Year: 1870

, Carolina demanding the surrender Oh the
latter fort to the State. The character of
the answer that should be given to the COM
missioners and the question whether Fort
Sumter should be furnished with men and
provisions were discussed for three days,
each day running for into the night.


On the one side it was insisted that the
surrender of the fortress was 80 utterly in
compatible with our plainest duty that the
demand itself was gross insult. To leave
it in condition which would enable rebel
lious citizens to take it if they, pleased was
still worse, for that would be merely On
other mode Of making the surrender, and
O worse one, because it would be fraudulent
and deceptive. Major Anderson should,
therefore, be Immediately so reinforced
that " his castles strength would laugh O
siege to scorn," and then no attack would
be made. This last, instead of being dan
gerous, was the only measure that gave us
chance Of safety; it would not bring on
hostilites, but avert them, and, if war
must come OF all events, the possession Of
Fort Sumter, which commanded the other
forts, the harbor, and the city, would be Of
incalculable value to the Government of
the Union.


To this there was absolutely no answer
except what consisted in saying that the
fort could not be relieved without difficulty
and danger of successful opposition; that
South Carolina would take it as an affront ;
and that it was tantamount to threat Of
coercion. The replication was easily made.
There was no danger of even an attempt at
| resistance to ship-of-war; the statements
made of the hostile power were mere brag
if South Carolina took offence at our pre-
paration for the safety of our own men and
our own property she must already be in O
temper to make reconciliation impossible
and as to coercion, let her take care not to
coerce us, and she would be safe enough.
At length the President produced his de-
cision in the form Of an answer to the COM
missioners. While it was far from salts
factory to the southern members, it filed
US with CONSERVATION and grief.


Then came the desperate struggle Of one
alone to do what oil had failed to effect. 1t
was painful in the extreme, but unexpect-
edly short and decisive. The. President
gave up his first ground-yielded the points
on which he had seemed most tenacious.
The answer to South Carolina was essen
tally changed, and it was agreed that
Fort Sumter should have men and provi-
sions.


| During these discussions Mr.. Stanton was
always true, but the part he took was by
no means leading one. He said many
times that he was there only that I might
have two votes instead of one. On no oc-
casion was there the slightest conflict be-
tween him and me. He exhibited none OF
the coarseaess which some of his later
friends have attributed to him. lie never
spoke withoutthe greatest respect for his
colleagues and the profoundest Difference tc
the President. He said no word to the Pre-
sident about resigning. He told me that he
would resign if l did; but when certain
concessions were made to my wishes he ex.
pressed himself perfectly satisfied. He did
not furnish one atom of the influence which
brought the President round on the answer
to South Carolina. Nor did he ever pro
pose or carry any measure of his own, di-
rectly or Indirectly, relating to the scces-
sion troubles. lie uniformly professed tc
be as anxious for the preservation OF the
public peace as any man there.


1t would be wrong to the memory Of Mr.
Stanton not to add that, so far as l know
he never gave countenance or encourage
ment to those fabulous stories of his bcha-
yior. JEREMIAH ). BLACK.