The Carolina Spartan. (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, May 09, 1861, Image 2
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JRauk*. Law and Equity, continually on hand,
tor printed to ardor.
. Adreniseiaeati iusert ' at the asutl rates
Tu Spabtui ?iaeuL tea largely e?er this and
to^iolning districts, and offers an admirable mow
sHum to our friends Lo ..Ku customers.
Confederate States* Army Bill.
As our State troops are being transferred
to the amy of the Confederate |
^States, we publish the oriuy bill ptntacd
'by the Southern Congress, for their in for-;
hunt ion :
TAn not to raise Provisional Foroes for the
Confederate States of America, and for
other purposes
_ 'SkO. 1. The Conyw of the Confederate
Statu nf America do enwt, That to enable
the Government of the Confederate States
to uiainlaiu its jurisdiction over questions
of peace and war, and lo provide for the
public defence, the President be, and
he is hereby, authorised and directed to
assume control of all military operations
in every State having referenee to or connected
Willi oliestions between Kxiil States
or any ot litem, uiiJ powers iorcqgo to
theui.
StC. 2. And be it further cuartrd, 'I'llat
.he President is hereby authorized to re
cci.ve iroui the several States he arms,
and munitions ot war which have been acquired
truiu the (Jolted States, and which
are now in the torts, arsenals and navy
yards of the said States, and all other arms
and inuuitiona which they may desire to :
turu over and make chargeable to this Goveminent.
Sec. 3. Be it furt >>r enacted, That the !
President be authoii-co to reueive into the '
service of this Goveruuieut swell force*
now in the service ot said States us may
be tendered, or who may volunteer by consent
ot their State, in sneli numbers us he
may require, tor any time not loss than
.twelve months, unless sootier discharged.
Sec. 4. .4m/ be it fartlvr eiuirted Th t
such forces may bo received with their olh.oers
by companies, battalions or regiment-,
:?ud when so received shall form a part ol
the provisional army ot the Confederate j
States, according to the terms of their en- j
listment, and thPresident shall ap|>oint, |
ouid with the advice and consent ol Congress,
sueli general >>tiicei or otiicers for said forces,
as may lie necessary tor the service.
Sec. 5. And br. it further rnartrd, That
said loree?,whon received into the service of!
.this Go* eminent, shall have the s iiue pay '
;and allowances as mat be provided by law
.for volunteers entering the service, or for
the army ot the Confederate States, and
..shall be subject to the sauic rules and Gov
.eminent
Cairo, Illinois.
Ti e Memj.lus li'dlrtm had the following
paragraph in relation to the state ot aihiiis
ut Cairo Illinois the place that the Lm
OjJn govv riuueot has chosen as a base of
operation ft:
' The people of Cairo arc leaving the
(lace as rap di\ as poah.c Indcud it is
.ao>< tuosi of the . oii.en and children have
.already e the city Ttiey .do not sympathise
wi<h > iiicion and his army, but are
o vera Wed by the millitary. There was said
to be about 1 G ) soldiers at Cairo when
itlie ('toy Eoyle eft. m il.ey were null,
jiog .u n vcr .aill i he otli era ol the
(jrrt/ ii ',, e ? ? r?*| o f great excitement at
1'a.lnejh on ucc ?unf vf the military occupation
.if ( uiro Ei.lit com (in ii i .s, r. u niliering
about 1 G j uicn, an ;U cud) under
drill, and awaiting arms, winch they
lia i s o. Col. Tiighntan to .-!t l.ouis to purpose,
anO which Were ejected on yesler duy.
They ur anxious to march to Cairo
jind have alrca ly received intonation Irmu
tlnr y-tw co into8 iu South U no a to (lie
<effect 'hat if ihe j? opl oi . uducah will
tniike a ih ii.onstratiini upon Cairo, they
will coiipAiatte with thent, and tear up the
railroad end tmile-work, so as to prevent
the congr garion of any .mote troops there, j
L he olticcrs of the January. oiwerver n
-large gun in position at Columbus, Ky.,
and u Sourhem flag flying nour by, I rum
which they iuferiel ihut the people at that
point wore alive to their duty and their
jiositioH."
The Mew Orleans Drlta, speaking of the
^pos^ossion of Cairo, ?uys :
"Geography has made Cairo a strategi cal
position of the very utmost eonaequc e.
Jt is the key to the upper, us Hew Qrjcans
land the luikc and li&lu'.e are Che key to
?the lower Mis*L'<frppi. It can blockade St.
Louis on itb.- one jiand and Louisville on
<?hc.other ; while, if in the possession of a
vOOflsiduruble loree possessing he ivy ortduanoc,
and command ng the raur ail
tieadiugsimrh of that point,-it would menace
tthe city of Memphis and open the way for i
iu.JI -* -
... ... .dump; uruij; w luaac war ai? uiivano- ,
cd po t of occupation. It is not pleasant to
comtcmplate such a possibility iiut it is I
good policy to luce it fairly, if we would d?- j
feat it effectually. It is never safe to trust :
to the Hesitation, ignorance, or negligence
?of the enemy. Fortune is on the side of
the vigilant. The best corse and tlie
bravest defence cannot with impunity abuse
the favor of Providence. A wise generalship,
out of abundunt prudence, will always
assume th t the enemy will make the most i
of his opportunities, and that whutevur ad- i
-vantage it is possible for him to accomplish
he will not tail to realihxe.
