The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-08-18

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views, these reasons, together with an
earnest ,ish to know my own duty and
to do it, induce me to beg you for little
light. which perhaps you alone can sired
uI on the present state of our affairs.
"First-Isi the duty Of the Govern
ment to reinforce Maj Anderson
Second-If yes, how soon is it neces;;
sary that thos, reinforcements should
be thereP
"Third-What obstacles exist to pre-
vent the sending of such reinforcements
at any time when 1t may be necessary to
do so2
"I trust you will not regard it as pre-
sumption in me if l give you the crude
notions which l myself have already
formed out of very imperfect materials
A statement of nay errors, If errors they
be, will erable you to correct them the
more easily.
"FITa-It seems now to be settled that
Mai. Anderson and his command at Fort
Sumpter are not to be withdrawn. The
United States Government ia not to sur
render it's last hold upon its own proper
ty in South Carolina. 1t is in state Of
siege. They have already prevented
communication between its commander
and his own Government both by sea
and land. There is no doubt they intend
to continue this state of things, as far az
it is in their power to do 90. In the
course of a few weeks from this time II
will become very difficult for him to hold
out. The constant abor and anxiety ol
his mon W II exhaust their physical pow
or. and this exhaustion, Of course, will
proceed ver7 much more rapidly as soon
as they begin to get short OF provisions.
"If the troops remain in Fort Sumter
without any change in their condition,
and the hostile at itude of South Carroll.
ma remains as it is now, the question oil
Major Anderson's surrender is one Of
time only.
"If he is not to be relieved, it is not
entirely clear that he should be ordered
to surrender at once. 1t having been de.
termiued that the latter order shall not
be given, it follows that relief must be
sent him at some time before it is too
late to save him.
"Second-Ths brings me to the second
question: When should reinforcements
and provisions be sent? Can we justify
ourselves in delaying the performance Of
that duty2
"The authorities of South Carolina are
improving every moment and increasing
their ability to prevent reinfo cements
every hour, while each day that rises
sees us with a power diminished to send
in the reuuisite relief. think it certain
that Mai. Anderson could be put in pos.
session of all the defensive powers he
needs with very little risk to the Gov
ernment if the efforts were made imme-
diately, but it is impossible to predict
how much blood or money it may cost il
it be pos poned for two or three months.
"The fact that other persons are to
have charge of the Government before
the worst comes to the worst has no in.
huence on nay mind, and take it for
granted, will not be regarded as just ell
ement in making up your opinion.
"The anxiety which an American Citi-
zen must feel about any future event
which may effect the existence of the
country is not less if he expects it to oc.
cur on the 9TH of March Than it would
be if he knew it was going to hpapen on
the Ord.
"TRHd--I am persuaded that the diff
Guilty of relieving Major Anderson has
been very much magnifed to the minds
of some persons. From you | shall be
able to ascertain whether l am mistaken
or they. am thoroughly satisfied that
the battery on Morris Island can give no
serious trouble. A vessel going in where
the 'StaI Of the West went will not be
within the reach of the battery's guns
longer than from six % ten minutes. The
number of shots that could be fred upon
her in that time may be easily calculated
aud think the chances of her being se-
riously injured can be demonstrated by
simple arithmetic to be very small. A
very unlucky shot might cripple her to
be sure, and, therefore, the risk il some.
thing But lhen it is maxim, not less
in war than in peace, that where nothing
is ventured nothing can be gained The
removal Of the buoys has undoubtedly
made the navigation of the channel more
difficult. But there are pilots outside Of
Charleston, and many of the officers Of
the navy could steer ship irto the har.
Dor by the natural landmarks with per
feet safety. This, be it remembered, i
not now subject Of speculation. The
actual experiment has been lried, The
Star of the West did pass the battery
and did overcome the difficulties of the
navigation, meeting with no serious
trouble from either cause. They have
tried it. We can say probutum est and
there is an end to the controversy.
4 am convinced that a pirate, or
SLAYER, or q smuggler, who can be sssur.
ed OF making five hundred dollars by o.
ing into the harbor in the face of all the
dangers which threaten vessel bearing
the American fig, would laugh them to
scorn, and to one of our naval officers
who has the average of daring, the dan
gers self were love alone
"There really seems to me nothing in
the way that ought to prevent US except
the guns of Fort Moultrie. If they are
suffered TO open fire upon a vessel
bearing reinforcements to Fort Sumter
they might stop any other vessel as they
stopped the Star of the West But is It
necessary that this intolerable outrage
should be submitted to? Would it not
be an act Of pure self defense on the
part Of Major Anderson to silence Fort
Moultrie If 1t be necessary to do 80 fol
the purpose Of insuring the safety of a
vessel whose arrival at Fort Sumter is
necessary for his protection, and could
he not do 1t etfeCtuallyP Would the
South Carolinans dare to FIRE upon any
vessel which Major Anderson would tell
them beforehand must be permitted to
pass on pain Of his guns being opened
upon her assailantsP But suppose 1t i'm.
possible for an unsrmed vessel to pass
the battery. what is the difficulty Of
sending the Brooklyn or the Macedonian
inP have never heard it alleged that
the latter could not cross the bar, and l