//- 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 BKTWEI5N Till 
 
 tf[ommififjionenj of the ^t\U of ^o. Oliu 
 
 (iOVKUXMKXT AT \VASI11X(;T()X 
 
 THK IMIKSIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; 
 
 TOiSKTIfKR WtTM THK 
 
 STATEMENT OF MESSRS. MILES AND KEITT. 
 
 PRINTKI> IIY onHKR <»K THE «ON VKNTION. 
 
 r II \ |{ \, HSTOX: 
 
 KVANM k COOrtWKM., rRINTERJ* TO THK rOX VKNTIOJI, 
 No. ;; Ilriiwl und m.T F4»»t Bay Ctiw-t. 
 
 :2^ 
 
TREASimi ^CX)M 
 
 George JVashitigton Flowers 
 Memorial Collection 
 
 DUKF. UNIVF.RSITY I.IHRARV 
 
 ESTABLISHF.D BV THE 
 
 rAMII.V or 
 
 COLONEL K LOWERS 
 
^ 
 
 C0RRESP0NT3ENCE 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 OtommiTifiiontrf) nf the ^tak 4 ^o. Ola. 
 
 GOVERNMENT AT AVASIIINGTON 
 
 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; 
 
 TOGETUEU WITH THE 
 
 STATEMENT OF MESSRS. MILES AND KEITT. 
 
 riUNTED BY ORDER OF THE CONVENTION. 
 
 (']1 .\ JILKSTON: 
 
 KVANH k COGSWELL, PRINTERS TO THE CONVENTION, 
 No. 3 BniaJ antl 103 Ea«t Bay i^trcit. 
 
 1861. 
 
 • #) 
 

 [lkttkr ok thk commissioners to the puesidicnt.] 
 
 Washington, 28tli December, 1860. 
 
 Sir: We have the honor to transmit to you a copy of 
 tlie full powers from the Convention of the People of South 
 Carolina, under which wc are "authorized and empowered 
 to treat with the Government of the United States for tlu- 
 delivery of the forts, magazines, light houses and other 
 real estate, with their ap]turtenances, within the limits of 
 South Carolina, and also for an apportionment of the pub- 
 lic debt and for a division of all other property- lield hy the 
 Government of the United States as agent of the confed- 
 erated States, of which South Carolina was recently a 
 member; and generally to negotiate as to all other meas- 
 ures and arrangements proper to be made and adopted in 
 the existing relation of the parties, and for the continuance 
 of peace and amity between this connnonwealth and the 
 Government at Washington." 
 
 In the execution of this trust, it is our duty to furnish 
 you, a.s Ave now^ do, with an official copy of the Ordinance 
 of Secession, by which the State of South Carolina has 
 resumed the powers she delegated to tlie Governmei\t/of 
 the United States and has declared her perfect sovereignty 
 and independence. 
 
 It woidd also have been our duty to have ijijfoniied ^yon 
 that we were ready to negotiate with you upon all such 
 questions a,s are necessarily raised by the adoption of tlii'^ 
 "rdinance, and that we were jirepared to enter upon ihi- 
 negotiatifMi with the earnest desire to avoid all unnecessary 
 and hostile collision, and so to inaugurate our new relations 
 as to secure mutual respect, general advantage and a futun 
 ■f good will and harmony beneficial to all the parties 
 • oncerned. 
 
Hut tlio events of the la^i twenty-four liours render sueh 
 im assurance impossible. We came liere tlie representa- 
 tivcH of an authority wliich could, at any time within tlie 
 |»ju<t sixty ihiys. have taken possession of tlie forts in Char- 
 lest<»n harlmr. htjt which, upon pledges a^iven in a manner 
 that, we cannot doubt, determined to trust to your honor 
 rather than to its own power. Since our arrival here an 
 nfticer oi the United States, acting, as we are assured, not 
 only without but against your orders, has dismantled one 
 fort and occupied another, thus altering, t<» a most import- 
 ant extent, the conditi«ui of allUirs under wlTu-h we came. 
 I 'mil these circumstances are explained in a manner 
 which relieves us of all doubt as to the spirit in which these 
 negotiaticjns shall be conducted, we are forced to suspend 
 all discussion as to any arrangements by which our mutual 
 interests might be amicably adjusted. 
 
 And, in conclusion, we would urge ujion you the imme- 
 diate withdrawal of the troo}>s from the harbor of Charles- 
 ton. Under present circumstances, they are a standing 
 njenace which renders negotiation impossible, and, as our 
 recent experience shews, tlneatens speedily to bring to a 
 bloody issue questions w liieli ought to be settled with tcm- 
 j't-rance and judgment. 
 
 We have the honor. Sir, to be, 
 
 \'ery respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servants, 
 
 ]{. W. r.AKXWKLL. 
 J. 11. ADAMS. 
 JAMES L. ORU, 
 
 Cvmniissiontn's. 
 ^7\j'(h l''liiiMm:NT 
 
 of the United Sluh's. 
 
[RF.rr,Y OF TUF, PRKSIDKNT TO THE COMMISSIOXKUS.] 
 
 Wasiiincjton C[ty, 30t.h December, 1800. 
 
 Gentlemen : I liavc the lienor to receive your commnni- 
 catioii of 28th inst., together with a copy of your "full 
 powers from the Convention of the People of Honth Caro- 
 lina," authorising you to treat with the Government of the 
 United States on various important subjects therein men- 
 tioned, and also a copy of the Ordinance bearing date on 
 the 20th instant, declaring that "the Union nowsubsisting 
 between South Caroliiia and other States under the name 
 of 'the United St.ites of America,' is hereby dissolved." 
 
