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

hlS suppOSiilOn mat MS Arrangement was W ]
expire on the termiuaaion Of the Peace Con-
yention.
~. But we nOweOme to an important Pc |
riod when dates will be essentially hecess. /
TO disentahele the statement Of Gen. Scott. |
The South Carolina Commissioned were
appointed on the 22d Of December, atd ar-
rived in Washingio on on the q Of Decem-
ber. The day alter their arrival IL was
announced that Major Anderson had renov
ed from Fort Mou!lrie 10 Fort Sumter This
rendered them furious On the same day
they addressed an angry letter to the Presi
| dent demanding tie surrender OF Fort Sum
ter The President answered this letter on
the 30ih OF December, by peremptory reiu~
sal. This brought fourth reply from the
iCommissionsrs on the "a January, 1861. Of
such an insulting character, that the Presi-
dent instantly returned it to. them with the
following endorsement: "Hhis paper, just
presented to the President. is Of such a char
scher, that be declines receive it." From
that time forward, all friendly, political and
] personal intercourse finally ceased between
! the revolutionary Senator'S and the Presi>
dent, and be was severely attacked by them
in the Senate, and especially bv Mr. Jefferson
Davis. Indeed. their intercourse bad prer
viOusly been OF the coolest character, ever
since the Presidents anti-secession message
at the commencement OF the session Of Con-
gress. r., .--
4 Und; these changed circumstances, Gen.
Scott, by note on Sunday the 3ihh December
I addressed the following inquiry 10 the. Pres
ident: .' 't''.' ''''l
! "Wtll the President permit Gen. Scott with
out reference, TO the War Department, and 9TH
wise sccreteIy as possible. to send two hun
di ed and fifty recruits from New y ork harboT
10 reinforce Port S'imter, together with some
/. extra muskets orrihesy amunItion, and subSist,
encei tis hoped that a sOop.of- war and cut
ter may 5e ordered for the same purpose TO NOR,
row ,rt
The General seems not to have known
then that Mr.. Floyd was out OF office. /,
Il Never did request meet more prom pit
Icotnpliance. II was received on Sunday
) evening, December 30th, gr7On Monday
morning gave instructions to the War and
Navy Departments, and on Monday evening
Gen. Scott came to congratulate me that
! the Secretaries had issued the necessary or
ders to the army and navy officers, and that
! they were in his possession. The Brooklyn,
with troops, milf ary stores. and provisions,
was to sail forthwith from Fortress Monroe
! for Fort Sumter. Tam, there fore, utter
= Iy a, a loss TO imagine why dhe General, in
his srattment, should have asserted THAT
: kthe South Carolina Commissioners had all
] ready been many days in Washington, and
,, no movement Of defence (on the part OF the
United Stales) was permitted These Com
mssioners arrived in Washington on tbs
!, 9th December;, Gen. SCOTS request was
} made TO the President on the Qh. 1t was
/ Icomplied with on the 3lst, and single day
: is all that represents the many days. o.
! the General.
Again. General Scott asserts, in the face
Of these facts, that the President refnSed to
: to allow any attempt to be made to reinforce
ri Fort Sumter-because he was holding me-
y gotations with the South Carolina Comm IS
sioners. And Still again, that Afterwards
!, Secretary Holt and myself endeayorel, In
: vain to obtain q ship of war for the purpose
= = ard were fnally obliged to employed The
J passenger steamer Star Of the Vest ~
:, Will it be believed that The substitution o
= OF the ''Star OF the West for the powerful
war steamer Brooklyn, OF which he now
: complains, was by the advice Of Gen. Scott
:, himself? | have never doubted until reat
. Che statement.
y At the interview already reerred to be
y tween the General and myself, on-the even
ing Of Monday, the 3est Of December,
> suggested 10 him that, al hough had no
, received the South Carolina Commissioner
. in their official capacity, but merely as pri
:, vate gentleman, yet it might be considered
an improper act to send ibe Brooklyn Will
u reniCrccments to Fort Sumter until hat
y received an answer from them to my lete
T. of the proceeding day., that the delay coult
- not continue more than lourty eight hours -
:. lie promptly concurred in this suggestion
~ as gentlrmanly and proper, and the orders
70 were not transmitted 10 the Brooklyn OIL
!, that evening. My antcipations were cor
:, rect, for on the morning OF the I'd OF Jann
!, airy received their lnsolent note, and sen
a. it back to them. In the meantime however
> the General had become convinced, by th'
IL representations OF gentleman whom | for
= bear to name, that the better plan, as tn
IL Secretaries OF War and the Navy Informed
me, to secure secrecy and success and reacl
~ The fort would be to send last side whee
~ merchandise steamer from New York will
- the reinforcement. Accordingly the Star @
y the West was selected Tor this duty. Tn
40 substitution OF this merchantie steamer 70
- The Brooklyn, which would have been abb
: to defend herself in case OF attack, was re
=. - reluctantly yielded by me to the high mil
:. ,.' itary judgmentsot Gen Scott. 81 .r,F -a#
y, a The change of, programme required "a brio
-. -. space Of time; but the Star of The West lei
" " New York for Charleston on the evening {
- the 4th Of January. On the very dpy, how
:. lever, when this i'll fated steamer left Ne,
- York, a Telegram was dispatched by Ger
~ Scott to Col. Scott to counteTmand. her de-
q. a parture; but it did not reach its destiratio
- until ahershe had gone to sea. The reaso
:, for this countermand shall be stated in th
- language Of Secretary Holt, to be iouad
a. a letter addressed by him to MIR. Thompson
"a the late Secretary OF the Interior, on the ct
~ Of March, 1861 aud published IL the Natio7
a. a. al fatehqenttr. Mr. Holt says: ,
Z 1.-The countermand spoken Of Cby Mr. Thoml
i . som was net more cordia lily sanctioned by I'll
oi President than it was by Gen. Scott and mysel
ar not bedause a any dissent from the 9order q
re- the part oil the President, but beCau use OF lie
r. ter received that day from Major Andersen
on stating, in effect, that he regarded him 1et So
= cure III HIS potiii,jn; and yetinUre from inteli
ID gence whicn late on .sasurdaY evening 18th jar
OF uury, 1861 reached the Department, that
nd heavy battery had been erected among the saE
TX hills at the entrance TO Charleston barbo
10 which Wohld prUbaby destroy any unarfne
re vessel land such was the Star Oi the Wes
y which might attempt to make its way To tu
Sumter This important iniosma tiDn satlshe
ar,, the bCverhmelt that there was no present n
ne ce,sity Ter sendipg endorsements, pnd III
III when:ent they should 60, not in u vessel
~ commerce bat OF war, Hence the counterman
nj, was dispatched by telegraph TO New York, b
nst the vessel had vailed d short tiille before
as reached the cthcer (Col, Scotp 10 whom It W
IN addressed -
nd A statement OF these facts, established
ON dates, .ployes conclusively that the Pres
sa dent was not only willing but anxious in Il
ent blieiest period TO reinforce Fort Sumter:
the On the 4th OF January, the day before t
ar departure Of the STAR Oi the West fro
as New Yoik, as General Scott in his stat
ok ment admits, succor was sent to Fort Ia
La L.. IL. Nv cot nrd Ia Enrt InHnrcn,, ~.