The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-26

The WHY Secretary of State assured
them that the Government had not re.
ceded from his promise. On April :
Mr. Seward sent them this message;
Faith as to Sumter fully kept; walt
and see"
His war fleet was already on the high
seas, their black prows pointed south
ward, their l20 guns shot;ed their battle
flags Streaming IN the sky,
Llncoln's sense of personal honor was
' too keen TO permit this crooked piece -!
diplomacy to stain the opening of his
Administration. He despatched a spe-
. cial messenger to the Governor Of South
/ Carolina and gave notice of his purpose
! 10 use force If opposed in his intention
/ Of supplying Fort Sumter.
ON the eve of the day the fleet was
scheduled to arrive this notice was de-
! livered But a storm at sea had de-
! lay,d the expedition and Beauregard
asked the President Of ;he Confederacy
for instructions.
HIS Cabinet was called. and it's opin-
ion was unanimous that Fort Sumter
must lie reduced or the Confederaoy
dissolved. There was no choice.
Their President arose, his drawn face
deadly pale:
Il agree with you, gentlemen. The
order Of the sailing of the fleet was d
declaration Of war, The responsibility
is on their shoulders. not ours. To jug
Gle for position as To who shall frc the
first gun in such an hour is unworthy
Of a great people and their cause. \
deadly weapon has been aimed a, uuI
! heart only foo would wait until tn,
shot has been fired. The assault has
already been made. 1t is of no impor-
lance who shall strike the first blow
or fire the first gun
With quick decision he seized his pen
and wrote the order for the reduction
Of Fort Sumter.
The first aggressive act of the presl-
dent Of the ConfederaCy revealed his
al, ri and far seeing mind. His keen
eye was bent upon the sea, with ar
instructive appreciation of the tremen-
dous import of the long Southern Nast
line.
Without a ship afioat or a single navy
yard, by "A stroke of his pen he created
a fleet destined To sweep the cOmmerc,
Of the NORTH from every sea His tasl
was to create something out Of nothinl
and how well he did it events swiftly
bore their testimony
1 The United States Government wal
the only nation which had refused t,
Join the agreement To abandon the us'
Iof letters of marque and reprisal FOL
destroying the unarmed vessels OF com
merce in time of war. This unfortu
nate piece of diplomacy gave jefferson
Davis the opportunity To strike his frs
blow AT the power and prestige of th'
North.
He Immediately issued a proclamation
Offering TO issue such letters To an,
ship that would arm herself and enis
under the ensign of the Confederate
navy, The response was quick and th'
ultimate result the lowering Of the iiai
Of the Union from practically ever,
ship Of commerce that sailed the ocean
AT Bull Run the victory OF the SouU
was complete and overwhelming. JET
ferson Davis breathed a sigh of relic
for deliVcrance. within two hours h
knew that this victory had not bee
won by superior generalship Of his com
handing officers. They had been out
wittod at every turn and ovcrwhclmo
hy the plan Of battle their willy foe ha
forced upon them. II had not been W"
hy the superior courage of his men u
the battle which RACED from sunr. :
until o'clock. The broken and dis
organized lines If the South and III
panic stricken mob he had met on IN