 In answer to this communication, I have to say, that my 
 position as President of the United States was clearly 
 defined in the message to Congress of the 3d instant. In 
 that t stated that, "apart from the execution of the laws, 
 so far as this may l>e practicable, the Executive has n<> 
 authority to decide what shall be the relations between 
 the Federal Government and South Carolina. He has 
 been invested with no such discretion. lie possesses no 
 power to change the relations heretofore existing between 
 them, much less to acknowledge the independence of that 
 State. This would be to invest a mere executive officer 
 with the power of recognizing the dissolution of the Con- 
 federacy among our thirty-three sovereign States. It bears 
 no resemblance to the recognition of a foreign dr facto 
 government — involving no su<h responsiVnlity. Any at- 
 tempt to do this would, on his part, be a naked act of 
 tHurpation. It is, therefore, ni}- duty to submit to Con- 
 gress the whole rpiestion, in all its bearings." 
 
 Such is my opinion still. I could, therefore, meet you 
 only as private gentlemen of the highest character, and 
 was entirely willing to communicate to Congress any pro- 
 position you might have to make to that body ni»oii the 
 subject. Of this yt)u were well aware. It was my earnest 
 
6 
 
 desire, that such n dispotjitioii might be made of the whole 
 !*abject bv Con^re«», who alone possess the power, as to 
 prevent the inau^unition <»f a civil war hctwot'ii tin.- parties 
 in regard t<» the possession of tlic Federal Forts in the 
 Itarhor of Charleston : and T therefore deeply rej^ret. that, 
 in your opinion, "the events of the last twenty-fonr houi*s 
 render this inipossihle." In conclusion, yon ur<;o ujton me 
 ••the immediate withdrawal of the troops from the harbor 
 of Charleston," statinc that, "under present circnmstanees, 
 thev are a standing menace which renders negotiation 
 impossible, and as our recent experience shows, threatens 
 spee<lily to liring to a bloody issue, (piestions which ouglit 
 to be settled with tom]»cranco and judgment.'" 
 
 The reason for this eliaiige in your jtositioii is, that since 
 vour arrival in Washington, "an olKcer of the United 
 States, acting as we (y<ui) are assured, not oidy without, but 
 against your (niy) orders, has dismantled one fort and occn- 
 jiied another, thus altering, to a most important extent, the 
 t:ondition of affairs under which we (you) came.' You 
 also allege that you eame here " the rei>resentatives of an 
 authority which could, at any time, within the past sixty 
 days have taken j^ossession of the forts in Charleston har- 
 bor, but wliieh, upon ])ledgcs given in a manner that we 
 lyou) cannot doubt, determined to trust to your (my) honor 
 rather than to its own jiower." 
 
 This brings me to a eonsideration of the nature of those 
 alleged pledges, and in what manner they have been ob- 
 served. In my message of tlie third of December last. I 
 stated, in regard to the property of the United States in 
 South Carolina, that it "has been purchased for a fair 
 equivalent "by the eons\.iit of the Legislature of the State,' 
 • for the ereetion of forts, magazines, arsenals,' &c., and 
 over these the authority ' to exercise exclusive legislation* 
 has been exjiressly granted by the Constitution to Congress. 
 It is not believed that any attempt will be made to expel 
 the United States from this prt>i>erty by force; but if in 
 this I should prove to be mistaken, the otHcer in command 
 of the forts has reeeived orders to act strictly <jn the defen- 
 
Bive. In such a contingency, the responpiltility for conse- 
 quences would riglitfully rest upon the heads of the assail- 
 ants." This being the condition of the parties, on Saturday, 
 8th December, four of the representatives from South 
 Carolina called upon me and requested an interview. We 
 had an earnest conversation on the subject of these forts, 
 and the best means of preventing a collision between the 
 parties for the puq^ose of sparing the effusion of blood. I 
 suggested, for prudential reasons, that it would be best to 
 put in wi'itiug what they said to me verbally. They did so 
 accordingly, and on Monday morning, the 10th instant, 
 three of them presented to me a paper signed by all the 
 representatives from South Carolina, with a single excep- 
 tion, of which the following is a cop}^: 
 
 To His Excellency James Buchanan, 
 
 President of the United States : 
 
 In compliance with our statement to you yesterday, we 
 now express to you our strong convictions that neither 
 the constituted authorities, nor any body of the people of 
 the State of South Carolina, will either attack or molest 
 the United States Forts, in the harbor of Charleston, pre- 
 viously to the action of the Convention, and we hope 
 and believe, not until an ofter has been made, through 
 an accredited representative, to negotiate for an amicable 
 arrangement of all matters between the Stat« and the 
 Federal Government, provided that no reinforcements 
 shall be sent into those forts, and their relative military 
 status shall remain as at present. 
 
 JNO. McQUE?:N, 
 WM. rOKCHHK MILES, 
 M. L. BOXIIAM, 
 W. W. BOYCP; 
 LAWRENCE M. KEITT. 
 Washington, Utli Dec, 1860. 
 
 And here I must, in justice to myself, remark, that at 
 the time the paper was presented to me, 1 objected to the 
 
word "provided," iu^ it might be construed into an agree- 
 ment, on my part, wlfu'li I never would make. Tliey said 
 that nothing \va<< farther froni tlioir intention — tliey did not 
 80 understand it, and I should not so consider it. It is 
 evident they could enter into no reciprocal agreement with 
 me on the (<uhject. They did not profess to have authority 
 to do this, and were acting in their individual character. 
 I conHi<lercd it as nothing more, in effect, than the jtromisc 
 of highly honorable gentlciaen to exert their intiuenee for 
 the puqiose expressed. The event lias proven that they 
 have faithfully kept this promise, although I have never 
 since received a line from any one of them, or from any 
 member of the Convention, on the subject. It is well 
 known that it was my determination, and this I freely ex- 
 pressed, not to reinforce the forts in the harbor, and thus 
 produce a collision, until they had been actually attacked. 
 or until I had certain evidence that they were about to be 
 attacked. This paper I received most cordially, and I'on- 
 sidcvcd it as a hai)py omen that peace might still be pre- 
 Bcrved, and that time might thus be gained for reflection. 
 This is the whole foundation for the alleged i>ledge. 
 
 liut I acted in the same manner I would have done hud 
 I entered into a positive and formal agreement with parties 
 capable of contracting, although such an agreement woidd 
 have been, on myjiart, from the nature of my ofHcial duties, 
 impossible. 
 
