Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-12


When Sumter was menaced by the seces-
sionists, and the whole country was on the
q,a uiUe to prevent its capture, the leading
presses of the Republican party proposed
its surrender, and for over one month the
Administration entertained the PROPOSE
tion. Pending its discussion, the Ne,o
York Times, OF March IL, 1861, said of LIN
COLIN and his Cabinet:
"rhe question of reinforcing Fort Sum-
ter has been under consideration in the
Cabinet, and 1t is understood that the ques-
tion, whether or no, it is not desirable to
withdraw all the troops except two or
three men, rather than incur the bloodshed
which will probably occur, before troops
and supplies are put into it, is now to be
decided. The question has been under
discussion in high military circles for some
da1s. Gen. Scott advises that reinforce
ments cannot now be put in without an
enormous sacrifice of life. He is under
stood to say, that we have neither military
or naval force at hand sufficient to supply
the Fort against the threatened opposition,
which it would require t,oe,ity thousand men
to overcome. Besides, If it should initiate
ciutl ,odr, in addition to uniting the South, and
Overwhelming the Union sentiment there, in the
waves of passion, it would require t,co hu,,-
dred aud fifty thousand Government soldiers to
carry on the struggle, and hundred mil
lions of money to begin with"
The next day (March II, 1861, JOHN W.
FoRNEY wrote to his Philadelphia Press in
favor of abandoning Sumter, as follows:
1.-The best results will flow from the
evacuation of Fort Sumter 1t will in
vigorate the Union men of the Border
States"
The Cincinnati Gazette of the same day
said: ..I
"Itis not to be doubted that the evacuation
of Fort Sumter, while greatly diminishing,
if not entirely removing, the dangers of
civil war, would accomplish more than
any policy that could be adopted to weaken
| the strength of the Secessionists in the
Border States, and to strengthen the Union
| feeling throughout the entire South. How
ever much our feelings on the subject might
lead us to desire different kind of treat
ment for the South Carolina rebels, we are
not prepared to dispute the wisdom of the
Administration in measure looking to
the continuance of peace and an ultimate
peaceful adjustment of our national diff
culties."
raK RIGHT OF sEcEssIoN-"LEr THE UNION
SLIDE"
In 1860 the Ohio State Journal was pub
lished by COOKE, HURT 6 Co., understood
l
P. CHASE and T. w. HURT, now JAY
COOKE & Co., bankers at Washington-Mr.
HURT having been convicted of stealing
| from Government, his name no longer ap-
pears as working member, and Mr..
CHASE, being Chief Justice, is no longer
an active partner of the firm. The Journal
| in its issue of November, 1861, under the
caption, SIS The AMERICAN UNION A
MYTH" thus argues in favor of the right
of secession:
| "Just now we are passing an important
climacteric. 1t will soon be determined
| whether we are capable of existing as a
confederacy of States, or whether we are
subject to disunion at the will of any one
or more States; whether the American
| Union Is a grand, startling reality, or a
myth, a fiction. with which we have been
deluding ourselves and cheating the
world.
This question seems to pose our states
men and rulers at this time. They appear
to consult our written Constitution In vain,
| The trainers of that instrument evidently
never anticipated secession. Provision soGs
made to let States into the Confederdcu BUT NO
OBLIGATION IS IMPOSED, BINDING STATES TO
REMAIN IN THE UNION, nor po,oer gicen direct
| Ly to any constituted authority TO COERCE THEN,
ANlO OobOAhHNOE We Ouoo Hsey tOteH quteCty 10
soitbdrGw from the family circle. Our Presi-
dent has declared he would resist nullifi-
cation but not secession. Can any State or
States secede, and continue to obey United
States laws?
"The object of the American Union is to
provide for the common defense, general
welfare, &c. 1t is SO stated in the preamble
to the Constitution. The General Govern
meht is but a representdtiUe Of all The States.
It Is not a genuine Federal, centralized
power. Now, If any State or States Oish TO