Mioratino.?-VVe understand, says the
Memphis Avalanche, of the 20th, that du- i
ring the last two weeks about two thousand 1
Northern citizens liuvo left this city for u 1
more congeninl clinio. About three hun- I
dred left yusterduy on the Glcndalc. More i
are packing up thoir duds and prcpuring 1
to emigrate for the Black Itepublican Gov- I
eminent.- ^WriVr. i
i--'
HER.
I ^ .1 ?"v ?r. ^ ..*- - *-J*~ ..? .* . -1
MK.ASSGE
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Gentltnien ?/ the (Jotigms:
It is my pleasing duty to announce to
yvu thut the Constitution framed fer the
establishment of a permanent gee em ui cut
; for tlie Confederate States has been ratified
1 by Conventions is each of thoso States to
whioh it was referred; To inaugurate the
i government in its full proportions and
upon its own substantial busts of the popular
will, it only remains that elections
; should be held for the designation of the
officers to adminibter it.
There is even reason to bclicvo that at
no distant day other Suit's identified in
I political principles and community of interest*
with these which you represent, will
join this Cot. lode racy ; giving to its typical
constellation increased splcudcr?to its
government of free, equal and sovereign
States a wider >phere of usefulness. and to
the friends of Constitutional iibery a greater
security fur its hurujuuious and perpetual
existence.
It was not, however, for the purpose of
making this announcement that I haw
deemed it my duty to convo c you ut an j
earlier day than that fixed b\ yourselves i
for vour ui.-etinir. The declaration of war i
made against this Confederacy by Abraham
Lincoln, the President ot the United
Suites, iu his l'roelamillion issued oo the
filteenth day oiihe present inunth, rendered
it necessary in tuy judgment that you
whould convene at the cuxlie&t practicable
moment, t devise the measures necessary
ibi t e defence of the country
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary
one. It justifies me in a brief review ot
the relations heretofore existing between
us and the States which uow unite in wa.?lare
against us, and iu u succinct statement
of the events whieh have resulted in this
wariarej to the end that mankind may
pass intelligent and impartial judgment
on its motives un,l objects.
During th war waged against Great Britain
by her colonics on this continent, a
common danger impelled them to a close
alliance, and u> the formation of a Confederutiou,
by the terms of which ilu-colonies,
styling themselves Stutes, entered " twr<illy
into a linn league ot friendship with
each other for their common defence., the
security of their liberties, und their uiu uul
aud general welfare, binding tlrouiselves
to assist each other against all force ottered i
to or attacks made upon them or any ot
them, on account of religion, sovereignty,
trade or any other pretence whatever."
in order to gard againsany inisc nstruction
of their contract, the several States
made explicit de larution, in a distinct,
article, tiiat * each States retaint its sovereignty,
freedom aud independence, und
every power, jurisdiction und right which
is not by this Confederation expretM'y i/eleijate.il
to the United States in Congress as
that all these carefully winded ehtu-es prov- 1
ed unavailing to prevent the rise and growth
in the Noi them States of politic-ill school ii
which has persistently claimed that the . a
liovern ment th unformed was not u compact \
between States but was in effect a National a
Government set up abuve and over the i
States. An organization, created by the t
Stat a to secure the blessings of liberty and \
independence against for* ijn aggression has *
been gradually perverted into u machine ?
Tor their control in their tfaiiwstic affairs? | f|
the rrcnfnr has been exalted above its ova- ti
I WUIUIOU.
Under this contract of alliance, the war
I of the Revolution was successfully wared
. n I resulted ill the treaty of peace with
Lix at Britain 1785i, by theteruisoi which
tlie several States ware, each by name,
rc .ionised to be iudependelit.
The articles oi confederation contained
a clause whereby ull alterations were pro
hibited, unless eonfiruied by the Legislature
of every State, after being agreed to
| by the Congress, and in obedi n e to this
provis ons undoi the rosolu ion of Congress
of the 2Jst F bruary, 1787 the scverul
States appointed delegates who utie ided
a Ciinvi ntion "for the sole and express
purjsi-c ol revising llu: artiules ot "uiilctlc- j
cation., tad reporting to Coiigre s, and the i
several Legislatures such alterations and !
provis oils thoroin as shall when agreed to i
ill Congress, an t confirm' >1 by the Stat* *, \
rendered the Fedoigl Constitution ade- |
ijitato to the exigencies ol government and
the ; ese vat ion of the I' nion."
it w.is by the delegates chosen by the
troerat .States un le.r the resolution just
i.)noted, that the Co'iSlitatton ol .he 1'uited
Slutis was Iiamod in 1787, an submitted
to tlie seorrat .States, for ratification, as
shewn by the 7th article, which is in these
words:
" the ratificat ion of the Convention of
nine States, shall be sufficient for the establishment
of this Constitution hktwkkn
the States, so ratifvinir the same."