 The world knows that I have never sent any reinforce- 
 ments to tlje forts in Charleston harbor, and I have cer- 
 tainly never authorized any change to be made " in their 
 relative military status." 
 
 Hearing upon this subject, I refer you to an oider issued 
 by the Secretary of War, on the 11th inst., to^Iajor Ander- 
 son, but not brought to my notice until the 21st instant. 
 It is as follows : 
 
 " Memorandum of verbal iii.structions to Major Anderson, \st 
 Artillery^ Commamlhif) Fori Moultrie, S. C. 
 
 You are aware of the great anxiety of the Secretary of 
 
War that a collision of the troops with the people of this 
 State shall be avoided, and of his studied determination to 
 pursue a course with reference to the military force and 
 forts in this harbor, ■which shall guard against such a col- 
 lision. He has, therefore, carefully abstained from increas- 
 ing the force at this point, or taking any measures which 
 might add to the present excited state of the public mind, 
 or which would throw any doubt on the coniidence he feels 
 that South Carolina Avill not attem])t by violence to obtain 
 [•osscssion of the public works, or interfere with their occu- 
 pancy. But as tlie counsel and acts of rash and impulsive 
 persons may possibly disappoint these expectations of the 
 Government, he deems it ^troper that you should be pre- 
 ])ared with instnictions to meet so unhappy a contingency. 
 He has, therefore, directed me, verbally, to give you such 
 instructions. 
 
 You are carefully to avoid every act which would need- 
 lessly tend to provoke aggression ; and, for that reason, you 
 are not, without evident and imminent necessity, to take 
 up any position which could be construed into the assump- 
 tion of a hostile attitude ; but you are to hold possession of 
 the forts in this harl>or, and, if attacked, you are to defend 
 yourself to the last extremity. The smallness of your force 
 will not permit you, perhajts, to occupy more than one 
 of the three forts; but an attack on, or attempt to take 
 possession of either of them, will be regarded as an act of 
 hostility, and you may then put your command into either 
 of them which you may deem most proper, to increase its 
 ])ower of resistance. You are also authorized to take simi- 
 lar defensive steps whenever you have tangible evidence of 
 a design to proceed to a hostile act. 
 
 1). r. IMJTLYAl, Assif^tani Adjutani General. 
 Fort Moultrtk, S. C, Dec. 11, 1860." 
 
 This is in contorniity to my instructions to Major Buell. 
 JOHN B^'LOYD, .Secretory of War. 
 
10 
 
 These were the last iiistructions traiiPmitted to Major 
 Andereiin licfore his removal to Fort Sumter, with a single 
 «x<<itli«»n ill n'^Mi'd to a i»articular which does not. in any 
 dcp-co, aliV'ct the |»iv8('iit question. Uiulor those oirciun- 
 Ktanecs, it is rkyir that Major Anderson acted iii».)n his own 
 respoiisiljilitv. an<l witht)Ut authority, unless, indeed, he had 
 "taiitfihie evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile act," 
 on the jiart of the authorities of South Carolina, which has 
 not yet heen alleged. Still, he is a brave and honorable 
 officer; and justice requires that he should not be con- 
 demned without a fair hearing. 
 
 lie this a» it may, when I learned that Major Anderson 
 had left F'ort Moultrie, and proceeded to Fort Sumter, my 
 tirst pronq)tings were to command him to return to his 
 former position, and there to await the contingencies pre- 
 sented in his instructions. This could only have l)een done, 
 with any degree of safety to the command, by the concur- 
 rence of the South Carolina authorities. IJut, before any 
 steps could possibly have been taken in this direction, we 
 received inl\)rma1i(tn, dated on the 28th instant, that "the 
 Falmetto flag Hoated out to the breeze at Castle Pinckney, 
 and a large military force went over last night (the 27th) to 
 Fort Moultrie.'" Thus the authorities of South Carolina, 
 without waiting or asking for any explanation, and dt)ubt- 
 less believing, as you have expressed it, that the officer had 
 acted not only without, but against my orders, on the very 
 next day after the night when the removal was made, 
 seized, by a military force, two of the three fedentl forts in 
 the harbor of C-harleston, and have covered them under 
 their own Hag, instead of that of the United States. At 
 this gloomy i»eriod of our history, startling events succeed 
 each other rapidly. On the very day (the 27th instant) that 
 possession of these two forts was taken, the Palmetto ilag 
 was raised over the fedei-al Custom House and Post Office 
 in Charleston ; and. on the same day, every officer of the 
 Customs — Collector, Xaval ()fli(;ers. Surveyor and Apprais- 
 ers — resigned their odices. And this, although it was well 
 known, from the language ot^iy message, that, as an execu- 
 tive officer, I felt myself bound to collect the revenue at the 
 
11' 
 
 port of Cliarlcston under tlic existing laws. In tlie liarlx^r 
 of Charleston, we now find three forts confronting each 
 other, over all of whicli the federal flag floated only four 
 daj's ago ; but now, over two of them, this flag has been 
 supplanted, and the Palmetto flag has been substituted in its 
 stead. It is, under all these circumstances, tliat I am urged 
 immediately to withdraw the troops from the harbor of 
 Charleston, and am informed that witliout this, negotiation 
 is impossible. This T cannot do; this I will not do. Such 
 an idea was never thought of by me in an\' possible con- 
 tingency. No allusion t<> it had ever been made in any 
 communication between myself and any human being. 
 But the inference is, that I am bound to witlidraw the troops 
 from the only fort remaining in the possession of the United 
 States in the harbor of Charleston, because the officer then 
 in command of all the foiis thought proper, without instruc- 
 tions, to change his position from one of them to another. 
 I cannot admit the justice of any such inference. 
 
