York, TO be used
by them in meeting such acquisitions as should
be directly consequent upon the military and
the Government requiring them only to act
without compensation, and to report their trans
actions when duly called upon. The several
Departments Of the Government at this time
contained so large a number of fdisloyal persons
that it would have been impossible to provide
safety through official agents only, for perfor-
nance of the duties thus confided to citizens
favorably known for their ability, loyalty and
patriotism. The several orders issued upon
these occurrences, were transmitted by private
messengers who pursued a circuitous way toAhe
senboard cities, inland across the State of Penn
lsylvania and Ohio and the northern lakes !
believe that by these and other similar measures
taken without authority of law, the Government
was saved from overthrow. am not aware
that dollar of the public funds thus confided
without authority of law to unofficial persons
was either lost or wasted, although apprehen.
sions of such misdirection occurred to me as OBJ
ljections to these extraordinary proceedings an,
were necessarily oyerruled. recall those trans
actions now becauee my attention has been di
rected to resolution which was passed by tn
House of representatives. on the 3Oth Of las
month"; which is in these words:
ResOlred, That Simeon Cameron. late Secrc
tary of War; by investing Alex. Cumming,
with large sums of public money and anthorit
to purchase military supplies, without requirin
f of him any guaranty for the faithful perform
ance his duties when the service Of competen
public officers were available and by inv0lyu
the government in vast number Of contract
with persons not legitimatey engaged in III
business pertaining to the subject matter O
such contracts, especially in the purchase
arms for future delivery has adopted a polio,
highly injurious to the public service and de
serves the censure Of the House.
, Congress will see that / should be wantin
equally in candor and justice, if ! should leav
the censure expressed in this resolution to re:
; chiefly on Mr.. Cameron. The same sentimen
is unanimously entertained by the heads of th
Department, who participated in the proceeding
which the House of Representatives has COZ
: summated
: 1t is due to Mr.. Cameron to say that ulthoug
he fully approved the proceedings they wer
not moved or suggested by himself, and that nc
only the President but that all other heads {
Z the Departments were at least equally response
! BILE with him for whatever error or fault wa
committed in the premises. (Signed)
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
4 WASHINGTON, May 26th, 1862.
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