I have '(Italicised Certain words in the
quotations just made, lor tin* purpose of
attracting attention to singular and lutrked
caution with which the States endeavored,
in every possible i'onu, to exclude the idea
that the sejrerute and independent sovereignty
ot each State was merged into one common
government au 1 nation; and the earliest
desire they evanced to impress on the
Constitution its true c.iuactcr?that ol a
cumjmct hktwkkn independent States.
Xhe Constitution of 17*7 having, however,
omitted the clause already recited
troiu the articles of Confederation, which
provided, in explicit terms,.that each State i
reluined its sovereignty and independence i
soiue alarm was felt in the States when in- i
vited to ratify the Constitution, lest this i
omission should be oonsiruedjuto abandon <
ment of their cherished principle, and they I
refused to be satisfied until a mend merits i
were added to the Constitution, placing in.- i
yond any pretence of dooht the reservation i
by the States, of all their Sovereign right* i
and powers?not cxpresly delegated tu the I
United States by the Constitution.* |
St-ange indeed must kupper to the im- 1
partial ubsi rver, hut it is none the less true. 1
V- .?\i I
*
gevoted to ?outiu
SPARTANBURG
ioro; tb? prtnriplat have bcc? made subor- (
dlnatc to the oyent appointed bv them- I
acta*.
The peopl e of the Southern States, whose
a) most exclusive occupation was agriculture,
early perceived a tendency in the Northern
States to render the common Government
subservient to their own purposes, by imposing
burthens on commerce as a protection
to their manufacturing and shipping interests.
Long and angry controversy grew
out of these attempts, often successful, to
bonufk one section of the country at the
expense of the other. And the dunger of
disruption arising from this cause was enhanced
by the fact that the Northern
population was increased by immigration
and othrr causes in a greater ratio than
the populatioh of the South. By degrees us
he Northern States gained preponderance
in the National Congress, self interest
taught their peopla to yield ready assent to
any plausible advocacy of thoir right as
majority to govern the minority without
control: they leuru to listen with impatience
to the suggestion of any constitutional impediment
to the exercise of their will; and
so uttcr.y have the principles of the Constitution
been corrupted in <hc Northern
m n I that in the inaugural address delivered
by resident Lincoln in March last,
he asserts us an axiom which lie plainly
deems to he undeniable, that t' e theory of
tbo Constitution requires that in all eases
the majority shall govern; and in another
memorable instance, (lie same Chief Magistrate
did'uot hesitate to liken the relations
between a State and the United States to
those which exist between a country and
the State in which it is situated and by
which it was created. This is the lamentable
and fundamental error on which rests
the policy that has culminated in his declaration
of war against these Confederate
States.
lu addition to the long continued and
deep seated resentment i'elt by the Southern
Suites at the persistent abuse of the
powers they had delegated to the Congress,
for the purpose of enriching the manufacturing
and shipping classes of the North
at the expense of the South, there Las existed
for nearly half a century another subject
of discord, involving interests vfsuch
trausuvudixtt uiagni'ud". as at ail times to
create the apprehension in the minds ol
many devoted Fevers of the Uuiau, that its
permanence was impossible.
When tin; several States delegated certain
powers to the l.'nited Status Congress,
a large portion of the laboring population
consisted of African slaves imported into
the colonics by the mother country. Iu
twelve out of the thirteen States, negro
slavery existed, und the light of property
iri*slave* was prt.ctel by law. Tl?i^pr'?
perty was recognised in the Constitution,
und provision was made against its loss by
the escape of the slave. The incrca e in
the number of slaves by further importation
from Africa .was also secured *y a
clause forbidding Congress to prohibit the
slave trade anterior to a certain date ; ami
in no clause can there he found any delegation
of power to the Congress autlioriz
ing it in uny manner to legislate to the
prejudice, detriment ot discouragement ol
the owners of that species of property, or
excluding it iroui the protection of the
guvcrtuncut.
The ,clnuate and soil of the Northern ;
States soon proved unpropitious to-thecoiitiiiuance
ot slave labor, whilst 'ho eon verse
was the ease at i'ye Smth. L'nder the unrestricted
free iirteiA-ourae Lctwoeu i-he two
sections, die Northern States consulted
their own interest by seltiuj their slaves
to the South, and prohihiiiug slavery within
tlie'r limits. The South were willing
purchasers of a property suitable to their
wants, and pai l the price of thu acquisition
without harboring a suspicion that
tbeir quiet possession was to bo disturbed
by those who were inhibited, not only by
want of constitutional authority, but hj
good faith as vendors, Irmn disquieting a
title euiaiiatiiig from themselves.