 At tliis point of writing, I have received information, by 
 telegram, from Ca[»tain Humphreys, in command of the 
 Arsenal at Charleston, "that it has to-day (Sunday, the 
 80th) lieen taken l>y force of arms." It is estimated that 
 the munitions of war l)elonging to the United States in thi-^ 
 Arsenal are worth half a million of dollars. 
 
 Comment is needless. After this information, I have 
 only to add, that, whilst it is nn- duty to defend Fort 
 Sumter, as a portion of the public jiroperty of the United 
 States against hostile attacks from whatever quarter they 
 may come, by such means as I may possess for this pur- 
 pose, I do not [KTceive how such a defence can be con- 
 strued into a menace against the City of Charleston. 
 
 With great personal regard, I remain 
 
 Yours, very respectfully, 
 
 JAMES BUCHANAN. 
 
 To Jlonorohff 
 
 KoBERT W. Barnwell, 
 James H. Adams, 
 James L. Orr. 
 
12 
 
 [bKPLY of THK COMMIS8IOXKU8 TO TIIK mtUilDKXT.] 
 
 \\'ASIIINiiT«tN, D. C\, 
 
 January 1st, 1861. 
 
 Sir: Wo have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of 
 vour letter of the 80th Doceiiiber, in ro\\\y to a note ad- 
 dressed by us to you on the 2^th of the srinif month, as 
 Commissioners from South Carolina. 
 
 In reference to the declaration with whicli your reply 
 commences, that "your position as President of the United 
 States was clearly defined in the Messas^o to Cons^ress of 
 tlie 3d instant," that you possess "no power to change the 
 relations heretofore existinir" between South Carolina and 
 the Tnited States, " much less to acknowledge the inde- 
 pendence of that State;" and that, consequently, you could 
 meet us only as private gentlemen of the highest character, 
 with an entire willingness to communicate to Congress 
 any jti'oposition we might have to make, we deem it only 
 necessary to say, that the State of South Carolina having, 
 in the exercise of that great right of self-government which 
 underlies all our political organizations, declared herself 
 sovereign and inde|iendent, we, as her representatives, felt 
 no special solicitude as to the character in which you 
 might recognize us. Satisfied that the State had simply 
 exercised her unquestionable right, we were i)repared. in 
 order to reach substantial good, to waive the formal con- 
 siderations which your const it utiomil scrui>les might have 
 prevented you from extciiding. We came here, llicicfore, 
 expi'cting to be received as you did rcci'ive us, and per- 
 fectly content with that entire willingness of which yoti 
 assured us, to submit any iiroposition to Congress which 
 we might have to make ujton the subject of the independ- 
 ence of the State. That willingness was ample recognition 
 of the condition of public afi'airs which rendered our pros- 
 
13 
 
 dice necessary. In this position, however, it is our duty, 
 huth to the State wliich we represent and to ourselves, to 
 correct several important misconceptions of our letter into 
 which you have fallen. 
 
 You say, ''It was my earnest desire that such a diisposi- 
 tion might he made of \hv w]u»le suhject hy Congress, who 
 alone possesses the poAvcr to prevent the inauguration of a 
 civil war hetween the parties in regard to the possession 
 of the federal forts in the harbor of Charleston; and I, 
 therefore, deeply regret that, in your opinion, 'the events 
 of the last twenty-four hours render this impossible,' " Wo 
 expressed no such opinion, and the language which you 
 quote as ours, is altered in its sense hy the omission of a 
 most important part of the sentence. What we did say 
 was: "But tlie events of the last twenty-four hours render 
 such an a5.SMra?ice impossible." Place tliat "assurance" as 
 contained in our letter, in the sentence, and we arc prepared 
 to repeat it. 
 
 Again, professing to quote our language, you say : — 
 "Thus the authorities of South Carolina, without waiting 
 or asking for anj* explanation, and, doubtless, believing, as 
 you have expressed it, that the officer had acted not only 
 without, but against my orders," &c. AVe expressed no 
 such opinion in reference to the belief of the people of 
 South Carolina. The language which you have quoted, 
 was applied solel\- and entirely to our assuraufc, obtained 
 here, and based, as you well know, upon your own declara- 
 tion — a declaration which, at that time, it was impossible 
 for the authorities of South Carolina to have known. But, 
 without following this letter into all its details, we propose 
 only to meet the chief points of the argument. 
 
 Some weeks ago, tlie State of South Carolina declared 
 her intention, in the existing condition of [tublic affairs, to 
 secede from the United Stiites. vShe called a Convention 
 of her people, to put her declaration in force. The Con- 
 vention met, and jiassed the Ordinance of Secession. All 
 this you anticipated, and your course of action was thor- 
 oughly considered. In your annual mcsnafc. y«tu declared 
 
