The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-02
OF w. H. SEWARD
BROUGHT FIRE ON SUMTER
L. W. Wise Reviews Events and Negotiations
Which Forced Beauregard to Open on
Charleston Fort
negotiations

/ Were anxious to preserve peace.
But when the Star of the
West arrived OFF the harbor, as She
did, on January ., and attempted to
steam up to Fort Sumter with her flag
at her peak, she was fired on by tine
South Carolina batteries and forced to
return. The flag" had thus been fired
on, and 1t did not SO much as create
even ripple of excitement in the
North. They seemed TO look ON it UP
there as q matter of course. SO much
Tor the Buchanan end OF the matter.
Now for the Lincoln end of 1t:
When Lincoln Came to Power.
Mr.. Lincoln was inaugurated March
4, 1861. and though In his inaugural
| ne certainly gave utterance to some
warlike sentiments, when he said tnar
the power confided TO MIN would .be
used to hold, occupy and possess the
property and places belonging to the
government" yet he must have very
quickly changed his mind. or at least
pretended to do so.
For on the 18th OF March, only
eleven days after his inauguration. he
submitted to his Cabinet this ques-
tlon: Assuming 1t TO be possible to
now provision Fort Sumter, under all
the circumstances is 1t wise to at
tempt it," or the seven men of his
advised strongly against it, On that
very day, March Is, when MI. Lincoln
was so advised by his Cabinet, his
Secretary of state, Mr.. Seward. though
no refused 10 receive the peace COM
misioners which the Confederate gov
rnmert had sent to Washington or
have any official intercourse with
them, opened indirect intercourse with
them through Judge John A. Camp
bell ono of tho Justices OF the Su-
preme Court of the United States. and
who earnestly and heartily desired the
preservation and perpetuity OF the
Union.
Promises 10 Evncuutc.
Thus acting through Judge Camp
bell. he gave tho Confederate commits
stoners the positive assurance lnat
Fort Sumter would be evacuated in
n Very few days. Five days after
ward, on March 30 these assurances
were repeated by Mr.. Seward TO tile
commissioners through the same chan
mel. and IN the presence OF another
Justice of the Supreme Court, JudSa
Nelson, Northern man, who had also
been present at the time MIR. Seward
gave his first promises on March 15s4
All these assurances that sumter was
ITO be evacuated We're sent by its
peace commissioners to the Confeder-
ate authorities. Whilst they were
waiting for them to be fulfilled tho
Federal government began secretly
fitting out a large naval expedition
TO resupply Fort sumter The cxpe
dition consisted OF eleven ships some
OF them being armed vessels OF the
navy and others large ocean steamers
loaded with provisions, n,umuuition
etc, and all oe them having together
2,ioo men on hoardSand mounting aS5
guns When rumors of this secret eH-
petition began TO reach the Confcd
crate commissioners at Washington
when they atill acting through Judge
Campbell. wrote 10 Mr.. seward OH
April Z, asking lin whather tho
assurances they had received were
We'll or ill-foundcd. Mr. seward repllasL
IN writing that same day tlsslE
Faith as 10 sumter fully KEPT Watt
and see" Set at that very time tiaA
fleet was on it's way 70 csiarlasldisy
some Of the ships having sailed the
day before H,
sro Be Continually W