, 1881-08-07


the laws,:his, as fur Us it gues is coercion. and
may very well be called "cocrciug state by
force Of arms 70 re1nnln IN tho Cnion." The
ercou To that extent. He merely denies tho
right ut Congress to make offensive war upon !.
Statc OF the Union, Hs such might be made upon
Il foreign government
Fir1h-The implied ;Isscut of the President to
the accusation which the Commissioners make
Of Il compact with South Carolina, by wh1ch ho
was hound not to take whatever measures he
saw tit Tor the defense Of the forts, ought IL be
stricken ont and HAT denial of any such bar
gain. pledge, or agreement inserted. Tne puper
Signed by the late members Of Congress from
South CnruIi!In does not beur such construction,
and this, rs understand, - the only tr;tnsac-
ton between south Carolina and him which
bears upon the subject either directly or indi-
rcctly. think il deeply concerns tho prcsi-
dents reputation that he should contradict this
statement, since. If it be untlenied it puts him
III the attitude of an executive officer who vol
unfairly dlsArtns himself of the power to per-
form his duty, and ties his hands So that he cam
NOT. without brcakiu.. hi5 word, "preseryu. pro-
1ect, and defend the Constitution, and see tho
laws faithfully executed" The fact that he
p!c'iged himself III any such way cannot br
true, The Commissioners m doubt have been
so informed. But there Must he some mis-
ttke about it. 1t arose, doubtless. out Of
to avo id civil w,r, and his uften-c Expressed de-
termination not even to furnish an excuse Tor
IN outbreak ut Charleston by reinforcing Muj.
sixth-The rcnotest expression OF doubt
about Mai. -Andcrson's perfect propriety Of be-
HAfiur snoulu Dc carefully avoided. lie is not
merely 4 g;tltart and lncretoriuus ollic.r who Is
entitled TO a lair hcuring before he Is con-
demncd.-ne has saved the country socmuiy
believe. when its aAy was dnrkest und its perils
most extreme. He has done everything that
mortal nlau could do to repair tho fatal crrur
which the Administration has committed in not
sending down troops enough to bold aN of the
forts. He has kept the strongest one He still
commands the nurbur. We lnay still execute
the laws * We try. Besides, there is nothing
II the orders which were sent to him b,- Tim
War Department which is il, tue slightest de-
gree cuntraycned BY his net If throwing hi.
command into Fort Sumter. Even il those
orders, sent without your knowledge, did forbid
MIN to leave place where his men might have
perlshed. and shuitef them under stronger no.
slt1otl. wo ought all Of us to rcjucc thut he
broke such orders. "
Scventh-Ihc idea that 4 wrong WIS commit
ted against South Carolina by mov!n. from Fort
Mouitrlc to Fort Sumter, ought to be repcljed rs
llrm!t US may be consistent with u Drut,er rf-
spcct for the high character OF tho gentlemen
VINO compose the South Carolina Commission.
u Is a strange assumption Of right on the part
OF tnat state to say that our United States
troops must reiuain in the weakest position they
GAN hnd in the hIrhor. 1t is not Il menace Of
Houtn Cafolfpa. or OF Chnrnston or Il 1ucr1,,cc mt
nH Il Is simple se!f-detensc. If South Gao.
una docs not attuck Mui. Anderson, no tuuiun
being Will he iujured,-for there certainly viii
pc no reason To believe that he will commence
hoSt1lftics. The Apparent objection to his bcInx
~ tort Sumter Is, that be will be less likely r.
1au IN casS prz1y to his aSsatlauts.