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The Correspomlmt bflwern Mr. Seward and
the Caufederale Cemmiswintrs—The Cafe
of War Thrawn Dawn and Accepted, kt.,
ktee.,
The following is the correspondence be
tween the Secretary of State and the Com
missioners from the Confederate States :—
Messrs Yorsyth an<l Crair/ord to Mr. S< w-
ard, opening negotiation* and- staling the
case.
YVasiij \ttT«ui CtTT, March 12, 1861.
H on. Wbo. II. Seward, Secretary of State
of the l nited States : —
Sir—The uinlersigned have been duly
accredited by the government of the Con
federate States of America as Commission
ers to the government of the United States,
and in pursuance of their instructions have
now the honor to acquaint you with that
fact, ami to make known, through you, to
the President of the United States, tiie
objects of their presence in this capital.
Seven States of the late federal Union
having in the exercise of the inherent right
of every free people to change or reform
their political institutions, and through
conventions of their people, withdrawn
from the United States ami resumed the
attributes of sovereigu power delegated to
it, have formed a government of their own.
The Confederate States constitute an inde
pendent nation, de facto and dc jure, and
possess a government perfect in all its parts
and endowed with all the means of self-
support.
With a view to a speedy adjustment of
all questions growing out of this political
separation, upon such terms of amity and
good will as the respective interests, geo
graphical contiguity and future welfare of
the two nations may render necessary, the
undersigned are instructed to make to the
government of the United States overtures
for the opening of negotiations, assuring
the government of the United States that
the President, Congress, aud the people of
the Confederate States earnestly desire a
peaceful solution of these great questions,
that it is neither their interest nor their
■wish to make any demand which is not
founded in strictest justice, nor do any act
to injure their late confederates.
The undersigned have new the honor, in
obedience to the instructions of their gov
eminent, to request you to appoint as ear
ly a day as possible in order that they
may present to the President of the United
States the credentials which they bear
and the objects of the mission with which
tary of State on this occasion not to invite est and ceaseless efforts in behalf of peace
or engage in any discussion of these sub* had beeu futile, aud that the government of
jects, but simply to set forth his reasons the Uuitcd States meant to subjugate them
(br declining to comply with the request of bv force of arms. Whatever may he the
may
result, impartial history will record the iu-
noceace of the government of the Confed
erate States, and place the responsibility
of the blood and mourniugthat may ensue,
upon those who have denied the great
fundamental doctrine of American liberty,
that “governments derive their just pow
ers from the consent of the governed,”
aud who have set naval and land arma
ments in motion to subject the people of
one portion of this land to the will of an
other portion. That that can never be
done while a freeman survives in the Con
federate States to wield a weapon, the an
dersigned appeal to past history to prove.
These military demonstrations against the
people of the seceded States are certainly
far from being in keeping and consitency
cy with the theory of the Secretary of
State, maintained in his memorandum,
that these States are still component parts
of the late American Union, as the under
signed are not aware of any constitutional
power in the President of the United
States to levy war, without the consent of
Congress, upon a foreign people, much
less upon any portion of the people of the
United States.
The undersigned like the Secretary of
called Confederate States, constitute a for i State, have no purpose to “invite or en-
eign Power, with whom diplomatic rela ! gage in discussion” of the subject on which
lions ought to be established. i their two governments are so irreconcilia-
Umler these circumstances the Sccreta- bly at variance. It is this variance that
p.y witli tiie request
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford.
On the fourth of March inst., the then
newly elected President of the United
States, in view of all the facts bearing on
'lie present question, assembled tbe execu
tive administration of the government,
first delivering, in accordance with an ear
ly aud honored custom, an inanguial ad
dress to tbe people of the Uniteu States.
The Secretary of State respectfuly sub
mits a copy of this address to Messrs. For
syth and Crawford.
A simple reference to it will be suffi
cient to satisfy those gentlemen that the
Secretary of State, guided by tbe principles
' therein announced, is prevented altogether
from admitting or assuming that the States
referred to by them have, in law oi in
fact, withdrawn from the Federal Union,
or that they could do so in the manner
described by Messrs. Forsyth and Craw
ford, or in any other manner than with the
consent or concert of the people of the
United States, to he given through a na
tional convention, to be assemble i in con
formity with the provisions of the Consti
tution of the United States. Of course the
Secietary of State cannot act upon the as-
setnptiun, or in any way admit, that the so-
ii i i ’ £- i ... !
ry of State, whose official duties are confin
ed, subject to the direction of the presi
dent, to the conducting of the foreign rela
tions of the country, and do not at all em
brace domestic questions or questions ari
sing between the several States and the
Federal Government, is unable to comply
with the request ol Mestrs. Forsyth aud
Crawford, to appoint a day on which they
may present the evidences of their author
ity and the objects of their visit to the
President of the U uited States. (In the
contrary, he is obliged to state to Messrs.
Forsyth aud Crawford that be lias no au
thority, nor is lie at liberty to recognise
lias broken up the old Union, tbe disinte
ration of which lias only begun. It is
proper, however to advise you that it were
well to dismiss the hopes you seem to en
tertain that, by any of the modes indicated,
the people of the Confederate States will
ever be brought to submit to the authority
of the government of the United States.