As soon, however, a> the Northern States
that prohibited African slavery within
their limits had reached a number sutlicicut
to give their representative* a controlling
voice in the Congress, a per.- istcnt and
organized system ot hostile measures
against the lights of the owners of slaves
in the Southern States was inaugurated and
gradually extended. A continuous series
of uiiu.->urcs was diviscd und prosecute J lor
the purpose of rendering insecure the ten
uro ol property iu slaves; fanatical organisations,
supplied with money by voluntarv
subscriptions, were ussiduoiul* engaged in
inciting among the slaves a spirit ot discontent
and revolt; means were furnished
for their oiuipe lioiu their owners, and
agents seureotly employed to entice them
to abscond ; the constitutional provision
f??r their rendition to their owners was Hist
evaded, .thou openly denounced us u viola
lion of conscientious obligation and rclig
ious duty ; men were taught that it was a
inert, to elude, disobey and violently oppose
the execution of the laws enacted toscourc
tli performance of the promise contained L
in the constitutional compuut; owners oly
staved were mobbed, and even murdered in
Open .day, sokujy tor applying to a magistrate
lor the arrest nl a fugitive slave ; the
Joginas ot lln se .voluntary organization*
iooii obtained control of the legislatures of
many ot .the Northern States, and lawwere
passed providing for the punishment
jy ruinous lines and long e iiitintu'd mi
jlisoninelit in jails and penitentiaries, of
ntizcns of Southern -Slates whordioul 1 dare
o ask aid of the officers oi lire law tor the
e .overy of their property.
Kin oldened by success, the theatre of
igitation against the clearly expressed contitutionaj
rights of the Southern Stales
van transferred to the Congress; Senators '
aid Representatives were sent to the coin- :
lion councils of the nation, whoso chief ' 1
itle to this distinction consisted in the <iis- ' ;
iluy oi u spirit of ultra fanaticism, and
rhoso business was, not to 'promote the
;cncral wellare or ensure doiuostio tran-1 1
pulley,' but to awaken the bitterest hi'red I i
gainst citizen? of sister States by violent1 1
' V. , ,
jINJ
xu ??olitwji, ^grlrull
\, S. C., THTJRSD
denunciation of their institutions; the
trunsuction uf niiLlii? nlPiir* inmniliJ
by repeated efforts to usurp powers not delegated
by the Constitution, for tho purpose
of impairing tho security of property in
slav s, and reducing those States which
held slaves to a condition of inferiority.
Finally a great party was organiscd (or
the pur|kuso of obtaining the administration
of the government, with the avowed
object of using its power for the total exclusion
of the sluve Status from all partici
pation 111 the benefits of the public doma-o,
acquired by at! the States in common,
whether by conquest or purchase ; of surrounding
them entirely by Status in which
slavery should be prohibited; of thus rendering
the property in slaves so insecure
as to be comparatively worthless, and thereby
annihilating in elTect property worth
thousands of millions of dollars. This
party, thus organized, succeeded in the
month of November last, in the election of
its candidate for tho Presidency of the
United States.
In the meantime, under the mild and
eenial climate of the Southern States, and
the increasing care and attention for the
well being and comfort of the laboring class,
dictated alike by interest and humanity, the
Alricun slaves had augmented in number
Iroiu about GOO,000, at tiie date ot the
adoption of the constitutional compact, to
upwards of 4,000,000. in moral and social
condition tliey had been elevated from
brutal savages into docile, intelligent and
civilized agricultural laborrcs and supplied
not only with bodily comforts, but with
careful religious instruction.
Under the supervision of a superior race,
?i._ 1.1._i i i
iiicir lauor nuu oceii so directed as not
only to alio* u gradual and marked amelioration
of their own coa lition, but to eon\ert
hundreds o! thuii-ands of square miles
of tho wilderness into cultivated lands,
covered with v. |-mspcrou9 people; towns
and cit es had sprung into existence, and
had rapidly increased in wealth and population
under the social system of the South;
the white population of the Southern slaveholding
States had augmented from about
1,-50,000 at the date of the Constitution,
to more than 8,500,000 in lKGtt; and the
productions of the South in Cotton, Uicc,
Sugar and Tobacco, for the i all development
and Continuance of which the labor
of African slaves was, and is, indispensable,
had swol cn to an amount which termed
nearly three fourths ot the exports of the
whole I'nitcd States, and had In come absolutely
necessary to the wants of civilised
Ull II.
With interests of such overwhelming
magnitude imperi led, the people of the
S iuthcrn States were driven, by the conu;
<?: ?:.t >yrtli,?t. Vie .; Option af-s uic
c n s of action to av rt the danger with
winch they ^Cre openly menaced. With
t is view, the Legislatures ot the several
States invited the people to select Pclegatos
to Conventions to be held for the purpose
of determining for themselves what
measures were best adapted to meet so
alarming a crisis in tU ii history.
Here it may bo proper to observe that
fr.nu a period as early as 17'd?S there had
existed in ul! cf the States of the Union
a party, almost uninterruptedly iu the
majority, base ! upon tbc creed that each
Slate wys, in/he last resort, the sole judge
as well ot its w rougs, as of the mode and
measure ot redress. Indeed, it is obvious,
ihit under the law of nations, this prinoiple
is and axiom as applied to the rcla
tiuiis of iudependeut sovereign Stares such
as those which hid united themselves
under the constitutional compact. The
Democratic party of the United Slates repeated
ill its successful canvass in 185ti,the
Jcclarati n made iu numerous previous
political contests, that it would laitLtuliy
abido by and uphold the principles
laid down in the Kentucky and Virginia
resolutions of 170S, and the report ot Mr.