14 
 
 you had no rip:lit. ami would not attempt, to eocive a seced- 
 inj: Stato, l»ut that yon wi-re hound hy your constitutional 
 oath, and would dofc-nd the jiroporty of the I'nit* d States 
 within the l>ordcrrt of J^outh Carolina, if an attempt was 
 made to take it hy foree. Socinp: very early that this (jues- 
 tion of pixjjierty was a difficult and delicate one, you nunii- 
 feHtod a desire to settle it without collision* You did not 
 reinfort'C the pirrisons in the harbor of Charleston. You 
 removed a distiniruished and veteran officer from the com- 
 mand of Fort Moultiie. l>ccause he attempted to increase 
 hii* Pnpply of ammunition, ^'ou refused to send additional 
 tro<»ps to the same pirrison when ajiplied for by the officer 
 appointed to succeed him. You accepted the resii^nation 
 of the oldest and* most eminent lueinher of your Cabinet, 
 rather tlian allow these garrisons to he streiiiifthcned. You 
 compelled an officer stationed at Fort Sumter, to return 
 immediatel}' to the Arsenal, forty muskets which he had 
 taken t<t arm his men. You ex[>ressed not to one, but to 
 many, of the most distiniruished of our public characters, 
 whose testimony will be placed upon the record, whenever 
 it is necessary, your anxiety for a peaceful termination of 
 this controvei-sy, and your willinijness n<»t to disturb the 
 military status of the forts, if Commissioners should bo 
 sent to the (fovernmen4, whose coniiiiiini<ati<ins you ]»rom- 
 ised to submit to Coni^ress. You recei\i'd and acti'd on 
 assurances from the hii^hest official authorities of South 
 Carolimi, that no attempt would be made to disturb your 
 pOKsessi(»n of the forts an<l ]iroperty of the United States, 
 if you would not disturb their existing conditi«)n until 
 Commissioners had been sent, and the attempt to nei,^otiate 
 had failed. Vou took from the mendjers of tlu* House of 
 Kepn'seiitatives, a writti'u memorandum that no such 
 attempt should be made, '[Hdvided that no reinforcements 
 shall be sent into those forts, and their relative military 
 HtatUH shall remain as at present." And, althoji<j:b you 
 attach no force to tlio ac«-cptance of such a jiapi-r, although 
 you "considend it as nothinc^ more in etl'ect than the 
 promise of highly honorable gentlemen,' as an obligation 
 
15 
 
 on one side without corrcppondinc: oblij^ation on the other, 
 it must be remembered (if we are rightly informed) that 
 you were pledged, if you ever did send rcinforeements, to 
 return it to those from whom you had received it before 
 you executed your resolution. You sent orders to your 
 officers, commjinding them strictly to follow a line of con- 
 duct in conformity with such an understanding. 
 
 Beside all this, you had received formal and official 
 notice from the Governor of Ponth Carolina, that we had 
 been appointed Commissioners, and were on our way to 
 AVnshington. You knew the implied condition under 
 which we camo; our arrival was notiiied to yon, and an 
 liour appointed for an interview. We arrived in Washing- 
 ton on Wednesday', at three o'clor-k, and y<^] appointed an 
 interview with us at one the next day. Early on that da}-, 
 Thursday, the news was received here of the movement of 
 Major Anderson. That news was communicated to you 
 immediately, and you ]>ostponed our meeting until half- 
 past two o'clock, on Friday, in order that you might con- 
 sult your Cabinet. On Friday we saw you. and we called 
 upon you thon to redeem your pledge, ^'ou could not 
 deny it. With the facts we have stated, and in the face of 
 the crowning and conclusive fact, that your Secretary of 
 AVarhad resigned his seat in the Cabinet, upon the publicly 
 avowed ground that the action of Major Anderson had 
 violated the pledged faith of the Government, and that un- 
 less the pledge was instantly redeemed, he was dishonored; 
 denial was impossible; you did not deny it. You do not 
 deny it now, but you seek to escape from its obligation on 
 two grounds: 1st, That irr terminated all negotiation by 
 demanding, as a jirt'liniinarv. the withdrawal of the United 
 States trodps from the harbor of Charlestrtn ; and 2d, Tliat 
 the authorities of South Carolina, instead of asking expla- 
 nation, and giving you the oppfirtunity to virdieate your- 
 s«df, took possession of other ]^r<»]'eri\- <^«f tb<' Fi.it.-d States, 
 \Kq will examine both. 
 
 In the first place, we deny jKWtivcly, that we have ever, 
 in any way, made any such demand. Our lettor is in your 
 posse.s9ion ; it will stand by this on the record. In it, wc 
 
IG 
 
 iufunn you of the objccte of our mission. Wc say that it 
 would l);i . ' our dutv to have assured you of our read- 
 
 iiu >s to . f negotiations willi the most earnest and 
 
 aiixiuuK desire to settle all questions between us amiiahly, 
 and t<» our mutual advantage, hut that events had rondc red 
 thai UASuraneo imitossihle. We statrd the events, and we 
 8aid that, until some satisfactory exjdanation of these 
 events was given us, we eouhl not proceed, and then, hav- 
 ing made this request for explanation, we added, "and, in 
 conclusion, we would urge upon you the immediate with- 
 drawal of the troops from the harbor of Charleston. Under 
 present circumstances they are a standing menace, which 
 renders negotiation injpossible," &.c. "Under jiresent cir- 
 cumstances !" tWhat circumstances? Why, clearly, the 
 occupati»)n of Fort Sumter, and the dismantling of Fort 
 Moultrie by Major Anderson, in the face of your jdedges, 
 and without explanation or practical disavowal. And there 
 is nothing in the letter, whieli would or C(»uld have }MVvent- 
 ed you from declining to withdraw the troops, and oifering 
 the restoration of the stiitus to which you were pledged, if 
 such had been your desire. It would have l)een wiser and 
 better, in our opinion, to have withdrawn the troojjs, and 
 this opinion we urged upon you, but we iTcmanded nothing 
 but such an explanation of the events of the last twenty- 
 four hours as would restore our contidence in the spirit 
 with which the negotiation should be conducted. In rela^ 
 tii>n to this withdrawal of the troops from the harbor, we 
 are compelled, however, tu notice oue passage of your let- 
 ter. Referring to it, you say : "This 1 cannot do. This 1 
 will not di». Such an idea was never thought of by nie in 
 any possiMe contingency. .\o allMsi(»n to it had ever been 
 nja<le in any eoiuMiuniiation llet^vl.'en myself and any 
 human being. 
 