You are dealing with delusions, too, when
you seek to separate our people from our
government and to characterize the delib
erate, sovereign act of that people as a “per-
veision of a temporary and partisan ex
citement.” If you cherish these dieams
1 you will be awakened from them and lind
that lie might safely and with propriety
have adopted these conclusions without
making any reference of the subject to
the Executive, yet so strong has been his
desire to practice entire directness and to
they are charged. \\ e are, very respect- j ac t in a spirit of perfect respect and can-
fully , sir your obedient servants,
John Forsyth,
Martin J. Crawford.
TIIE REPLY OF MR. SEWARD.
them as diplomatic agents, or bold cor-j them as unreal and unsubstantial as otli-
respondent or other communication with ers in which you have recently indulged,
them. j The undersigned would oinit the perform
Finally, tbe Secretary of State would ■ ance of an obvious duty were they to fail
observe that, although lie lias supposed ! to make known to the government of the
United States that the p>eople of the Con
federate States have declared tlieir inde
pendence with a lull knowledge of all the
responsibilities of that act, and with as
firm a determination to maintain it by all
the incans with which nature has endowed
dor toward Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford,; them as that which sustained their fathers
-MEMORANDUM.
Department of State. I
Wash i noton, March 15, 1861. S
Mr. John Forsyth of the State ot Ala
bama, and .Mr. Martin J. Crawford, of tlie
State of Georgia, on the 11 lb inst., through
I and that portion of tbe people of tbe Lit
! ion in whose name they present tltcm-
, selves before him, that lie has cheerfully
j summitted this paper to the President, who
j coincides generally in the views it express
I es, and sanctions the secretary’s decision
i declining official intercourse with Messrs.
; Forsyth auu Crawford.
April 8, 1861.
I The foregoing memorandum was tiled
the kind offices of a distinguished Senator, ' ' n Department on the loth March last,
submitted to the Secretary of State, their j delivery of the same, however, to Messrs,
desire of an unofficial interview. This re- i l’orsyth and Crawford was delayed, as was
quest was, on the 12th inst., upon exclu
sively public considerations, respectfully
declined.
On tbe loth inst., while tbe Secretary
was preoccupied, Mr. A. D. Banks, of Vir
ginia, called at this department and was
received by the Assistant Secretary, to
whom lie delivered a sealed communica
tion, which bo bad been charged by Mes
srs, Forsyth and Crawford to present to the
Secretary in person.
Ill that communication Messrs Forsyth
and Crawford inform tbe Secretary ofState
that they have been duly accredited by
the government of the Confederate States
ot America as commissioners to tbe gov
ernment of the United States, and tliey
set forth tbe object of tlieir attendance at
Washington. They observed that seven
States of the American Union, in the exer
cise of a right inherent in every free peo
pie, have withdrawn, through conventions
of their people, from the United States,
resumed the attributes of sovereign
power, and formed a government of
tlieir own, and those Confederate States
now constitute au independent nation de
facto aud de jure, and possess a govern
ment perfect in all its parts and fully
endowed with all the means of self-sup
port.
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford in tlieir
afoiesaid communication, thereupon pro
cecd to inform the Secretary that, with a
view to a speedy adjustment of all ques
tions growing out of the political separation
thus assumed, upon such terms of amity
and good will as the respective interests,
geographical contiguity and the future wel
fare of the supposed two nations might ren- _ _
der necessary, tiiey are instructed to make l ^ le * r people, growing out of the pregnant
understood, with tlieir consent. They
have now through their Secretary, commu
nicated their desire for a definitive dispo
sition of the subject. The Secretary of
State therefore directs that a duly verified
copy of tlie paper be now delivered.
A tine copy of the original, delivered to
me Ly Mr. F. W. Seward, Assistant Sec
retary of State of the United States, on
April S, 1*61, at 2:1-5 I*. M., in blank en
velope.
Attest, J. T. Pickett,
Secretary to tbe Commissioners.
The Commissioners in reply lo Mr. Seicard,
accusing the Goremment of deception and
accepting a solution bij the sword.
Washington, April 9, 1S6I.
lion. Wm. II. Seward, Secretary of
State of the United States, Washington:—
The ‘•memorandum” dated Department
of State, Washington. March 15, 1S61,
with postscript under date of 8th instant
has been received through the bauds of
Mr. J. T. Pickett, Secretary to this com
mission, who, by the instructions ol the un
dersigned, called for it on yesterday at the
department.
In that memorandum you correctly state
tbe purport of the official note address
ed to you by tbe undersigned on tbe 12th
ultimo. Without repeating the contents
of the note in full, it is enough to say
here that its object w as to invite ihe gov
ernment of the United States to a friendly
consideration of the resolutions between
the L nited States and the seven States
lately of tiie Federal Union, but now sep
arated from it by tiie sovereign will of
to the government of the United States
overtures for the opening of negotiations,
assuring this government that the Presi
dent, Congress aud the people of the Con
federate States earnestly desire a peaceful
solution of these great questions,aud that it is
neither their interest nor their wish to make
any demand which is not founded in strictest
justice, nor to do any act to injure their late
confederates.
After making these statements, Messrs.
Forsyth and Crawford close their comm*
nication, as they say, in obedience to the
instructions of their government, by re
questing tbe Secretary of State to appoint
as early a day as possible, in order that
they may present to the President of the
United States the credentials which they
bear and the oLjects of tho mission with
which they are charged.
