The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-04
THE HERO OF FIT. SUMTER
MIR. Holman supports the Proposition TO
Increase MRS. AndersOn's Pension,
Conversational Rannrd

Increase MRS. AndersOn's Pension,
Congressional Record
Mr.. Holman Of Indians-The truth is
that both parties, the republican party
which came in and the democratic party
which was going out, and the two great
characters representing each party, Mr..
Buchanan and Mr.. Lincoln, snrank from
being responsible for what all men feared
would be, and proved to be, the opening
of a terrible fratricldal war.
1t is due to history, think, to say that
both of those great statesmen alike shrank
from the responsibility of an act which
might lead 10 war. l need not dwell upon
the circumstances under which Gen An
derson, in October 1860, with large social
connections at the south, and especially in
South Carolina, was sent to Charleston
haIbor. The fact, however. is he was sent
there. 1t was charged upon him by the
South, and the North for the time hardly
had the manhood to deny 1t, that the act
by which he removed his troops from their
defenseless position at FIT. Moultrie, to the
comparatively strong post of Fit. Sumter,
was in itself an act of war, yet as loyal
soldier he could do nothing else; but IL is
certain that Gen. Anderson's act on that
occssion-denounced on the one side, with
no voice for q time in its defense raised on
the other, either here at the capital or
throughout the country-on the whole is
one OF the most satisfactory events of the
fearful struggle, and is now a source of sat
isfaction to the South as well as to the
North, for the loyal prudence Of his con-
duct, left no ground for charging sggres-
sion on the part of the government
Ii he bad shrunk from the post OF duty
and evacuated that tort, or remained in a
position that was indefensible. instead of
doing the best he could to defend the flag
and bono- of his country, the south and
the North would feel all alike to-day that
the nation was in the beginning humili.
ated. Ii wound have been a fearful blow
to our history. Harrassed on one side,
unsupported on the other, the representa-
tives of the South: demanding the sur
render, he gave utterance to the declaration
that be never would surrender the fort till
ii could be done with honor to his coun-
try. Till il would be so done, he declared
that, rather than abandon 1t he would be
buried beneath its shapelees ruins. Those
words rang through the land and inspired
and saved the Union. Those great gen.
erals Of great and prolonged command, OF
whom the whole nation is proud, were
placed under different circumstances.
However much we may admire their he
roism and devotion to country, we know
that they were buQged up on all sides; the
sympathies, encouragement and admira-
ton of the whole people of the North
gathered around their great commanding
officers, and the eyes OF the people, not
only in the North but in the South and of
the civilized world, were upon them.
There was everything to uphold and sus-
tain them. But here was general. stand.
ing solitary and alone, apparently without
the support Of his government on the one
side. and denounced by the other; with the
fear In his heart that he might be the