 In reply to this statement, we are conjpelled to say, that 
 your conversation with us left upon our minds the distinct 
 impression that you did seriously contemplate the with- 
 drawal of the troops from Charleston harbor. And, in 
 stipj)oit t)f this iinjjression, we would add that we liave the 
 positive assurance of gentlemen of the highest possible 
 
17 
 
 public rcpiitntion, and the most unsullied integrity — men 
 whose name and fame, secured by long service and patriotic 
 achievement, place their testimony beyond cavil — that such 
 suggestions had been made to, and urged upon you by 
 them, and had formed the subject of more tban one earn- 
 est discussion with you. And it was this knowledge that 
 induced us to urge upon you a policy which had to recom- 
 mend it, its own wisdom and the weight of such authority. 
 As to the second point, that the autlK)ritics of South Caro- 
 lina, instead of asking explanations, and giving you the 
 opportunity to vindicate yourself, took possession of other 
 property of the United States, we would observe, 1st. That, 
 even if this were so, it does not avail you for defence, for 
 the opportunity for decision was afforded you before these 
 facts occurred. AVe arrived in Washington on "Wednesday. 
 The news from Major Anderson reached here early on 
 Thursday, and was immediately communicated to you. All 
 that day. men of the highest consideration — men who had 
 striven successfully to lift you to your great office — who 
 had been your tried and true friends througli the troubles 
 of your administration — sought you. and entreated you to 
 act — to act at once. They told you that every hour com- 
 plicated 3-our jtosition. They only asked yon to give the 
 assurance that, if tlie facts were so — that, if the command- 
 er had acted without, and against your orders, and in vio- 
 lation of your pledges, that you would restore the status 
 you had pledged your honor to maintain. 
 
 You refused to decide. Youf Secretary at AVar — your 
 immediate and proper adviser in this whole matter — waited 
 anxiously for your decision, until he felt that delay was 
 becoming dishonor. More than twelve hours jtassed, and 
 two Cabinet meetings had adjourned before you knew what 
 the authorities of South Carolina had done, and your 
 prompt decision at any moment of that time, woidd have 
 avoided the subsequent complications. But if you had 
 known the acts of the authoritios of South Carolina, should 
 that have ])revented your keeping your faith ? What was 
 the condition of things? For the last sixty days, you have 
 had in Charleston harbor, not force enough to hold the 
 2 
 
18 
 
 forte against an equal enemy. Two of them were empty ; 
 one of thofse two, the most important in the harbor. It 
 could have been taken at any time. You ought to know 
 better than any man, that it would have been taken, but 
 for the* effort.«< of those who put their trust in your lionor. 
 Believinc: that they were threatened by Fort Sumter espe- 
 cially, the people were, with difficulty, restrained from 
 securinar, without blood, the possession of this imjtortant 
 fortress. Alter many and reiterated assurances given on 
 your behalf, which we cannot believe unauthorized, they 
 determined to forbear, and in good faith sent on their Com- 
 missioners to negotiate with you. They meant you no 
 harm ; wished you no ill. They thought of you kindly, 
 believed you true, and were willing, as far as was consistent 
 with duty, to. spare you unnecessary and hostile collision. 
 Scarcely had their Coninus.sioners left, than Major Ander- 
 son waged war. Xo other words will describe his action. 
 It was not a peaceful cliange from one fort to another; it 
 was a hostile act in the highest sense — one only justitied in 
 the presence of a superior enemy, and in imminent peril. 
 Ho abandoned his position, spiked his guns, burned his gun- 
 carriages, made preparations for the destruction of his post, 
 and withdrew under cover of the night to a safer position. 
 This was war. No man could have belteved (without your 
 assurance) that any officer could have taken such a step, 
 "not only without orders, but against orders.' What the 
 State did, was in simple self-defence ; for this act, with all 
 its attending eireumstai»-es, was as mueh war as firing a 
 volley; and war being tlnis begun, until those eonuneneing 
 it explained their action, and disavowed their intention, 
 there was no room for delay ; and, even at this moment, 
 while we are writing, it is more than probable, from the 
 lenor of your letter, that reinforcements are hurrying on to 
 the conflict, so that when the first gun shall be tired, there 
 will have been, on your part, one continuous consistent 
 series of actions commeneing in a demonstration essentially 
 warlike, supported by regular reinforcement, and terminat- 
 ing in defeat or victory. And all this without the slight- 
 est provocation ; for, among the many things which you 
 
19 
 
 have said, there is one thing you cannot say — you have 
 waited anxiously for news from the scat of war, in hopes 
 that delay would furnish some excuse for this precipitation. 
 But this " tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a 
 hostile act, on the part of the authorities of South Caroli- 
 na," (which is the only justification of Major Anderson,) 
 you are forced to admit "has not yf< been alleged." But 
 you have decided. You have resolved to hold by force 
 what you have obtained through our misplaced confidence, 
 and by refusing to disavow the action of Major Anderson, 
 have converted his violation of orders into a legitimate act 
 of your Executive authority. Be the issue what it may, of 
 this we are assured, that, if Fort Moultrie has been recorded 
 in history as a memorial of Carolina gallantry, Fort Sum- 
 ter will live upon the succeeding page as an imperishable 
 testimony of Carolina faith. 
 
 By your course, you have probably rendered civil war 
 inevitable. Be it so. If you choose to force this issue 
 upon us, the State of South Carolina Avill accept it, and, 
 relying upon Him who is the God of justice as well as the 
 God of hosts, will endeavor to perform the great duty 
 which lies before her, hopefully, bravely and thoroughly. 
 
 Our mission being one for negotiation and peace, and 
 your note leaving#is without hope of a withdrawal of the 
 troops from Fort Sumter, or of the restoration of the siatus 
 quo existing at the time of our arrival, and intimating, as 
 we think, your determination to reinforce the garrison in 
 the harbor of Charleston, we respectfully inform you that 
 we propose returning to Charleston on to-morrow after- 
 noon. 
 
 We have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, 
 Your obedient servants, 
 
 R. w. BARX^^^:LL, 
 
 J. TI. ADAMS. 
 
 JAMES L. OKK. 
 
 Commissioners. 
 To his Ercdlency, the Pre^^ikent 
 
 of ilu United States. 
 
