The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-17

Extracts From The Letter.BoOk Of Cover
nor Ellis for the Years 1859 TO 1857
Action by State Authorities. Under Or
ders Of the Governor, for Protection of
the State
Especial Correspondence)
Messenger Bureau, Park Hotel.
Raleigh, n. c., September L.
The letter book of Governor John W.
Ellis for 1853-61, is all in the hand writ
ing of Graham Dawes. his private Sec
rotary. In 1860 the signs Of war began
to appear. In 1861 the very first letter
recorded, dated January 10th. was
to General John Cowan. of Will
mington, commanding the Third bril-
gade, Sixth division of the state militia,
in the cumbrous old system then in
vogue, and was in these words: 'Cnof-
fetal intelligence has reached this de-
partment that Captain S. D. Thurston,
an officer in your command, has with
his company entered and taken pos
session Of Fort Caswell, the property
of the United States, and now holds the
same against the authority thereof. AS
such a movement of state troops is
without orders from this department
and without the warrant of law you
will at nee require the troops under
Captain Thurston's command to be
withdrawn from said fort and the same
placed in charge Of the United States
who may have been dispossessed. You
will furthermore investigate the facts
connected with this transaction and
report the result to this department.
AS, l regret to hear, you are in delicate
health, you may detail any officer I'M
der your command to execute the fore
going orders in case of your inability
to do so in person."
January 18th the governor wrote Col
onel John L. Cantwell: Hearing this
morning of the extreme illness Of Gen.
eral COwan, 1 herewith transmit to
you a military order which was pre-
pared yesterday for him. I have been
informed unofficially thai Captain
Thurston, of the Smithville Guard, has
with his company, taken possession Of
Fort Caswell and now holds the same.
My informants at the same time in
formed me that Captain ThurstOn is a
gallant officer and was actuated by
patriotic motives as a citizen of North
Carolina in the movement referred to.
This, 1 doubt not, is true, yet in view
Of the relations existing between the
general government and the state Of
North Carolina, there is no authority
in law under existing circumstances for
the occupation of United States forts
situated in this state. I cannot, there
fore, sustain the action Of Captain
Thurston, however patriotic his mo-
tives may have been, and am compelled
by an imperative sense of duty to order
hat Fort Caswell be restored to the
possession of the authorities of the
United States. You will proceed to
Smlthville on the receipt of this COM
munication and communicate order to
Captain Thurston to withdraw his
troops from Fort Caswell. You will
also Investigate and report the facts to-
this department."
January 18th Colonel Cantwell wrote
that he would that morning leave Will
mingtOn- for the fort.
On the same day Governor Ellis wrote
President Buchanan of the seizure of
the fort and added: This popular
outbreak was caused by a report which,,
for the sake of humanity, I hope is not
true, but which is very generally cred
tied, that it was the purpose of the
administration to cOerce the southern
states, and that troops were on their
'"S " Se-J W LIN - IN
to begin the work of our subsection.
Is = 1 most earnestly appeal to you
to strengthen my handS in my efforts
to preserve the public order here, by
'acing it in my power to give public
assurances that no measures Of force
are contemplated towards us. Your
eXcellency will, therefore pardon me
for asking whether the United States
forts will be garrisoned with federal
fyOons 6r1yf,0 vnI1r ~ ~
This question I ask in perfect respect
and with ar earnest desire to prevent
seoue which I know would be
regretted by your excellency as we'll
as by myself. Should I secure assur-
ances that no troops will be sent to
this state prior to the 4th of March
next, then all will be peace n quiet
here and the property of the United
States will be fully protected, as here
tOfore. If, however, 1 am unable to
get such assurances, 1 will not under
take to answer for the consequences.
The forts in this state have long been
unoccupied n their being garrisoned
at this time will unquestionably be
looked upOn as a hostile demonstration
and will in my opinion, be certainly re-
sisted. Believing your excellency to
be sincerely DESTROYS of preserving
peace and preventing the effusion of
blood of your countrymen, I have deem
ed it my duty to yourself as we'll as to
the people of North Carolina, to make
the foregoing inquiry and to acquaint
you with the state of the public mind
in North Carolina"
Under date of January 18th, is a copy
of a letter from j.. Holt, secretary of
war ad interim, (succeeding Floyd, who
| had left and gOn SOUTH, saying: Il
am directed to say in response to your
| inquiry whether it is the purpose of the
president to garrison the forts of North
! Carolina during his administration,
that they, in common with the other
forts, arsenals and public property of
the United States are in the charge of
the president, and that, if assailed, no
matter from what quarter, or under
what pretext, it is his duty to protect
them by all the means the law has
placed at his disposal. 1t is not his
purpose to garrison the forts to which
you refer, at present, because he con
siders them entirely safe, as hereto
fore, under the shelter of the law