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PROOFS OF THE DESIGN TO "COERCE" THE UNITED STATES. DAVIS' CALL FOR MORE TROOPS.

THE PRIVATEER

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PROCLA· OF BLOCKADE

MATION. LINCOLN'S COUNTER-PROCLAMATION
AND PIRACY. ON TO WASHINGTON! VIRGINIA'S MOVEMENTS.
LETCHER'S TREASON. HIS "RECOGNITION" OF THE SOUTHERN
CONFEDERACY. THE VIRGINIA ORDINANCE OF SECESSION.

The Federal Government to be Coerced.

THE proclamation of Mr. | er offensive schemes were Lincoln was construed, in matured, there is good reathe Southern States, as a son to state, prior to the declaration of war. Prior to its appearance, how ever, the Confederate Government was making every effort to " prosecute a quick campaign." The hesitating Border States could only be won by vigorous action; and, now that the first assault had been made, it was determined to force the United States Government into a virtual, if not actual, recognition of the Southern Confederacy. That this "coercion" of the Union was determined upon before the call of the Federal Executive for troops, is manifest in the declaration made by the Confederate Secretary of War, on the evening of Friday, April 12th. In answer to a serenade in honor of the bombardment of Sumter, the Secretary said, in substance, that the Confederate flag would wave over the dome of the Capitol at Washington by May 1st—a sentiment which, the telegraph report informed the public, was received with unbounded enthusiasm.

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The Federal Government to be Cocrced.

bombardment of Fort Sumter. How steeped in hypocrisy, then, must have been the Southern leaders who called heaven and earth to witness that they were guiltless of the great crime of civil war! It was not an act of war to bombard a United States fort, to persecute and outlaw its citizens, to scorn and contemn the Federal Government; it was a Southern right to treat Uncle Sam as the Southerners saw fit; and any Federal act of resentment, of defense, of protection, the impious scoundrels who proclaimed revolution presumed to treat as the first step towards civil war! We cannot discover in the whole page of history a pusillanimity so great, a sense of honor so perverted, an hypocrisy so contemptible. Unlike the open and fair rebel, who, defying the restraints of authority, appealed to arms to decide the issue, the Confederate whined over the contest his crimes had provoked; and through all the bloody drama on which he raised the curtain, he did not fail to illustrate that most contemptible form of human nature typified in Aminadab Sleek.

The idea of granting letters of marque and reprisal, the act of confiscation and appropriation of debts due the North, the constructive treason in entertaining Union sentiments, the creation of a Southern navy Intimidation was a part of the scheme arand a fleet of privateers-these and many oth- | ranged, at an early moment, to compel the

Union Administration to terms. When the secret archives - if such archives, indeed, have been allowed to exist - of the peripatetic Government of Jefferson Davis are ex

plored, and the truth is told, it will, unquestionably, be found that the scheme of forcing the United States to accept the conditions of settlement proposed by the South, was matured months before the attack on Sumter, and only awaited some act on the part of the Washington authorities, to excuse to their people the final appeal to arms.

Davis' Second Levy.

The Privateer Proo lamation.

"And I do further notify all applicants aforesaid, that before any commission or Letter of Marque is issued to any vessel, the owner or own、 ers thereof, and the commander for the time being,

will be required to give bond to the Confederate States, with at least two responsible sureties, not interested in such vessel, in the penal sum of five thousand dollars; or if such vessel be provided with more than one hundred and fifty men, then in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars, with condition that the owners, officers, and crew who shall be employed on board such commissioned vessel, shall observe the laws of these Confederate States, and the instructions given to them for the regulation of their conduct. That they shall satisfy all damages done contrary to the tenor thereof by such vessel during her commission, and deliver up the same when revoked by the President of the Confederate States.

The Confederate Government made a second levy upon the Seceded States for troops, April 16th, calling for thirty-two thousand men-thus giving, with previous enlistments, a force equal to that called into the field by the Federal authorities. April 17th, the Letters of Marque and Re-ity of the Confederate States, that they be vigilant prisal Proclamation was made public. It read as follows:

The Privateer Proclamation.

“Whereas, Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, has, by proclamation, announced the intention of invading this Confederacy with an armed force, for the purpose of capturing its fortresses, and thereby subverting its independence, and subjecting the free people thereof to the dominion of a foreign power; and whereas, it has thus become the duty of this Government to repel the threatened invasion, and to defend the rights and liberties of the people, by all the means which the laws of nations and the usages of civilized warfare place at his disposal:

Now, therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, do issue this my Proclamation, inviting all those who may desire, by service in private armed vessels on the high seas, to aid this Government in resisting so wanton and wicked an aggression, to make application for commissions or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, to be issued under the Seal of these Confederate States.

“And I do further notify all persons applying for Letters of Marque, to make a statement in writing, giving the name and a suitable description of the

character, tonnage, and force of the vessel, and the

name and place of residence of each owner concerned therein, and the intended number of the crew, and to sign said statement, and deliver the same to the Secretary of State, or to the Collector of any port of entry of these Confederate States, to be by him transmitted to the Secretary of State.

“And I do further specially enjoin on all persons holding offices, civil and military, under the author

and zealous in discharging the duties incident thereto; and I do, moreover, solemnly exhort the good people of these Confederate States, as they love their country, as they prize the blessings of free government, as they feel the wrongs of the past, and these now threatened in aggravated form by those whose enmity is more implacable because unprovoked, that they exert themselves in preserving order, in promoting concord, in maintaining the au

thority and efficacy of the laws, and in supporting and invigorating all the measures which may be adopted for the common defense, and by which, under the blessings of Divine Providence, we may hope for a speedy, just, and honorable peace.

