The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-11-12

The President and any human authorfty con-
eeyning Chs<lestou. On the contrary, the
South Carolina Commissioners. first and last,
and, all the time. were iniormedhhat the
President could never Surrender Fort Sum
Ter, nor deprive himself Of The most entire
liberty 10 send reiniorcements 10 il whenever
Il was believed to be in danger, or requested
by, Maior Anderson. 1t is strange that
Gen. Scott was not spprised Of this we'll
known fact. 1t was then, with some aston
i,bment that learned from the statement
of the General that he had. on the 18th
March, 1861, advised that. Major Anderson
should be instructed 10 eyacuate the fort as
suitable transportation could be procured To-
carry himself and command to New York -
A military necessity for a capitulation may
have existed in case there Should be an at
tack upon the fort. or demand for It's sure
render; but surely none such could have
existed for its voluntary surrender or aband.
oumeut. .a H'Ht'f' " t..3iis- t- +i \
Probably that to which the General means
to refer was not the quasi, but the actual
truce of arms concluded at Charleston ON
the llth Of January, 1861 between Cover
nor rickens and Major Anderson. without
the Knowledge of the President. 1t was on
the 9th of Janucry that the Star Of The
West, under the American flag, was fired ups
on in the harbor OF OEariestoe by order OF
Governor Pickers. Immediately after this
outrage Major. Anderson sent flag TO, the
Governor, stating that he presumed the act
had been Unauthorized, and for that reason
| he had not opened fire from Fort Sumter on
the adjacent batteries but demanding It's
disayowal, and II 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 oc-
1 eurrence, on the llih January, 9Gnyeruor
| Pickens had the audacily to demand Of An
derson the surrended OF the fort. In his
answer of the same date, the Major made
the following prnpositlon:- "Should your
excellency deem fit, previous TO a resort to
! arms, to refer this matter TO Washington. II
would afford me the sincerest plea ure to de
pute one OF my officers 10 accompany any mes
seneeryou may deem proper to-be the bearer
/ OF your command" This proposition was
promptly accepted by the Governor, and, in
/ pursuance thereoi t. he sent on his part, Hon.
il W. Hayne, the Attorney Genera OF
| South Carolina to Washington, whilst Ma
inr Anderson deputed Lieut. fall, OF the
These gentlemen arrived toge her in Wash
irgton, on the eveningof the Jannarv,
when the President obtained the first knowl
ledge Of The transaction. But IT wall be rec
objected that no time intervehed be- ween The
return Of the Star Of the West toNew York
and. The arrival Of the messenger bearing a
copy Of the tue at Washington, within
which it would have been possible 10 send
rein orcements 10 Font Sumter. Both events
f Eoccurred about the same time.
Thus truce, or suspension oi arms, was
concluded between the parties to continue
until the question Of the surrender OF the
fort shonld be decided bv the President
,lUntil this decision Major Anderson had
placed out Of his own power to ask for rein,
; iiorcements, and equally out OF the power o
q Government 10 send them without viola
ttion OF public faith, This was the writer;
, on public law denominate "a partial truce
: under which hostilities are suspended only
f in certain places, as between to wn and the
| army besiesing it." 1t is possible that the
President, under the laws of war, nigh
! have annulled this truca upon due notice t.
! the opposite party; but neither Gen. Scot
nor any other person suggested this exprdi
ent This ouid have been to cast a retlec
ton on NJ aior Anderson, who teyond ques
T ton, acted from tie highest and purest mo
: tires. Did Gen, Scott ever propose to violate
ii this truce during lis existence? If he did
| am not now, ard never was, aware Of tht
/ fact Indeed think he would have beer
i one Of the last men in the world to propose
I such measure.
= Col. IIayne did not deliver the lette
! which he bore from Governor Pickens
: demanding the surrender OF the fort, to tbt
President, until the 21st January. The doc
8 uments cou' aiming the reasons for this wor
n rying DELAY were communicated to Congress
in a special message OF the Sth February, Il
which refer the reader. On the 9Th Q
, February the Sccrei ary of War, under tn
instructions Of the President, gave per
q en.ptory refusal to this demand in an abb
!. and comprehensive. letter, reviewing thi
2 whole subject, explaining and jdstifying tn
! conduct OF the President throughout 1t
, concluding sentence is both eloquent anC
i emphatic,
h ''H says Mr. Holt with all the mnItiplie
4 proofs which exist of the Presidents an xitt.
= for peace und OF the 6arnestness which he hn
{ pursued it, the authority Of that state shat
u assault Fort Sume and inperil the lives OF tn
e handful OF the brave and loyai men shut MP
!. within is walls. and thus piunge our country
into the horrors OF civil war, then up on then
and those they represent mast rest the, respon.
slbilily," '-'''' 4+' '.' ''"'
+, The truce was then ended, and Genera
:, Scott is incorrect in stating that it lasted I
;, the end OF that Administra' ion," " ...l !.
= An expedition was quietly ftted out q
! New York under the supervision of Gen
q r. tIx,t t,ra
= arranged is details, and regarded the rein
: trcements thus provided for as sufficient :
"a This was Ieady,to sail for Fort Sumter o.
~ = five hours notice, It is, Of this expediio
/, that Gen. Scott thus speeks: ~ ,l.s...,et
h "Atthat time, when this tthe truHe Ell had pass
>. =. ed away, Seeeretaiies Holt and Tousey. Cap
Al Wud, Of lbe navy and. myself witt, the know
. edge OF the Presdeut, settled upon tie employ
j. nfent under the Captain oil three or fur steain
!" ers belongings 10 the Coast Survey, but he wa
t. kept back by The truce. "7asfer ,aiha3 'gaj
t. A strange Inconsistency. The truce ha
n, expired with Ny. ilpIt's letter to Coloh'
Iiayne on the 5h Of February, and Gencr;
: Scott, in his statement says: q woul
n have been easy TO reinforce the fort down !
a about the 12th Of February Why, thcl
#, did not the renorcenents proceed? Th
"a was simply because Of communications lrol
~ Major Andersen. 1t was most fortuna
ID that they did not procees; because the thrt
e or four small steamers which were 10 bel
a. them would never have, reached the fort, al
q o. in the attempt must have BEEN captured I
a a, destroyed. The past inadequacy OF Il
Ii lotce provided to acromplish tho object vi
as DEMONSTRATED by inormat ION, received fro
Major Anderson at the War Department c
" the last day OF tbe ADMINISTRATION. 9@es
81 ] purposely lorbear at present to say mo-
he on this subject, least might, however a.
intentionally, do injustice TO one or more
be the Part les concerned, in conseq qpence Of Il
IN breyiiy required by the nature OF this comm1
e nication The G:ts relatingto it, with u
y appropriate accompaniments, have been Jul
~ | ID IN ~. arical rcYiauc nrenarel