M;tJi.-ou to tlio \ irgiiiiu Legislature in
17.il) ; and that it adopts those principles
us constituting one cd the uaiu foundations
of its political creed."
The principles thus emphatically announced,
embrace that to which 1 have
already adverted, the right ot each State
to judge of und redress the wrongs ot
which it complains. These principles
were maintained by overwhelming majorities
of the people of ull the Slates of the
Union at different elections of Mr. Jefferson
iu lSO.j, Mr. Malison iu lSUt),
and Mr. l'ierce in lS.'iJ.
In the exorcise of a right so ancient
so well established, and so necessary for
self-preservation, H?e people of the Confederate
states in their Conventions determined
that the wrongs which they were menaced,
required that they should revoke the
delegation of |to crs to the Federal Government
which they had rutili. d in their
several Conventions. They consequently
passed Ordinances, resuming all their,
rights as sovereign and independent States,
and dissolved their connection with the
other States of the L nion.
lluving do e this, they proceeded to
tprai a new couipaet amongst themselves,
>y new Articles of Con federation, of the
which an approach to iinuimity lar exced.11.
that ol tlie eouveiition which adopted
the new government m all us departments;
ihu functions uf the Kxccutivc, Legislative,
and Judical .Magistrates are performed in
accordance with ihe vill ot tlie people as
displayed, not niei iy ii. a checiful ae
quiescence, toil in toe rnlnii->i istic support
ol (lie government thtfs established hy
themselves; uud but lor the interference
of the Government of the I nited States
in this legitimate exercisa ol the right ot
a people to sulf-got eminent, peace, happiness
and prosperity would now-mile on our
laud.
That peace is ardently desired hy this
Government and people, has heen matiilcsad
in ovry possible liu in. Scarce had you
assembled in F hniary last, when, prior even
to the iliuugiiratiou of the I 'liicf .Mugistiute
V'OU had elected. Volt nassml ; ? ?<>l?fi.?>
9 ~ c ' * ,r W ??vw*-.V?l
jxprc&Mve of your desire lor the uppoiuU
nocnt of couinjinsioiirrs to he >?crtt to the
iovorumcut of the I nit d States "lor the
' >?e?
I SP
? i " ' ' ? ! . ?y* 1 "
tow, ??4 ptewthiag.
AY, MAY $4 1861.
BHBOaOMBIHMaiMMi
purposed of negotiating fricdoly relations
betwocn that Governmoot und the Confederate
Stutes of America, and for tbe settlement
of all question of disagreement between
the two Government upon principles
of right, justice, equity and good faith.
n was my pleasure as well as my duty,
to eo-operate with you in this work of
peace. Indeed, in tny address to yoa ou
taking the oath of office, and before receiving
from you tho communication, of
this resolution, 1 hud said, "us a necessity,
not a choice, we huvo resorted to the remedy
of scperution, and henceforth our energies
must be directed to the conduct ot our
own affairs and the perpetuity of the Coof'oderacy
which we have formed. It a
just perception of mutual interest shall
permit us peaceably to pursue our separate
political cure,, my most earnest desire
will have been lilted.
It was in furtherance of this accordant
views of the Congress and the Executive,
that I made choice ot three discreet, able
and distiuguiscd citizeus, who repaired to
Washington. Aided by their cordial cooperation,
and that of the Secretary cf
State, every effort compatible with selfrespect
and the dignity of the Confederacy
was exhausted before 1 allowed myself to
yield to the conviction that the government
I ot the 1 nited States was determined t ?
attempt the conquest of this people, ami
that our cherished hopes of peace were
' unattainable.
I tho arrival of our Commissioners
in Washington, on the 0th .March, they
proposed, at the instigation of a friendly
intermediary, doing more than giving informal
notice of their arrival. 'Ibis was
dutio with a view to afford time to the
l'rofcitlciit, who bad just been inaugurated,
for the discharge ?f other pressing official
duties in the organization of his Admiiiis
nation, before engaging bis attention in
j the object of their mission. It was not
, until the l'Jlh of the month that they of
' ficiully uddresseu the Secretory of State.
informing !iiui of the purpose o! their urrii
val, and stating iu the language of their
instructions their wish "to xuakc to the
government of the I'nited Suites overtures
for the opening of negotiations, assuring
the government of the I nited States, that
: the President, Congress and people of the
! Confederate States earnest!}- desire a peace\
ful solution of these great questions;
that it is neither their interest nor their
wish to make* any demand which is not
founded on strictest justice, nor do any act
to injure their late coutederates."
To this communication no formal reply
was received until the 8th April During
the interval the Commissioners had consented
to waive all questions of form.