The Secretary of State frankly confesses
that he understands the events which have
recently occurred, and the condition of po
litical affairs which actually exists in the
part of the Union to which his attention
bas thus been directed, very differently
from the aspect in w-nicb they are present
ed by Messrs. Forsyth and Ciawford. lie
sees in them, not a rightful and accomplish
ed revolution and an independent nation,
with an established government, but rath
er a perversion of a temporary and partisan
excitement to tbe inconsiderate purposes
of an unjustifiable aud unconstitutional ag
gression upon the rights and the authority
vested iu tiie federal government, and hith
erto benignly exercised, as from their very
nature tbe always must be so exercised, for
tbe maintainauce of the Union, the preser
vation of liberty, and the security, peace,
welfare, happiness and aggrandizement
of tbe American people. The Secretary
of State, therefore, avows to Messrs. For
syth and Crawford that he looks patiently
but confidently for the cure of evils which
have resulted from proceedings so unneces
ga ry, so unwise, so unusual and so uimilu-
a I, wot to irregular negotiations, having
view new and untried relations with agen
cies unknown to an acting in derogation of
the constitution and laws, but to regular
and considerate action of tbe people of
those States, in co operation with their
brethren in tbe other States, through tbe
Congress of the U nited States, and such
extraordinary conventions, if there shall
and undeniable fact that those people have
rejected the authority of the United States
and established a government of their own.
Those relations had to be friendly or hos
tile. The people of the ol<l and new gov
ernments, occupying contiguous territo
ries, hail to stand to each other in the re
iation of good neighbors, each seeking
their happiness and pursuing their national
destinies in tlieir own way, without inter
ference with the other, or they had to he
rival and hostile nations. The government
ot the Confederate States had no hesita
tion in electing its choice in this alterra
tive. Frankly and unreservedly seeking
the good of the people who had entrusted
them with power in the spirit of humanity,
of the Christian civilization of the age, aud
of that Americanism which regards the
true welfare and happiness of the people,
the government of the Confederate States,
among its first acts, commissioned the un
dersigned to approach the government of
the United States with the olive branch
of peace, and to offer to adjust the great
questions pending between them iu the
only way to be justified by tbe conscien
ces and common sense of good men who
had nothing but the welfare of tbe people
of the two confederacies at heart.
Your government lias not chosen to meet
the undersigned iu the conciliatory aud
peaceful spirit in which they arc commis
sioned. Persistently wedded to these fa
tal thcoiies of construction of the federal
constitution always rejectcctcd by the
statesmen of the South, aud adhered to Ly
the administration school, until they have
produced tlieir natural and often predict
cd result of the destruction of the Union,
under which we might have continued to
live happily and gloriously together had
the spirit of the ancestry who framed the
common consitution animated the hearts
of all their sons, you now, with a persist
ence untaught and utictircd by the ruin
which has been wrought, refuse to recog
nise the great fact presented to you of a
completed and successful revolution ; you
close your eyes to the existence of the
government fouuded upon it, aud ignore
flic high duties of moderation and human
ity which attach to you in dealing with
this great fact. Had you met these issues
with the frankness and manliness with
which the undersigned were instructed to
be need thereof, as the federal constitu* j present them to you and treat them, the
tion contemplates and authorizes to he as
sembled.
undersigned had not now the melancholy
duty to return home ami tell their govern
It is, however, the purpose of the Secre- ^Jnent aud (heir countrymen that their earn-
when they threw off the authority of the
British crown.
The undersigned clearly understand
that you have declined to appoint a day
to enable them to lay tbe objects of the
mission with which they are charged be
fore tbe President of the United States,
because so to do would be to recoguizo tbe
independence and separate nationality of
the Confederate States. This is the vein
of thought that pervades the memorandum
before us. The truth of history requires
that it should distictly appear upon the
record that the undersigned did not ask the
government of the United States to recog
nize the independence of tho Confederate
States. They only asked the audience to
adjust, in a spirit of amity and peace, the
now relations springing from a manifest
aud accomplished revolution in the gov
ernment of the late Federal Union. Your
refusal to cnteitau these overtures for a
peaceful solution, the active naval and
military preparation of this government,
and a formal notice to the commanding
general of the Confederate forces in the
harbor of Charleston that the President
intends to provision Foit Sumter by for
cible means, if necessary, are viewed
by tbe undersigned, and can only be re
ceived by tbe world, as a declaration of
war against tbe Confederate States; for
the President of tbe United States knows
that Fort Suinter cannot be provisioned
without the effusion of blood. The under
signed, in behalf of their government aud
people, accept the gage of battle thus
thrown down to them ; and, appealing to
God and tbe judgment of mankind for the
righteousness of their cause, the people
of the Confederate States will defend their
liberties to the last against this flagrant and
open attempt at tlieir subjugation to sec
tional power.
This communication cannot be properly
closed without adverting to the date of
your memorandum. The official note of
the undersigned, of the 12th March was
delivered to the Assistant Secretary of
State on the 13th of that month, the gen
tleman who delivered it informing him that
the Secretary of the Commission would
call at twelve o’clock, noon, on the next
day, for an answer. At the appointed hour
Mr. Pickett did call, and was informed by
the assistant Secretary of State that the
engagements of the Secretary of State
had prevented him frotn giving the note his
attention. The Assistant Secretary of
State then asked for the address of Messrs.
Crawford and Forsyth, the members of
the Commission then present in this city.
took«note of the address on a card, and en
gaged to send whatever reply might he
made to their lodgings. Why this was not
done it is proper should he here explained.