20 
 
 The last communication is endorsed as follows: 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 
 iih o'clock, Wednesday. 
 
 This iiajHT. just presented to the President, is of such a 
 character that he declines to receive it. 
 
STATEMENT 
 
 Of Messrs. Miles and Keitt, of what transpired 
 
 between the president and the soutii 
 
 Carolina Delegation. 
 
 In compliance with the request of the Convention, we 
 beg leave to make the following statement: 
 
 On Saturday, the 8th of December, several of the South 
 Carolina delegation, including ourselves, waited upon the 
 President. At this time, there was a growing belief that 
 reinforcements were on the eve of being sent to the forts in 
 Charleston harbor. It was known that the suliject was fre- 
 quently and earnestly discussed in the Cal)inet. It was 
 rumored that General Cass and Mr. Holt were urgent that 
 reinforcements should be sent. Upon our being announced, 
 the President, who Avas then in Cabinet Council, came out 
 to U8 in tlie ante-room. We at once entered into a conver- 
 sation upon tlie topic, which was so closely occupying his 
 thoughts as well a« ours. The President seemed much 
 disturbed and movcrl. lie told us that he had had a painful 
 intei*view with the wife of Major Anderson, who had come 
 on from Now York to see him. She had manifi'sted great 
 anxiety and distress at the situation of hor husband, whom 
 she seemed to consider in momentary danger of an attack 
 from an ex<'itod and lawless mob. The ['resident ]»rofessed 
 to feel a deep res]»onsibility resting upon him to protect the 
 lives of Major Audersou and his command. We told liim 
 
22 
 
 that the news that reinforcements were on their way to 
 Charleston, would be the surest means of provoking what 
 Mrs. Anderson apprehended, and what he so much depre- 
 cated. We said, further, that we did not believe that Major 
 Anderson was in any danger of such an attack; that the 
 general sentiment of the State was against any such pro- 
 ceeding. That, prior to the action of the State Convention, 
 then only ten days off, we felt satisfied that tliere would be 
 no attempt to molest the forts in any way. That, after the 
 Convention met, — while we could not possildy undertake to 
 say what that body would see fit to do, — we yet hoped and 
 believed that nothing would be done until we had first 
 endeavored, by duly accredited Commissioners, to nego- 
 tiate for a peaceful settlement of all matters, including the 
 delivery of the forts, between South Carolina and the Fed- 
 eral Government. At the same time, we again reiterated 
 our solemn belief that any change in the then existing con- 
 dition of things in Charleston harbor, would, in the excited 
 state of feeling at home, inevitably precipitate a collision. 
 The impression made upon us was, that the President was 
 wavering, and had iiot decided what course he would pur- 
 sue, lie said he was glad to have had this conversation 
 with us, but would prefer that we should give him a written 
 memorandum of the substance of what we had said. This 
 we did on Monday, the 10th. It was in these words : 
 
 To his Excellency James Buchanan, 
 
 President of the United States: 
 
 In compliance with our statement to you yesterday, we 
 now express to you our strong convictions that neither the 
 constituted authorities, nor any body of the people of the 
 State of South Carolina, will either attack or molest the 
 United States forts in the liarbor of Charleston, previously 
 to the action of the Convention, and we hope and believe 
 not until an offer has been made through an accredited re- 
 presentative, to negotiate for an amicahle arrangement of 
 all matters between the State and the federal Government, 
 
23 
 
 provided that no reiuforcements shall bo sent into those 
 forts, and their relative military status shall remain as at 
 present. 
 
 JOHX McQUEEX, 
 WM. PORCHER MILES, 
 M. L. BONHAM, 
 W. W. BOYCE, 
 LAWRENCE. M. KEITT. 
 
 Wasiiingtox, 9th December, 18G0. 
 
 The President did not like the word "provided," because 
 it looked as if we were binding him while avowing that we 
 had no authorit\' to commit the Convention. Wo told him 
 that we did not so understand it. We were expressing our 
 convictions and belief, predicated upon the maintenance of 
 a certain condition of things, which maintenance was abso- 
 lutely and entirely in his power. If he maintained such 
 condition, then we believed that collision would be avoided 
 until the attempt at a peaceable negotiation had failed. If 
 he did not, then we solemnly assured him that we believed 
 collision must inevitably, and at once, be precijlitated. He 
 seemed satisfied, and said it was not his intention to send 
 reinfin-cements, or make any change. We explained to 
 him what we meant by the words "relative military status," 
 as applied to the forts; mentioned the diffcrenco between 
 Major Anderson's occupying his then position at Fort 
 Moultrie, and throwing himself into Fort Sumter. We 
 stated that the latter step would be equivalent to reinforc- 
 ing the garrison, and would just as certainly as the sending 
 of fresh troops, leiwl to the result which we both desired to 
 avoid. When we rose to go, the President said in substance, 
 "After all, this is a matter of honor among gentlemen. I 
 do not know that any pajter or writing is necessary. We 
 understand each other." Une of the delegation, just before 
 leaving the room, remarked, "Mr. President, you have de- 
 termined to let things remain as they are, and not to send 
 reinforcements; but, suppose that you were hereafter to 
 
24 
 
 chanfferourpolicv for any reason, what then? That would 
 put us, who are wlllinir t^ use our personal influence to 
 prevent anv attack upon the forts before Commissioners are 
 sent on to Wasluncton. in rather an embarrassing position." 
 "Then," said tlie President, "I would lirst return you this 
 paper." AVo do not pretend to give the exact words on 
 either side, but we are sure we give the sense of both. 
 