"\?1. the t..i.i .v.-aDe to uv .1 war if
siblc, they went so fort even, as to hold,
during that long period, unofficial inter
course, through nu intermediary, whoa*
high position uii-1 character inspired the
hope of success, uud through whom conslant
assurances were received froui the
Government of the I'nilcd States of peaceful
intentions ; of the determination to
evacuate Port Sumter; and further, that
no measure cbui ging tic existing stutiu
prejudicially to the Confederate Status, especially
at Fort Pickens, was iu contcm1
plation, hut t'u t iu the event of any change
of iutcution on the subject, notice would
be given to the Comuiissiouers. The
j crooked paths ot diplomacy can scarcely
; furnish an example so wanting in courtesy,
I iutairuees iu candor, and d>rict:ies?, su
was the course ot the I nited States Government
towards our Coiuuiissiooets at
Washington. Par proof of this I refer t??
the annexed documents, inurked?, taken
in oouuectiuti. with further facts which 1
now proceed to relate :
Karly in April the attention of the whole
country, as well asthatofour Commissioners,
was attracted to extraordinary prcpaI
rations for on cxlcii.-ivc military and naval
! CX>i'*dition ill New Wirt rmil
, r r...?
These preparations commenced iu secrecy,
lor an expedition who.-e destination was
| concealed, ouly became known when nearly
completed, and 011 the Olh, 6th and 7th
April, transports and vessels of war, with
troops, munitions and military supplies,
sailed from Northern j,ort-> bound South*
wards. Alarmed by so extraordinary a
demonstration, tho Commissioners retju? sted
the delivery ul au answer to their oifici.l
communication ol the l^tli March, und
thereupon received, on the 8th April, a
reply dated on the U.oth of the ptevious
mouth, from which it appears that, during
the whole interval, whnst the Cotumissioti,
ors were receiving assurances calculated to
inspire hope of the success of their mission,
j the Secretary ol Stale and tho President
of the ( nitcd Suites had determined to
' hold no intercourse with thcra whatever:
[ to refuse even to listen to any proposals
1 they had to tuakc, and had protited by the
1 de ay created by their own assurances, iu
j order to prepare secretly tho means lor ef!
fcctivc hostile operations.
That these assurances were given, has
1 been virtually confessed by the (Jovern,
incut of the L pi ted States by its sending a
messenger to f'UwIeston, to gi*e notioe ol
its purpose, to use force, if opposed in its
intention of supplying Fort Sumter. No
more striking j roof of the absence of good
i laiih in the conduct of the Cover mi cut of
the I'nitcd Stutes towards tho Conledeiacy
'mii he required than is contained in the
circumstai c - which accoiiipMited this nonce.
According to the u*ual course ol
navigatu it, the ves.scU composing thecxpetlUioii
design for the relief of i'ort Sumter,
might he expected to reach Charleston
harbor on the Dili of April; yet with our
, Commissioners actually in Washington,
detained under assurances that notice
jshould be given of any military movement,
the notice was not addressed to them, but a
messenger was sent to Charleston to give
itiii . . .1... i? ? - -? >- -? d
> >? mu?iv< iv# uiu uuti-iu?r ui nuuill V iU'Olilia,
and I ho notice wart ito givou at a late
j hoar oil the Sth Ajirtl, the eve 01 the very
day on which the Meet aii^ht be expected
to arrive.
That the mameuvrc luilod in its, purpose
was not the t'auit ol those who coutrivea it.
-
.< *. ft T- ' *>
. . " ' ' -V** V
! A W7 ttmp&t ieUjrtd ti?o arrival ot lUef
| cxpcuitKNi, xwd g<ur? i^nio to the oonimaa{
der of oar fureea at Charleston to ntk and
receive flic instructions of Chisgoturntucut.
Kven theu, under ell the provocation incident
to the contemptuous refusal to listen
to our Commissioncra, uud the toituoos
coarse of the Government of the United
States, 1 van sinocrelv anxious to avoid the
effusion of blood, and directed a proposal to
be u:ade to tlie commander of Fort Suditcr,
who had avowed himself to bo nearly out
of provisions, that wo woutd abstain from
directing our fiie on Fort Suuiter if he
would promise not to open fire on our forces
unless first attacked. This proposal was
refused, and the conclusion was reached
that tho design of the United States was to
place the besieging foioc at Charleston, between
the siiuul.leueotfs fire of the fleet and
the loii. There remained, thecal una, no
alternative but to direct that the fort should
at onoe be reduced.
This order was executed by Gen. Beaureg
<rd with the skill and success which were
naturally to bo expect-4 from the character
of that gallant officer] and, although the
bombardment lasted but thirty-three hours,
our flag did not waive over its battered
walls until alter the arrival of the hostile
fie t o'i Charleston. Fortunately not u life
e o i lost on our side, aud we were gratified
in icing spared the necessity of a useless
I effudou of Hood by the pro lent caution
I ? ~<r. ~i ' * -* "
v. iu> u.uwid mm cuiumauuea lun noct, in
absta ning from the evidently futile effort
to enter the harbor for the relief of Major
Anderson. I refer to the report of the
Secretary of \y?r at.'! thu papers which
a'company it for further detail* of this,
brilliant affair.