The memorandum is dated March 15, and
was not delivered until April S. Why was
it withheld during the intervening twenty
three days? In the postscript to your
memorandum you say it “was delayed, as
was understood, with tlieir (Messrs. For
syth and Crawford’s) consent.” This is
true ; but it is also true that on tbe loth ol
March Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford were
assured by a person occupying a high offi
cial position in the government, and who,
as they believed, was speaking by author
ity, that Fort Sumter would be evacuated
within a very few days, and that no meas
ure changing the existing status prejudicial
ly to the Confederate States, as respects
Fort Pickens, was then contemplated, and
these assurances were subsequently re
peated, with the addition that any contem
plated change as respects Tickens would
be notified to ns. On the 1st of April we
were again informed that there might he
au attempt to supply Fort Sumter with
provisions, hut that Governor Pickens
should have previous notice of this at
tempt. There was no suggestion of any
reinforcement.
The uudersigued did not hesitate to he
liovc that these assurances expressed the
intentions of the Administration at the
time, or all events of prominent members
of that Administration. This delay was
assented to for the express purpose of at
taining the great end of the mission of the
uudersigued, to wit: A pacific solution of
existing complications. The inference de*
ducihle from the date of your memorandum,
that the uudersigued had, of their own vo
lition and without cause, consented to
this long hiatus iu the grave duties with
which they were charged, is therefore not
consistent with a just exposition of the
facts of the case. The intervening twenty-
three days were employed in active uuoffi
cial efforts, the object of which was to
smooth the path to a pacific solution, the
distinguished personage alluded to co-op
crating with the uudersigued, and every
step of that effort is recorded in writing,
and now in possession of the undersigned
aud of their government. It was only
when all these anxious efforts for peace
had been exhausted, and it became clear
that Mr. Lincoln bad determined to appeal
to tbe sword to reduce the people ol tbe
Confederate States to tbe will of tbe sec
tion or party whose President be is, that
the undersigned resumed the official uego
tuition temporarily suspended, and sent
their secretary for a reply to tlieir official
note of March 12.
It is proper to add that, during these
twenty-three-days, two gentlemen of offi
cial distinction as high as that of the per
sonage hitherto alluded to, aided the un
dertaking as intermediates in these unoffi
cial negotiations tor peace.
The undersigned Commissioners of tbe
Confederate States of America, having
thns made answer to all they deem mate
rial in the memorandum filed in the depart
ment cn the 15th March last, have the
honor to be,
John Forsyth,
Martin J. Crawford,
A. B. Roman.
A true copy of the original by one de
livered to M>\ F. W. Seward, Assistant
Secretary ot State of the U nited States,
at eight o'clock in tbe evening of April 9.
1S61.
Attest: J. T. Pickett, Secretary, &c.
Mr. Seicard, in reply to the Commissioners,
acknowledges the receipt of their letter, but
declines to answer it.
Department of State. \
Washington, April 10, ISG1 f
Messrs. Forsyth, Crawford and Roman,
having becu apprised by a memorandum
which has been delivered to them that the
Secretary of State is not at liberty to bold
official intercourse with them, will, it is
presumed, expect no notice from him of
the new communication which they have
addressed to him under date of the 9th
inst., beyond tbe simple acknowledgment
of the receipt thereof which be hereby
very cheerfully gives.
A true copy ot the original received by
tbe Commissioners of the Confederate
States, this 10th day of April, 1861.
Attest: J. T. Pickett, Secretary, &c.
Hiij. Aiulersoii at Sew York—Slaleuitnt of
I'apt. Doubleday.
New York, April IS.—The steamer
Baltic lias arrived with Maj. Anderson aud
his command.
She had as she came up the flags of
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie flying.—
The Harriet Lane sailed in company with
the Baltic. Also, the steamer Pawnee
with troops, and the steamer Pocahontas
tor Norfolk. The Powhatan did not go
to Charleston after the surrender of Fort
Suiuter, and during the time the fleet re
mained off the bar the wind blew a gale
from the southeast, rendering the fleet
useless so far as tiie relief of Fort Sumter
was concerned.
Maj. Anderson, on landing on the Bat
tery, was received by an immense crowd,
and his carriage was surrounded by the
people, who expressed iu cheers and other
demonstrations tlieir admiration of Lis
conduct. He was followed by an immense
throng through Broadway to the Brcvort
House where he joined his w ife.
Capt. Doubleday says that tbe demand
to surrender Fort Suinter was made on tbe
11th, but was refused not only by Major
Anderson, but by the unanimous voice of
the command.
On Friday morning, at 3 o’clock, the
rebels sent word that tbe fire would be
opened in an hour. At 4 o’clock tbe fire
opened on us from every direction, inclu
ding a bidden battery. The fire opened
with a volley from seventeen mortars fir
ing ten inch shells, and 6hot from thirty-
three guns, mostly coluinbiads.
We took breakfast very leisurely. The
command was divided into three watches,
each under the direction of two officers.—
After breakfast, they immediately went to
the guns and opened fire on Fort Moultrie,
Cummings’ Point, and Sullivan's Island
Iron Battery. Cummings’ Point Battery
was of immense strength, and most of our
shot glanced oft’. Major Anderson refused
to al ow the men to turn the guns on the
parapet, on account of such a terrific fire
being directed there
There was scarcely a room in Fort
Moultrie left in a habitable condition, and
several shots went through the Floating
Battery, but it was but little damaged.—
Two guns on tbe Iron Battery were dis
mounted. A man was stationed, who
cried shot or shell when the rebels fired,
and the garrison was thus enabled to dodge.
At first the workmen were reluctant to
help to work the guns, but afterwards
served most willingly and effectually
against the Iron Battery. The barracks
caught fire several times on Friday, but
were extinguished by the efforts of Mr.
