Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-11-15

and arrived in washington on the 9th
December. The day after their arrival it
was announced that Major Anderson had
removed from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sum-
ter. This rendered them furious On
the same day they addressed an angry letter
to the President demanding the surrender
Of Fort Sumter. The President answered
this letter on the 30th December by per-
emptory refusal. This brought forth
reply from the Commissioners on the I'd.
January, 1861, of such an insulting char
acter, that the President instantly returned
it to them with the following endorsement:
"This paper,just presented to the President
is of such q character, that he declines to
receive it." From that time forward, all
friendly, political aud personal intercourse
finally ceased between the revolutionary
Senators and the President, and he was
severely attacked by them in the Senate,
and especially by Mr., Jefferson Davis. In
deed, their intercourse had previously been
of the coolest character, ev3r since the
! Presidents anti secession message at the
commencement Of the session of Congress-
Under these changed circumstances Gen.
Scott, by note on Sunday, the Both DecemD
ber, ADDRESSED the following inquiry to the
President:
"Will the President permit Gen Scott
without reference to the War Department
aid otherwise as secretly as possible, to
send two hundred and fifty recruits from
New York harbor to reinforce Fort Sum-
ter, together with some extra muskets or
rifles, ammunition, and subsistence l.
is hoped that sloop of war and cutter
may be ordered for the samo purpose to-
morrow
The General seems not to have known
then that Mr.. Floyd was out of Office.
Never did request meet moro prompt
compliance. It was received on Sunday
evening, December 3Oth. On Monday
morning / gave instructions to the War
aud Navy Departments, and on Monday
evening Gen. Scott came to congratulate
me that the Secretaries had issued the
necessary orders to the army and navy
officers, and that they we're in his posses
sion The Brooklyn, with troops, mill
tary stores, and provisions, was to sail
a. e.
Sumter. l am, therefore, utterly at Q loss
to imagine why the General, in bis state
ment, should have asserted "that the
South Carolina Commissioners had already
been many days in Washington, and no
movement of defence Con the part of the
United States) was permitted" These
Commissioners arrived in Washington on
the 9th December; Gen. Scott's request
was made TO the President on the 3Oth.
IT was complied with on the 3Ist, and o
single day is all that represents the "many
days of the Genera.
Again, General Scott asse rts in the face
Of these facts, that the President refused
to allow any attempt to be made to rein
force Fort Sumter-because he was hold.
ing negotiations with the South Carolina
commissioners. And still again, that
"afterwards Secretary Holt and myself
endeavorcd, in vain, to obtain a shp-of-
war for the purpose, and were finally
obliged to employ the passenger steamer
Star Of the West viii it be believed
that the substitution Of the "Stsr of the
West for the powerful war steamer
Brooklyn, Of which he no complains, WAS
by the advice of General Scott himself !
| have never heard this doubted until |
read the statement.
At the interview already referred to be-
tween the General and myself, on the eve-
ming of Monday, the 3lst of December, |
suggested to him that, although | had not
received the South Carolina Commission.
ers in their official capacity, but merely as
private gentlemen, yet it might be consid-
cred an improper act to send the Brook
lyn with roinforcements to Fort Sumter
until l had received an answer from them
to my letter of the preceding day; that
the delay could not continue more than
forty eight hours. He promptly cOncurrod
in this suggestion as gentlemanly and
proper, and the orders were not transmit,
ted to the Brooklyn on that evening My
autcipations were correct, for on the morn
ing of the I'd of January l received their
insolent note, and sent it back to them. In
the meantime, however, the General had
become convinced, by the representations
of gentleman whom forbear to name
that tho better plan, as the Secretaries oi
War and the Navy informed me, to secure
secrecy and success and reach the fort
| l. - .ouI n G., $50.