In thiii connection I cannot refrain from
a well-deserved tribute to the poblc JState,
t the ettiincnt solfuriy qualities #f whuoc'
pe .pie wcie so conspicuuu Jy displayed in
the port of Charleston, l-'or months tliey
had beeu irritated by the spectacle of a
furtre.-a held within theirprjiuiipal harbor,
us a standing iu?noac against their pcuco
and independence. IJuilt in part with
their own money, its custody confided with
their own consent loan agent who held no
power over them other than such as they
hud themselves delegated for their own
benefit, intended to bo used by that agent
for their own pruUction against foreign attack,
they saw it held with persistent tena
-ity as a means of oficncs against thcui
L?V the very Government which they had
enta li.-hed for their protection
They had beleaguered it for months?
felt entire confidence in their power to capture
it?yet yielded to tho requirements of
dis-eijdine, curbed their impatience, submitted
without complaint to the uuaccos'
lubied !uu(b'uip?, luooia ai.u privations of"
a protracted siege; and when at lcpgth
their )>mtience was rewarded by the signal
for attack, and success had crowned their
steady and gallant conduct?even in the
very niomeut of triumph?they evinced a
chivalrous regard for tho feelings of tfie
brave but unfortunate - f5ccr who had been
ootnpcllcd to lower his flag. All manifestations
of exultation were checked in his
presence.
Their commanding general, with their
cordial approval and tin consent of his government)
refrained from imposing any
t r.i;s that would wound the sensibilities of
the commander of the fuijt. lie w.g-J permitted
to retire w'.'ii tl.e honors of war?
to saluto his flog, to depart fr<vly with ail
his command, and was escorted to toe vessel
in which he embarked, with tho highest
in.irk of respect from those against
whom bis pirns h.nl beeu so recently directed.
Not only does every evi nt conuceted
with the siege reflect the highest honor on
^ j i VUIIVII^I
action. 1 satisfactory .insurances
from other of ocr late confederates that
the)' arc on the point of adopting similar
nicusn.es, and 1 cunuot doubt that ere yoy
shall have been many weeks is uessicu, the
whole of the slavehotding {States ef,lhc UVv
Union, w;ll respond to the osli of h^tn^r
and affection, and by uniting their fortune*
with ours, promote our common interest*
and secure our common saft ry.
In the Treasury Department regul^ti ns
have been devised and put into exjoumt'toti
tor carryiug out lbs policy indicated tp
your legislation on the subject of the navigation
of the Mississippi river, ae w?r?l as
fur the collection ot revenue on the trimtier.
I'nc transit has been secured lor
v case Is and merchandise panning through
the Confederate States, and J. lay sad |^<
South Carolina, hut the forb?*?ranoo of her
|v*opl , and ?>f this <iovcrnu.eut, from uiaking
any harsh tuc of a victory obtained
under circumstances of spell j>cculiar provocation,
attc.it to th?* tullest extent the absence
of any purpose bcyoud securing their
own tranquility, and the sincere desire to
avoid the calamities of wur.
Scarcely had the President.of the linked
State* re^uwved intelligence of the failure ,
of the scheme which he had devised* for
I the reinforcement of Fort Sumter, when
he is-ucd the declaration of war against
! this confederacy wjhieji .has .pruu?i?trcl me
' to convoke you, hi this extraordinary
! production, that high functionary ufT cts
I total ignorace of the existence of an independence
Government, which, possessing
the entire and enthusiastic derotiou of its
people, is exercising its functions without
questiou over seven sovereign States?over
more than five millions of people?and
over territory whose ;pea exceeds hall a
million of square miles, lie term sever
' eign States *' combinations, too powerful
: to be suppriscd bytbo ordinary course of
judicial pr codings, or by the powers vested
ip the .marshals by law."
lie calls for an army of ja:.vooty-fiv?
thousand men to act a pos. c comtfnhu in
aid of the process of the courts of justice
in States were no courts exist whore mandates
and decrees are not cheerfully obeyed
and respected by a willing people, lie
avows that " the Jir?t acrvieo to be assigned
to the h.rccs colled out," will be, not
to execute the process .of courts, but to
capture torts and strongholds situated withi'i
the admitted limits of ,tb is ('oufederacy,
and gari isond by its troops ; sad dot lares
! the " this efibrt is intended ** to maintain
tfe perpetuity of popular gOVcrniuotlt,,
He concludes by commanding "the perj
sons composing the combinations aforesaid."
| to wit; the live millions of inhabitants of
| these Stntes, "to retire peaceably to their
| respective abodes within twenty days.1'
Appuicirtiy contradictory as ore the
terms of this singular document, one pOttit
was unmistakably evident. The President
of the United States culled for on artny of
seventy-live thousand men, wU?> first n r
vice was to bo to capture ,oor forts, it was j
a plain declaration uf war, which 1 was:
not at liberty to dituegard, because of my ,
know lodge that under the Constitution ut j
ihc United Sftut en, the 1'ro.auK ut whs usurp-'
ing a power granted exclusively to the Con-i
gTwW. Uc is the sole organ of cotuiuuni
~ " jin
' jib
' l J? J111" -**
,t*re of a. foreign m*m? to wm
n-oirart Una (Jonfederaey. Although |
might have refrained from teVmo ?#t?i
ntear ore* for oar dfcfcnte, if ti?c States ut
the Uiiou had *tt imitated the action td
Virgi ria, Noctn Caiolina, Atfiuw, Koa ^
tock}, 1'cTenoessee, and Mieaotnri, by dm X
nounciug the call for troop* AM an unconstitutional
un*urp*Uon of power to wfaiefc
they refused to respond/jL ?U not at lib r
tr to disregnjrd the fret i^9|njr of tbo
State* seemed quit* oontcnUo submit to
the exercise of the power usrftaicd by the
President of the United Stores, and were
actively engaged in leyj;ng tr?o; * to U
used lor the purpose indicated in the pw
Immtiup.