Ilart, of New York, and Mr. Lyman, of
Baltimore, both volunteers.
On Saturday the officers' quarters caught
fire from a shell. The mail gates were
burnt and the magazine was actually sur
rounded by fire, and ninety barrels of
powder, which had been taken out, were
thrown into the sea. When the maga
zine was euciicled by fire, all our materials
were cut of, and we had eaten our last biscuit
two days before ! Tho men had to lay on
the ground with wet hankcrchiefs on their
faces to prevent smothering, and a favora
ble eddy of wind was all that saved our
lives ! Our cartridge bags gave out, aud
five men were employed to manufacture
them out of our shirts, sheets, blankets,
Ac. It will take a half a million dollars to
repair Fort Stuntcr’s interior. Most of
their shut were aimed at our flag.
The following was the conversation that
passed between Maj. Anderson and ex-
Seuator Wigfall. Tiie latter said :
Gen. Beauregard wishes to stop this, sir.
Major Anderson only replied, “Well,
well.”
Wigfall—You’ve done all that can be
done, and Gen. Beauregard wishes to
know upon what terms you will evacuate ?
Major Anderson—Gen. Beauregard is
already acquainted with the terms.
Wigfall—Do I understand you will
evacuate on the terms proposed ?
Major Anderson—“Y'es, and only those.”
Wigfall then returned. Ten minutes
after Col. Chcsnut and others came from
Gen. Beauregard asking if Major Ander
son wanted any help, stating that Wigfall
had not seen Gen, Beauregard for two
days, and had no authority for his de
inaud on Major Anderson, to which the
Major replied, “Then we have been void.
We will raise our flag again.” But they
requested him to keep it down until com
munication could be had with Gen. Bcau^
regard. The firing then ceased and three
hours after another deputation came, agree
ing to the terms previously decided upon.
Fort Suinter bad not been reinforced on
any occasion. The steamer Baltic arrived
oft' Oharlestou on the morning of Friday,
after the firiug on Sumter had commenced.
The steamers Pawnee and Pocahontas
arrived yesterday. The Powhatan and
the transport steamer Atlantic have not
been seeu ; and the steam tugs also have
uot been seeu. During alt tbe while that
tiie fleet lay off Charleston a heavy gaie
was blowing.
The day Major Anderson evacuated
preparations to reinforce him had been
made for an attempt that night. A sclioon
er was seized aud an agreement made to
pay tiie pilot and captain -S500 to put men
into the fort, but the fort was evacuated
before au attempt could be made. Capt.
Fox bad instiuctions to attempt to provis
ion tbe fort without troops. If fired on, he j
was to rush in as best he could. Bnt the
gale prevented the arrival of tbe tugs and
transport.
The Harriet Lone is soon expected to
arrive.
The Pawnee lias gone to Washington.
Among the many incidents of the battle
is that of Mr. Hart, a volunteer, who,
when the flag was down and the rebel fire
was concentrated on the flag-staff, gallantly-
nailed the “Stars and Stripes” to the mast
amid a deadly fire, the heroic act being
greeted by the cheers of the U nited States
troops.
Maj. Anderson to the Secretary of
War.—The Secretary of War at Washing
ton received the following dispatch from
Maj. Anderson, Thursday evening :
Stemship Baltic, off Sandy Hook. (
April IS, 1861, 10:30 i. m., via N. Y ork. )
Having defended Fort Suinter for 34
honrs until the quarters were eutirely
burot, the maiu gates destroyed by fire,
the gorge walls seriously injured, the mag
azine surrounded by flames, and its door
closed from the effects of heat ; four bar
rels and three cartridges of powder only
being available, and no provisions re
maining bnt pork, I accepted terms of
evacution offered by Gen. Beauregard—
being tbe same offered by him on the 11th
inst., prior to the commncement of hostili
ties—and marched out of the Fort on Sun
day afternoon, the 14th inst., with colors
flying and drums beating, bringing away
company and private property, aud salut
ing my flag with titty guns.
Robert Anderson,
Major 1st Artillery, Coin'ding.
Hon. Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War, Washington.
Tiie War iu Tirainia.
The Old Dominion is all ablaze wit 1
excitement and indignation at the impend
ing invasion. We give the news in
detached paragraphs as it reached us:
THREE VESSELS SEIZED AT CITY POINT.
The brave little band of fifteen men
from Petersburg, headed by Coi. Brockett,
and a company of twenty men from Rich
mond, commanded by Capt. Albert Aiken,
of Henrico county, conceived the daring
exploit of proceeding to City Point, and
capturing the vessels stationed there that
might hail from the North, and accordingly
faithfully executed and carried out their
concered plan of action on Thursday. The
first seizure made was that of the fine ship
Arago, Capt. Owen, from Bath, now fifteen
days at the Point, waiting fora cargo ot
tobacco. She is a first class ship of 1,078
tons, aud is capable, with a little altera
tion and strengthening, of doing valuable,
service. She was securely fastened at her
mooruings, and Major Maclin, w ith a suffi
cient lorce, was left in command.
Immediately after the seizure of the
Arago, tho company proceeded to a reve
nue cutter, now in the service of the Unit
ed States government, and took possession
of her. She also is capable of doing much
service and when called into action, will
prove, undoubtedly, that she was a prize
worth taking. About three o’clock, the
splendid steamship Jamestow n, Capt. Skin
ner, hove in sight,with tier flags floating gai
ly in the breeze. At length, when she
had been securely fastened, and while sbe
was discharging her Petersburg height,
new bands, appear upon her deck, and iu as
quick a time as it takes to relate it, the
strength of chains bouud her yet more ef
fectually, aud now beyond all hazard, she
was safely fixed. Col. Brockett then in
formed Capt. Skinner that he would be re
lieved of his command, as the Jamestown
now belonged to the State of Virginia.
