Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-01-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
WHEN DIED TREE gvAF, RsEGHN /:

1t has now become the fashion to talk
about our three years war" for the Union.
OF course this expression is used mainly for
convenience sake-just as one uses round
numbers-and not with any reference to
precision. Some time or other, however,
historians will have to settle the matter
and it is not the least of the peculiarities of
this most peculiar of wars that il is IAN open
question: OH what day did it commence
All previous wars have begun with begin
ningthat is to say, with formal dcclara-
ton. or with some proclamation tantamount
to it, us was the case in England on the
breaking out of the Crimean war On that
occasion a notice was posted up by a gov
ernment herald at the Mansion house Uhe
official residence of the Lord Mayor, in the
city of London, Informing the public that
hostilities were about to commence with
Russia, and this was all the declaration that
was made. In our case such thing was
not needed and, indeed could not have
been used without recognizing the rebels as
belhgerents, i. C., as parties having right
to wage war. Still the present contest must
have had beginning; and the question is
when that beginning came into existence.
The popular feeling is that the firing on
Fort Sumter is the epoch from which TO
reckon. This occurred on the 18th April,
b 1861, though many persons contound tins
with the 10th of the same month, which
was the day of the massacre Of the Massa-
chusetts men in the streets of Baltimore
We doubt if this epoch ought to be selected
as the starting point. There are four events
which may respectively claim to be consid-
cred the commencement of the civil war,
al. The act of secession passed by the
Legislature Of South Carolina on the goth
( December 1860; ?, the firing on the Star of
. the West in Charleston harbor on the 9th
January 1861 3, the firing on Fort Sumter,
! and 4, the passing Of the act of the coniede-
rate Congress recognizing the existence of
war between the United States and the sece-
ding States This act was first passed in
secret session, and was made public on the
/ 6th of May, 1861 it amounted to a formal
declaration of war on the part of the south.
Uuqucstionably this last is tue latest date to
be Il assigned, and it has been recognized by
the Supreme Court, in an appeal case, as the
leyaL commencement Of the war; that is to
say, as the date which the Court would ju,
diOially assume for that purpose. We have
not seen the grounds of this decision, but
we suppose the Court held that all doubt us
10 the existence Of war was removed by tho
above mentioned Official act of the southern
Legislature, and that previous outrage:
might be treated as very grave riots amount
ing to high treason, yet not constituting
war.
There seems to Us no valid reason why
the firing on the Star of the West, as SHE
attempted 10 carry provisions To the garri
son of Fort Snmter, should not he consider
ed as much an overt act of hostility rs th'
firing on Fort Sumter itself. The obicc
was substantially TIE same in both cases
viz, the getting possession of the fort anC
this would have been accomplished (anC
very nearly was) by starving Major Ander
son and his gallant band into surrender
And it was further intended to hold thi
, same fort, thus violently torn from tn
Union, as the sole, absolute property o
South Carolina forever. 1t should he re
membered, too, that South Carolina ha'
deliberately and of malice aiorethought
placed herself in direct antagonsn to TIA
, United States by her act OF secession, passe'
r three weeks previously to the fring on III
Star Of tue West, ard that she was ambition
TO distinguish her newborn nationality b.
some military exploit which should opc
the eyes OF the world 10 the fact of he
, having become nation. She therefor
acted as "a foreign country towards IA, ant
wished 10 be treated by US with as mnc
consideration, in military point of view
, as we should have bestowed upon France q
England ii either Of those Powers had con
; milIed AN overt act of hostility against "
. II the Intention be the essential part OF th
G crime, surely this firing on the Star of th
West was as significant Of It us the firing o
! Fort sumter; and therefore Il appears 10 4
A that the 0th OF January, 1901, has bett,
/ claim TO be liked as the day of the con
/, meneement Of the war than the l2th ,
April has. OF the four assumed epoehs, II
0 deed, this same 18th OF April stands on III
4 weakest ground. II has fixed itself on III
. popular mind on account Of the peculiar ci
. cnanstances attending it the hsToism sn
I sullsriugs of the little garTison--lhe nnpr
eeds aled and unpfoyoked nature Of the ou
g rage the astouishment and the ineredulil
! lof the oouutIy Al large, alter u hHA bee
!, 'peTpstFsissi, and the enthusiasts sccepiiu