The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-12
WHO FIRED THE MINEf

II Gen. Beauregard had lived until the
18th Of April next he would have survived
his firing on Fort Sumter thirty-two
years. 6umter's surrender was no fault
of Lincoln's: the fort was doomed before
Lincoln was In power, through the misera-
bic weakness and poltroonery of President
Buchanan. The Confederates were al.
lowed by President Buchanan to erect
batteries on Sullivan's. Morris and James
islands, al 90 close to Sumter that no bat
teries could have been erected under its
fire sufficiently strong to have prevented
the reinforcement and supplying of the
fort had Maj. Anderson been permitted
to open on the Confederate working
parties. Had the president permitted An
derson to use his guns the batteries which
drove off the Star of the West in Jan.
uary. 1861. could not have been erected.
Sumter would have been saved and the
port Of Charleston held, even as Fort
Pickens was relieved by Porter. But by
positive orders Anderson was hidden to
stand still beside his guns and see a circle
Of powerful batteries drawn around the
fort. By March Anderson was beyond
rescue. but early in April Lincoln at
tempted to send him a supply of powder
and then the conspirators opened on the
fort. Beauregard could have compelled
its surrender as early as the middle Of
February. 1861, but the conspirators
shrewdly bided their time.
When they had stolen all the delav nos.
sible from the govern nent; when Lincoln's
eloquent and touching appeal to the South
of March 4 was still ringing in the ears Of
Virgins and secession was trembling in
the balance In that state the daring lead.
ers of the great conspiracy bid Beauregard
fire the shot. and when Sumter replied
there vas an end Of com promise, an end of
negotiation; sectional pride and feeling
carried the day with thousands Of men
who had no sympathy with secession: no
respect for its leaders; men who really
loved the fag and hated to leave il. Lee
Bragg. Longs,reet and Joe Johnston. Il is
well known, never stimulated but dis.
Outraged secession as . causeless and fool.
ish act; but Lee went with his corn fields.
ho stoou up WIN ass staAe mere ols family
estates existed. where his dead were
buried. To break down the resistance NJ
such men as Bragg, Lee. Lonest-eet and
Joe Johnston ana sweep them of their
feet under wave o. popular sect!ons
fury and madness, the real original. eniltv
conspiraiors fired on Sumter and for ,he,,
fell purpose II was the most effective thing
they could have done. The Consequence.
Of that shot were that the hes. men. thu
hes, blood Of the South. that really .hru,t
from secession and shuddered a, war
were drawn into Us whirlpool.
The men who really inspired armad
secession and conspired for its execu,jo,
were Ysncey, Toomhs, Slidell and Wig.
fall. YaEcey. the ables, intellect Of them
ali, swept Alahama and Mississippi with
his eloqueuce: Toomhs overcame STEPHENS
in Georgia Then these bold. enerse.ic
executors of the conspiracy cred on sum.
ter. and Virginia and North Carolina a.
once left the Union. The credit of all this
eudscity was not due 10 Davis at all. who
was elected president only because be had
been educated 50 a soldier. Otherwise
Toombs or Cobb would have been taken.
Lee. Johnston. Brag-. Heth, Field. Long
street and thousands like them. who were
not responsible for secession Or tie war,