SEIZURE OF TJIE RICHMOND CUSTOM HOl’SE.
The Custom House was seized, on Thurs
day forenoon, by the Yerina Troop, and is
held in durance by that corps. Tbe descent
upon the institution was altogether unex
pected, and its officers were, of course, ta
ken as completely by surprise as it is pos
sible to imagine. The intelligence spread
with telegraphic rapidity through the city,
and an immense assemblage was piesent
in time to witness the displacement of tbe
sign on the north trout, aud the hoisting
ot the flag of Virginia upon the south, or
Main street front. The sign alluded to,
bore the words, “United States Court;
and when it w as burled to tbe pavement,
it was seized upon by tbe crowd and
smashed into, “smithereens,” amidst the
wildest applause. The entire building
was by this time suirounded with people,
all wearing an expression of tbe utmost de
light, and worked up to a state of feeling
which seemed to say tbat they were spoil-
iug for a fight. The Custom house con
tains only about eighteen thousand dollars
of Government funds, which will bo dis
posed of as the State of Virginia may think
proper.
.MOVEMENTS IN RICHMOND.
Richmond, Va.. April IS.—The silence
which has perplexed yon in regard to
things here iu the past few days, you
might have “guessed” was ominous. The
word, “To arms, ’’silently went forth, and
while the response is every- where of troops
mustering for immediate service in tow n
and country, the bulletin from Norfolk is.
that the Merrimac, the Germantown, aud
the Cumberland, war ships, have been
caught at that port. This feat was carried
out uuder the auspices of Wm. II. Barker,
Esq., of the Eastern JShore of Virginia,
lie is inspector of vessels, and one of ex
Gov. Wise’s appointees. Do uot he sur
prised if some other Yirgiuiaus perform
unusual achievements before Saturday
night. Troops are gathering from vari
ous directions to march immediately.—
One hundred thousand Virginians can be
in arms before Saturday night.
Lirat. Johi T.Skaaf.
As the Sontb generally is more or less
interested in the movements of army offi
cers, especially those ol Southern birth
and sympathies, we publish an extract
from a letter addressed by Lieut. John T.
Shaaf to bis mother, residing in this city,
which we do by permission of a friend.—
Lieut. Shaaf is a graduate of West Point
and has been nine years in the service of
tiie United States. He is now attached
to the Second Dragoons U nited States Ar
my :
“Texas, Jan. 25, 1661.
“I have written to Mr Iverscn offering
throng!) him, my sword and services of tbe
State of Georgia, should she deetn them
worthy of acceptance. I ain a Southerner
by birth and feeling, and am ready- and
willing to use my humble efforts in her de
fence, or in behalf of the' South. I shall
not remaiu in the United States army un
der A. Lincoln as President, when he is
only the President of a section. Whether
I am taken into service by the State ot
Georgia, or the Southern Confederacy, or
not, I shall resign my commission by tbe
4th of March next. As much as I regret
having to sunder the ties that bind me to
many of my gallant aud noble brothers in
arms, I prefer that to being used as an
agent of an Abolition party in any man
ner whatever.”
^trottern ilccDtficr.
Hon. D. W. Voorhecs, Democratic Con
gressman of Indiana, made a speech at
Grceucastle the other day, in which he
said, amongst other-good things : “I say
to you, my constituents, that, as your rep
rentitive, I will never vote one dollar, one
man, or one gun to the Administration of
Abraham Lincoln, to make war upon the
South, to carry- death and desolation to tbe
land of Washington, Jackson, Clay aud
Joe Davies.”
| Lou is el lie ( Ky.) Democrat, April 17.
A Spy Hung.—Captain William Jones,
of the sloop Isabel, lias terminated bis
brief but notorious career at the end of a
rope. The account we hear is, that on the
arrival of the Thursday evening cars at
Scooha, a passenger on the train pointed out
Jones as boasting to him oi being the per
son who “provisioned Slcinmer,” and tbat
he was then ou bis way to Washington,
with despatches to Lincolu's Government.
He was arrestod, and proofs of his treason
found npouhim, lie was executed upon the
spot by the euraged citizens-
[ Mobile Advertiser t
M I L L E D GEVILUE:
TUESDAY APRIL 30. 1861.
A Perfect Woman.—Edmlxd Burke
the British orator and statesman, thus de
scribes the perfect woman. How many
can come up to this high standard ?
“A perfect woman is handsome, but its
not a beauty arising from tbe features,
from complexion, or from shape. She has
all three in high degree, but it is uot by
these tbat she touches tbe heart—it is ail
that sweetness ot temper, beuevoleue, in
nocence, and sensibility which a face can
express that forms her beauty. She lias a
face that just rouses your attention at first
sight; it grows upon you every moment,
and you wonder tbat it did not more than
raise attcution at first. Her eyes have a
mild light, bnt they awe when she pleases,
then command, like a good man out of of
fice, not by authority, but by virtue. Her
stature is not tall, she is not made to be
the admiration of every one. Site Las tbe
firmness that does not exclude delicacy—
all the softness that does not imply- weak
ness. Her voice is soft, low, musical, net
furmed to rule iu public assemblies, but to
charm those w ho can distinguish company
from a crowd ; it has its advantage, you
must con.e close to hear it. To describe
her body- is to describe her mind—one is
tbe transcript of tbe otber. Her under
standing is not shown in the variety of
matter it exerts itself upon, but the good
ness ot the choice she makes. Her polite
ness flows rather from natural disposition
to oblige than any rules on that object,
and therefore never fails to strike those
wbo understand good breeding and those
w ho do not.