 The above is a full and exact account of what passed 
 between the President and the delegation. The President, 
 in his letter to our Commissioners, tries to give the impres- 
 sion that our "understanding" or "agreement" was not a 
 " pledge." AV^e confess, we are not sufficiently versed in 
 the wiles of diplomacy to feel the force of this "distinction 
 without a difterence." Xor can we understand how, in "a 
 matter of honor among gentlemen," in which " no paper 
 or writing is necessary," the very party who was willing to 
 put it on that high footing can honorably descend to mere 
 verbal criticism, to purge himself of what all gentlemen 
 and men of iionour must consider a breach of faith. The 
 very fact that wo (the representatives from South Carolina) 
 were not authorized to commit or "pledge" the State, 
 were not treating with the President as accredited minis- 
 ters with full powers, but as gentlemen assuming, to a 
 certain extent, the delic-atL' task of undertaking to fore- 
 shadow the course and policy of the State, should have 
 made the President the more ready to strengthen our hands 
 to bring abf)ut and carry out that course and poliey which 
 he professed to have as mueh at heart as we had. "While 
 we wer(» ni»r authorized to s;iy that the (\)nveinion wt)uld 
 not order ihe o<-eiiiKition of llu- foits immediately after 
 secession, and prior to tlie sending on of Commissionei-s, the 
 President, as Commander-in-chief of the Army and Xavy 
 of the Pnited StMies, cMiild most positively say, that so lojig 
 as South Carolina al)stained fi-om attackinir and seizing 
 the forts, lie would not send reinforcements to them, or 
 allow their relative military status to be changed. We 
 were acting in the capacity of gentlemen holding certain 
 prominent jjositions, and anxious to exert such influence as 
 
25 
 
 we might possess to effect a peaceful solution of pending 
 political difficulties, and prevent, if p()ssi])le, the horrors of 
 war. The Tresi<U'iit was acting in a double cajtacity; not 
 only as a gcntleniiin, whose influence in carrying out his 
 share of the understanding, or agreement, was potential, 
 but as the head of the army, and, therefore, liaving the abso- 
 lute control of the whole matter of reinforcing or transfer- 
 ring the garrison at Charleston. But we have dwelt long 
 enough upon this point. Suffice it to say, that considering 
 the President as bound in honor, if not by treaty sti]>ula- 
 tion, not to make any change in the fort«, or to send rein- 
 forcements to them, uidesa they were attacked, we of the 
 delegation who were elected to the Convention, felt equally 
 bound in honor to do everything on our part to ]»revent 
 any ]>remature collision. This Convention can bear us 
 witness as to whether or not we endeavored honorably to 
 carry out our share of the agreement. 
 
 The published debates at the very commencement of the 
 session, contain the evidence of our good faith. We trusts 
 ed the PresidtMit. We believed his wishes concurred with 
 his polic}', and that both were directed to avoiding any 
 inauguration of hostilities. We were confirmed in our 
 confidence, and reassured in our belief by a significant 
 event which t(tok place subsequent to our interview. lie 
 alh)wed his premier Cabinet officer, an old and tried friend^ 
 to resign, rather than yield to his solicitations for tlie rein- 
 forcement of the garrison at Charleston. We urged this 
 as a convincing proof of bis firmness and sincerity. But 
 how have avc been deceived I The news of Major An<ler- 
 son's coup ju'oduced a sud<len and unexpected change in 
 the Presidents jiolicy. Wbilc declaring that his with- 
 drawal from P'oii Moultrie to Fort Sumter was "without 
 orders, and contrary to (U'ders," he yet refused, for twelve 
 hours, to t^dvc any action in the matter. For twelve hours, 
 therefore, without any excuse, he refused to redeem his 
 plighted word. No subse«juent acts on the jiart of our 
 State — no after reasons — can wipe away the stain which he 
 suffered to rest upon his " honor as a gentleman," while 
 8 
 
26 
 
 those hours, hit; with jMtrtt'MtKUS events, rolled slowly hy. 
 His SeereUirj' of War. iiMpatient <»t* :i <lelay, every moment 
 of which he felt touelied hi.s owji li(»n<ir, resigned. He did 
 80 KoU'ly on the i^ronnd tliat the faith of the govern- 
 ment — solenily pledp'd — was broken, if it faiK-d promptly 
 to undo what had hern done contrary to its wishes — against 
 its settled pcdiey — and in violation of its <listinet agreement. 
 The Pri'hidcnt accepted his resignation without comment. 
 lie <lid not attempt to flisahusi' the mind of his Secretary as 
 to what was the Inie position of tin- ( Jovernment. What a 
 Bpecta<-Ie d<u's the Presidents vacillating and disingiMiuous 
 course present! He allows one Secretary t«) resign rather 
 than ahandon a policy w liicli he has agreed upon. Scarcely 
 have a few slioi't weeks elapsed, and he aci'e|)ts the resig- 
 nation of another, rather than adhere to that very ])oliey. 
 He makes an agreement with gentlemen which, while he 
 atlmits that they luive faithfully kept it on their part, he 
 himself evades an<l rejiudiates. And this lie does rather 
 than redress a wrong — I'orrect an error — what he himself 
 considers an error — committed l»y a subordinate, without his 
 orders, and couti'ary to liis wishes I ft was at least due to 
 Mr. Floyd, who, as one (»f liis (^ahinet, had otHcially and 
 personally stoo*! l»y his ;nliuiiiisti-atioii from its \ei-y com- 
 mencement — through good report, and through evil report — 
 to have exjilained to him that ]\v was. in the J'resident's opin- 
 ion, laboring un<h'r a misapiirdieusion. At least, to liave 
 •aid to yiim, "you are mistakiii about this matter — do not 
 leave me on a false is.sue." But no; ho t'oldly, ungra- 
 ciously, yet promptly, receives the resignation without a 
 syllable of remonstrance, and thus tacitly, but unetpiivo- 
 cally, acci'pts without sbauie the issue j)reseiited. He does 
 not deny that the faith (tf bis government is pledge<l, hut 
 he deliberately refuses to redeem it. 
 
 \VU. I'ORCHKR MILES. 
 LAURENCE M. KEITT. 
 
( 
 
 v-i 
 
 I \