\ deprived the aid of CopgTees at the
' muuieot, I wa? under the dwjcjsMy of eon,
tining at}' action to a tnH on the State* fej
volunteers iur the common detent, in am
cord u nee with the authority yam bed pom
I tided to me J>cforp yen? adjournment. f.
deciacd U proper further to issue p^yebwnation
inviting application from persons dm
posed to aid our defence in private urinsd
vessels on the sens totbo cud thet prepano
tious might be uiaJc for tho ituuiedlite 'uw
sue of letters of marque and reprisal, which
you alone, under the Cons ituttun, have
power to grant. 1 ootcrtain no doubt yen
will concur with mo in the opinion that in
the uWncc of a fleet of public rewel*, it
will be eminently expedient to supyljr their
place l?y private armed vessels, so happily
styled by the publicists of the Uuilcd States
"the militia of the sea," and so Often and
justly relied on by them as an efficient and
aduiiiable instrument uf defensive warfare..
I earnestly reiuuicnd the immediate passage
of law authorizing me to accept the uuiuo.i
ous proposals already received.
i canuot close this review ot the acts of
the (juvcrniuent of the United States with,
out referring to a proclamation issued by
their President uuaer date of the 19th in,
staut, in which, after declaring that an is*
suircction bus broken out in this Confidr ,
eracy against the (Government of the ( ttb
ted States, he announces a blockade uf aty
the ports of these States, and threatens to
putiish as pirates all persons' who shall mol
lest any vessel oi the United States uudcr
Liters'of marque issued by this Uo>\a iiiiiu
nt. Nothwiti s auding the .avthtiaticity
of this proohm^uoj?, you will concur with
me that it is Lwd to Lclic.ve it could have
I emanated frofp. a President of the Uuited
| States. lU auuounceiuent of a mere pa!
p^r LiucUade is so manifestly a violation of
I the law of n&tiuus, that it \MOu}d accmiur
I crcdihjo that it could hare bvn tawed by
authii ky?but conceding this to be the
cuac so Tar as the Executive is concerned,
it will be difficult to satisfy tho people of
these States that their late confederates
will sanction its declarations, will deter,
mine to ignore the usages of civilized na|
iiocs, and {will inaugurate a war of extewI
inluutiou ou both iides, by treating as pirates,
open enemies acting under the auI
tbority of commissions issued by uu orI
ganiyed Cwvnytont. If such prochma
I uuu was i& uca, it could only hare bet u
published under the sudden influence <?t
pussi. n, and we may rest assured uiankind
wiU be spared tho horrors of the conflict it
seems to invito.
For the detail of the udmin'wtratiou of
the departments, I refer to the reports of
the Secretaries which accompany this
Mejvsogc.
The State Department has jurubdtcd the
necessary ins-ructions for three commissioners
who have becu sent to Fngland,
France, Russia and Belgium, since your
adjournment, to a:.L our recognition as a
member af the family of nations, and to
i make with each of those powers treaties of
amity and commerce- Further steps will
be taken to enter into like negotiation*
with the other European powers in pursuance
of your resolutions passed at the last
session. Sufficient time has net yet clap*
ediir.ee the departure of these Commissioners
for the receipt of intelligence from
them. As 1 deem it desirable that cou.mifr
sinners or other diplomatic agents .should
also bo sent at an early period to the inde.pendent
American powers South of our
Confederacy, with all of whom it is our
interest and earnest wish to maintuiu the
| most cordial aud friendly relations, I suggest
the expediency of making the ncccs|
sary appropriation for that purpose.
Having been officially notified by th*
I ??ui:. .J r.i? ix-.. ...
pwuw ?utnut/uv ui ii,:c r>uuu 0} V lrginiji
| thftt the had withdrawn fKui fX.a In ion,
and dtsirod to maintain the closest political
reLtiuu^ with us which it was possible mi
this .t,une .to establish, 1 commissioned thu
Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, Vicc-Piesident
of the Confederate States, jfc> represent
.this Govtv-Wcrit -t Kichiuiuud. 1 aip
happy to in for ui you that he has concluded
a couvontion with the State of Virginia,by
which that h a* >.cti eftiuniunwcuhb, so long
and ju*t y ii>.inguished among her sister
States, nud so dear to the hearts of than?
^nds of her children in the Confederate
States, has uuitod her power and her fortunes
with ours, and becoming one of wa.
This ConTention, together with thy .prdiuanca
of Virginia, adoptedtng the Provisional
Constitution of the Confederacy, will
he laid Ix/oro vou for t?ur 1