A Noble Matron.—The Mobile Ad
vertiser publishes the following letter,
which the Editor lias received from a wid
owed lady. Verily, “this poor widow hath
cast more in, than all they which have
cast into the treasury :”
Mr. Editor :—Hearing that a public loan
is to be subscribed for, for the protection
of cur Southern homes, and the maintain-
ance of Southern rights, and being a wid
ow, poor aud alas! unable to contribute
even the small sum of fifty dollars from
my limited means. I take the liberty of
sending you with this note a package con
taining six silver spoons—relics of once
prosperous days—as a free contribution
to the Government, hoping that although
of little value, they will he received from
one who (did her means permit) would
cheerfully give thousands for the support
of a cause so patriotic and so holy. I beg
you, Mr. Editor, to devise tbe meaus neces
sary, for forwarding my bumble gift to
proper destination.
With respect, I subscribe myself,
A Southern Matron.
Mobile, April 15, 1S61.
We have carefully laid aside says the
the Editor, the package referred to, and
shall take an early opportunity to give it
the proper direction.
The Episcopal Chubcii and tiie Na
tional Troubles.—The New York Church
Journal states that there will be no schis-
inatical division of tbe Episcopal Church
iu consequence of the separation of the
confederacy. Its organization resem
bles the Federal organization, and conse
quently, according to the Journal, not on
ly w ill the effects of State secession upon
the diocesiau relations of the Church in
the seceded States he at once recognised,
but where, as in the case of the Bishoprick
of Alabama, the concurrence of the Nation
al Episcopate may be necessary to fill a
vacancy, the promptest measure will be
taken by tbe northern bishops to give ttie
requisite sanction to the elections in Ala
bama, and to every other act necessary for
the entire independence of all the dioces
es in the seceded States. This is in per
fect harmony with the noble attitude of
the Episcopal Church iu the North from
the beginning, which has always and ev
erywhere set its face as flint against ab
olitionism, and every other ism, and which
is composed of a hotly of clergy and laity
which would have done honor to any age
and any nation of the Church.
Secession aud Colton at DA Ceuts.
The old Union is dissolved; seven
States are bearing arms and anticipating
war, and yet cotton, the great staple of the
South, the food ol millions, the king of the
world, is at the enormous price of 12A ceuts
per pound. It has not been so high lor
years. It goes up in the midst of a revo
lution, and despite the prophecies of Black
Bcpublicans and timid suhinissionists in
the border States, that commerce would be
destroyed by secession and our farmers
would suffer great loss in the reduction of,
the price of this article, we behold them |
w ith happy faces, filling their pockets with j
(lie money thus made, aud thanking kind j
Providence for the prosperous times. Cot
ton at 12-A cents, and the revolution going
on ! This takes the Republicans aback
and forces an ackuowlcdgmeut from some
of our patriotic Southern frieuds who op
posed secession, that things have not turned
out half 60 bad after all. Negroes are
high, cotton is high, the season is propitious
tor a good crop, our people are happy,
and one shout goes up from mountain to
valley for our new Government and the
blessings of liberty which it dispenses to
its subjects. Three cheers for the Con
federate States aud the present price oi
eolton.— Columbus Times.
A new edition of Johusou’s “Dictionary of the
English Language'’ is about to be issued iu
monthly parts by the Longmans, founded ou the
edition of 1773—the last published iu Dr. John
son’s lifctinn—with uutiieious additions and emen
dations by H. (j. Latham. F. It. 8. It will con
tain such new words as have lately been introduc
ed into the language, and such old ones as, altbo’
deserving a place, have been omitted in previous
dictionaries. The histoiical introduction will be
brought dowu to tbe preseut time, aud many omis
sions in the original made good.
A. T. Stem art, of dry goods fame, iu New lurk-
has offered a rrrillioa dollars lo aid the Goveru
n<ent.
“THE FIRST GUN."
President Lincoln and his advisers seem to tave
taxed tlieir brains to invent some device or stra-
gem by which they might compel the Confederate
States to fire thr first gun at Fort Sumter, an,] there
by give to the administration a pretext for wag-in»
w ar upon the South, to carry out the original o!an
of the Abolitionists to accomplish, if possible. the
one idea so dear to them, of impoverishing am] ,j t ._
grading the South, because it maintained a part,- ,
ularinstitution which was offensive to their delicate
sensibilities. Well, now that the advantage of the
first fire has been gained by Mr. Lincoln to raiiv
his fanatical hordes, wbo needed such a stimalu*
to excite tlieir infirmity, let us see on what princi
ple it could have been avoided.
1. For more than three weeks Mr. Lincoln tri
fled with the Commissioners from the Confederate
States, Lolding out to them signs of peace, and ab
solutely doing the reverse all the white by fittin-r
ou: war vessels against the South.
