The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-01

opinion nor wavering policy that WITH
held Northern coercion. sumter was no.
relieved for the very cogent reason ,na'
the North lacked power to relieve lt.
The adroitness with which the WASH
ington Government forced the Conled-
crates TO commit the first overt act Oh
war by firing on Sumter was master
stroke of policy on which no historian
has yet laid proper stress fresiueh'
Lincoln and his advisers were well aware
that public opinion at the North tfelhpieu
in the balance as to whether the secedlhs
States should be invaded and coerceo OF
allowed to assert their independence as
they were determined to do. While oeht
on carrying out their policy OF coercion
the Federal leaders were astute enough
to know that they would have the soma
North at their back the moment that tue
Copfederates could be made 10 appear
the ageressors. Hence the Stunning, the
duplicity. the apparent vacillation resort
ed to at Washington
IT was most unfortunate for southern
Independenceu that the war opened by an
attack on a Federal fort. ON the stars
and stripes. There is little reason or dls-
elimination in public opinion especially
in such times as those. Carried away by
excitement the North saw little diner
enca between an effort of South Carolina
"a regain few acres of her territory and
an attempt to take Washington or New
York.
Had the war at the very beginning as
sumed the uneQuivocal form OF IN ihVa-
sion of Southern territory-had south
Carolina been invaded In April III tue
same manner that Virginia was IN July,
then the map of the Confederacy woula
have to be remade. And in all likelhood
Richmond would today be the capital OF
a great nation undevastated by war, I'M
Inundated by defeat. For mad the war
so begun Southern sympathy would nave
been so overwhelming in Maryland, Ten
nessee. Kentucky and Missouri that those
states would almost surely have arrayed
themselves under the Southern instead
of largely under the Northern banner.
This TOO takes no account of the changed
sentiment that would have more or
loss largely resulted throughout the
whole North Reinforced by the hundreds
Of thousands of Marylanders Tennessee
ans. Kentuckians and Missourians VINO
finally took the Northern side, the South
ern bayonets, more than once within a
st,.ne.s tthrw of independence, coul".
scarcely have failed to have accomplished
that glorious achievement.
So much for the attitude and action OF
the North. Now as to the precipitation
of the South in naugurating war. me
Southern leaders could not have known
the state of Northern opinion as the
Northern leaders did. Even had Presl-
dent Davis known all that his opponents
did he could not have acted with the de-
liberia ton that they did. The South was
the weaker power. 1t is one OF the
tritest of military maxims that ire
weaker power that allows its stronger
opponent to choose the time and point OF
attack is doomed. The weaker power
must make UP in energy what it lacks in
strength. Above all it must forestall the
blows of the stronger
The Southern Government after repeat
ed assurances that the status at Sumter
would not be changed, was suddenly IN
formed that supplies, but supplies alone
would be thrown in the fort. The orders
to the naval officers were to throw the
supplies in peacefully il possible, but II
fired upon to use the entire force at their
command to force an entrance. 1t was
we'll known in Charleston and Mont
comery that a strong Nsrthern feet had
lust put to sea and that Charleston was
it's objective In view Of the duplicity or
the North the assertion that only sup
plies and not achievements would be
thrown into Sumter. and that no attack
on the Confederate works was contem-
plated, was not considered worthy OF
credence.
By April 10th several Of the hostile
ships had appeared in the offing. More
were Fastening to join them. Major An
derson, who had repeatedly been offered
the privilege of evacuating the fort with
all the honors of war, was now summoned
to surrender He refused. Sumter was
reduced The South seemed the agrees
sor. The Northern heart hardened just
as President Lincoln or his shrewder adj
visers knew that it would harden. Then
indeed did the conflict become irrepressi-
bic. Northern fanaticism had soWn the
wind. 1t was left for Southern patriotism
to reap the whirlwind
o. w. BLACKNALL.
Kittrell, n. c.
N paca Of cOurh nr orO1ln Spiyo the