Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-08-17
VOL. II---NO. 80

a common ground on which concillia-
ton and harmony can be produced is
surely not unattainable. The PROPOSE
ton to compromise by letting the North
have exclusive control of a territory a.
bovc certain line, and 10 give southern
/ institutions protection below that line,
ought TO receive universal appreciation. -
In itself, indeed, it may not be entirely
satisfactory but when the alternative is
between reasonable concession on both
/ sides and a destruction of the Union, it is
an imputation on the patriotism Of Con-
/ gress to assert that lis members will hest
/ tate for moment.
| Even now the danger is upon US. In
/ several Of the States which have not yet
secceded, the forts, arsenals and maya
zines Of the United States have been
seized. This is by far the most serious
! step which has been taken since the COM
mencement of the troubles. The public
/ property has long been left without gar
risons and troops for its protection, be-
/ cause no person doubted its security I'M
! der the flag of the country in any State in
/ the Union. Besides, our small army has
! scarcely been sufficient to guard our re-
mote frontiers against Indian incursions.
The seizure of this property, from all ap-
pcarances, has been purely aggressive,
| and not in resistance to any attempt to
cOerce a State or States to remain in the
! Union.
At the beginning of these unhappy
| troubles, | determined that no act OF
mine should increase the excitement in
I IL, Il. Il.
litical conflict were to end in civil war.
it was my determined purpose not TO
commence it, nor even to furnish an ex-
cuse for 1t by any act Of this Government.
My opinions remain unchanged, that JUS
tice as well as sound policy requires us
still to seek peaceful solution of the
questions at issue between the North and
the South Entertaining this conviction,
| refrained even from sending reinforce
mcuts 70 Major Anderson, who COM
manded the forts in Charleston Harbor,
until an absolute necessity for doing 80
should make itself apparent, lest it might
uniustly be regarded as menace of mill
tary coercion, and thus furnish, if not q
provocation, at least pretext for an out
break on the part of South Carolina. No
necessity for these reintorcemeuts seemed
to exist, l was assured by distinguished
and upright gentlemen of South Carolina
that no attack On Major Anderson was
intended, but that, on the contrary, it was
the desire Of the State authorities. as
much a5 it was my own, to avoid the
fatal consequences which must inevitably
follow military collision.
And here l deem 1t proper 10 submit
for your information, copies Of com
gaunication, dated December %, 1860,
addressed TO me by K. w. BarnweH, J.
H. adams and J. i, Orr, ''Commission-
ers," from South Carolina, with the ac-
companying documents, with copies OF
my answer thereto, dated Dec. 81.
In further explanation of Major An
derson's renewal from Fort Moultrie to
Fort Sumter, it IS proper to state that
after my answer TO the South Carolina
Commissioners, the War Department
received Il letter from that gallant officer
dated Dec. 27, 1860, the day after this
movement, from which the following is
an extract:
II viii add, as my opinion, that many
things convinced me that the authorities
Of the State designed to proceed to a hos
tile act"
Evidently referring to the orders dated
Dee. Il, of the late Secretary of War:
Under this impression | could not
hesitate that it was my solemn duty to
move my command from a fort which we
could not have held probably longer than
forty-cight TO sixty hours to this one,
where my power Of resistance is increased
to a very great degree"
It will be recolccted that the conclud-
ing part of these orders was in the fol-
0 wing terms +:
''The smallness Of your force will not
permit you, perhaps, 10 occupy more than
one of the three forts, but an attack on,
or attempt to take possession of either one
of them, will be regarded as an act of
hostility, and You may then put your
command into either of them which you
may deem most proper to increase its
power OF resistance. You are also au-
thorized to take similar defensive steps
whenever you have tangible evidence Of n
design to proceed TO hostile act"
ii Is said thai serious apprehensions
are, to some extent, entertained, in which
do not share, that the peace OF this
District may be disturbed bafore the 4th
of March next In any event it will be
my duty to preserve it, and this duty
shall be performed.
In conclusion il may ae permitted to
y