2. Mr. Lincoln knew perfectly well that the oc
cupation of Fort Sumter by his troops, within the
Confederate Slates who had withdrawn from the
Union and.had organized a separate (Jovemment.
was an encroachment on sovereignty, and a gross
insult. Ot this h< had be< u officially notified,aud
he was respectfully requested to order Maj. An
derson’s command from the Fort-
3. When the Commissioners were denied a hear
ing, and their Government was treated as a nulli
ty ; after the olive branch had been rejected, and
ail hope of a peaceful adjustment was lost; after
Mr. L incolii sent reinforcements and provisions
for Maj. Anderson, and ihe fleet which contained
them lay off the harbor at Charleston^—then it
was. and not until then, that President Davis has
tened the crisis by directing Gen. Beaurt-n-ard to
make a peremptory demand that Fort Sunrter
should be evacuated. The demand was forthwith
made, and compliance with it was refused bvMai.
Anderson. Every effort which could honorabiv
be made to obtain a peaceful solution of the difii-
culties had been exhausted by the Confederate
States, and there was no alternative left them but
dishonor, or the first gun.
4. This point reached, the South wavered not.
Mr. Ltncoiu’s sincerity had fail, d. His professions
of peace had been falsified by his acts. He ha t
yielded to the evil star of B; lek Republicanism,
and to Chase and Blair. A war policy strewed it
self in the insult which was aggravated by useless
delay. Tiie South did not wait for the first gun,
after all this menace and evasion. The dor trine of
Southern men is, that a a insult justifies a btme.
o. The North manifested but little decision
through its Chief, aud far less wisdom in its fer
mentation after the first gun was fired. There was
a defect of courage or sagacity which had to be
remedied by au artificial excitement. Mr. Lincoln
is welcome to all the capital he can possibly make
out of this view of the subject. His conduct may
be compared to that ef a bullying school-boy, who
dares another boy to strike him. The South had
been bullied and wronged long enough by the an
ti-slavery North, and it was not- essential in any
moral, political or military aspect of the question,
after the argument had been exhausted, and the
conclusion inevitably proclaimed, as it had been
by the electron and subsequent policy of Mr. Lin
coln, that the South should bear the multiplied in
dignities one day longer without firing a gnu. That
it happened to be the first was owing to a want of
firmness and honesty in the administration whose
■promises could no longer be trusted.
The first gun has united the North, it is said,
and stirred up the people there to such desi**rate
valor, that no quarter is to be granted the South.
We make no retort, on paper, to a declaration so
fanatical.
U. 8. CAPITAL.
The District of Columbia, was originally in
Virginia and Maryland, (now in the latter,) both
slavehoiding States, and this is held by an Aboli
tion Government. It is incompatible with honor
and the usages of Nations for an enemy to occupy
forbidden soil. Virginia has already dissolved
her connection with the Lincoln Union, and Ma
ryland will soon follow, if we judge from late
demonstrations. Gov. Hicks having called the
Legislature togi ther, an opportunity will be af
forded to test the question by referring it to the
people, or by the adoption of some equivalent
course.
The Government of the Confederate States must
possess the city of Washington. It is folly to
think it can be used any longer as the hea l quar
ters of the Lincoln Government, as no access can
be h.-td to it, except by passing through Virginia
and Maryland. The District of Columbia cannot
remain under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Con
gress without humiliating Southern pride and de
feating Southern rights. Both are essential to
greatness of character, and both must oo-operaie
in the destiny to he achieved. Long has the South
borne with tie insolent aggressions of tl . North.—
long has it clung to the Union in tLe hi -ie of ulti
mate justice and reform, until the North bceane so
puffed up and boastful of its power as to ridicule
our complaints, by saying that the South could
not be kicked out of the Union. Even now, were
the Government reconstructed, the mockers ot th<-
South would style ail that has been don<- in form
ing a Southern Confederacy as a mere feint to in
duce mediation, with the hope of some advantage
winch it might not otherwise obtain.
Such an illiberal course, joined with such perti
nacity of selfishness in the common Territories,
and ot such accumulative insult on ali occasions
Ironi the North, have caused an impassable gult
between the two sections, aud the city of Wash
ington is the only bridge by which that gulf is
spanned. Drive the enemy from the bridge, rout
I.incolu and his Cabinet, and break up the den of
Abolition, and the term “rebellion" w ill no longer
be applied to the Confederate States, but tkeir In
dependence w ill be at once acknowledged by tre:;-
ty, as the true Government, before which the old
rotten concern dwindles into insignificance. We
rather suspect that President Davis has weighed
the subject carefully, and tiiat the present rendez
vous of troops in Virginia is mot foreign to the en
terprise. May it be successfully accomplished
with as little waste of life as possible; for the
8outb does not wage a vindictive war against its
enemies; but is acting strictly on the defensive,
aud desires to shed no biuod mereiy from revenge.
The Georgia Boys at Pensacola.—We are
pei milted to make the follow ing extract from a
private letter, says an exchange, to au officer ot
our government. It is from a high military source
and bears dale loth iustant:
“We had quite au interesting tune here last
week, the particulars of which 1 will give you af
ter we get through with our work. Your Georgia
bovs are behaving themselves very handsomely:
they turn oat to work iu the batteries, Ac-, with
readiness, aud they are models for order aud good
behavior. You may be sure they wiil give a good
account of themselves when the fight comes oft.
The news from Sumter lias stirred them all up,and
they are afraid that the South Carolina boys will
come here and win all the laurels. Lit them come;
there will he room for all. Your regiment and
battalion came better prepared and equipped tluu
any other party.
Ism’s Independent Volunteers, from Atlai In,
have been organized as Sappers and Miners, and
are doing us most valuable service.”