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"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the Seal of the Confederate States to be affixed, this seventeenth day of April, 1861. "By the President,

" (Signed) JEFFERSON DAVIS. "R. TOOMBS, Secretary of State.” This was expected by the enterprising spirits of the South. It was put forth to inflict injury of magnitude upon the high seas' commerce of the Northern States-conceiving their commerce to be their most vulnerable point. Leading journals in the South had often recurred to it as a certain step in event of hostilities. Although Southern men, from the time of John Randolph, had characterized the "Yankees" as a race of money-getters, and, in contrast, had exalted

DAVIS' PRIVATEER PROCLAMATION.

Lincoln's Counter

Proclamation.

89

the patriotic, high-toned character of their | ports within the States aforeown fellow-citizens, visions of suddenly said, in pursuance of the laws though dishonorably acquired wealth dazzled of the United States, and of the the Southern sight, and did not fail to render a laws of nations in such cases provided. For this purlarge class very hopeful and happy for the pose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent moment. entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. It would offer matter for not very If, therefore, with a view to violate such blockade, complimentary comment to quote the terms a vessel shall approach, or shall attempt to leave of the various notes of commendation be- any of the said ports, she will be duly warned by stowed by the secession press upon the Pri- the Commander of one of the blockading vessels, vateer Proclamation. The amendatory action who will indorse on her register the fact and date of the Confederate Congress, which after- of such warning; and if the same vessel shall again ward affixed a price per capita on Union attempt to enter or leave the blockaded port, she men, live and dead, taken on the high seas, will be captured and sent to the nearest convenwill not enhance the good reputation of the ient port, for such proceedings against her and her men who promulgated the act, and the people cargo, as prize, as may be deemed advisable. who hoped to profit by it.

Lincoln's Counter Proclamation of Blockade and Piracy.

But, all this dream of wealth to be had for the mere seizing," was cut

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"And I hereby proclaim and declare, that if any person, under the pretended authority of said States, or under any other pretense, shall molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such person will be held amenable to

punishment of piracy.

"By the President,

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

short by the Proclamation of Blockade, is- the laws of the United States for the prevention and sued April 19th, by the President of the United States. It was a checkmate to King Stork, even before the board could be opened: “Whereas, an insurrection against the Government of the United States has broken out in the

States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, and the laws of the United States for the collection of the revenue cannot be efficiently executed therein, conformably to that provision of the Constitution which requires duties to be uniform throughout the United States: "And whereas, a combination of persons, engaged in such insurrection, have threatened to grant pretended letters of marque, to authorize the bearers thereof to commit assaults on the lives, vessels, and property of good citizens of the country lawfully engaged in commerce on the high seas, and in

waters of the United States:

“And whereas, an Executive Proclamation has been already issued, requiring the persons engaged in these disorderly proceedings to desist therefrom, calling out a militia force for the purpose of repressing the same, and convening Congress in extraordinary session to deliberate and determine

thereon:

'Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of

the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall have ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a blockade of the

“WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Sec. of State. "WASHINGTON, April 19th, 1861."

No time was lost in enforcing this important measure, though the paucity of vessels available for purposes of blockade, rendered it a work of many months to seal up the rebellious ports over the vast and intricate coast line, stretching from Hampton Roads to Brownsville.

On to Washington.

of this order of blockade,
Prior to the publication
Virginia had plunged into
the vortex of the revolution and stood ar-
rayed against the Union - thus directly
menacing Washington. The Capital and
Government archives were in imminent dan-
ger of seizure. Ben McCullough flitted back
and forth between Richmond and Baltimore,
organizing his cut-throat brigade for the des-
perate service. It became whispered abroad
that Maryland was to "co-operate,” and thus
the more effectually to isolate the District of
Columbia. The plot only awaited the seces-
sion of Virginia for its development. That
such a scheme existed has been denied by

some writers in the interest of secession; but
numerous evidences attest the existence and
the maturity of the conspiracy for occupy-
ing Washington, there to inaugurate the
Montgomery Government, Departments and

On to Washington.

Congress-a coup-de-maitre | time to try the difference between Scott's tactics which certainly would have and the Shanghae drill for quick movements. given the Southern movement an alarming temporary ascendency. The

"Great cleansing and purification are needed and will be given to that festering sink of iniquity, that

cry at the South was-"On to Washington "wallow of Lincoln and Scott the desecrated City

!” At once to illustrate the fact here stated, and to show the spirit in which the revolutionists saw proper to approach the subject, we may reproduce one of the almost numberless newspaper paragraphs designed to inflame the passions of their people. The Richmond Examiner, edited by John M. Daniels—Mr. Buchanan's charge to Turin-in its issue of April 23d, contained this article:

THE CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON.

“The capture of Washington City is perfectly

within the power of Virginia and Maryland, if Virginia will only make the effort by her constituted authorities; nor is there a single moment to lose. The entire population pant for the onset; there never was half the unauimity among the people before, nor a tithe of the zeal, upon any subject, that is now manifested to take Washington, and drive from it every Black Republican who is a dweller there.

“From the mountain tops and valleys to the shores of the sea, there is one wild shout of fierce resolve to capture Washington City, at all and every

human hazard. The filthy cage of unclean birds

must and will assuredly be purified by fire. The people are determined upon it, and are clamorous for a leader to conduct them to the onslaught. That leader will assuredly arise, aye, and that right speedily.

"It is not to be endured that this flight of Abolition harpies shall come down from the black North for their roosts in the heart of the South, to defile and brutalize the land. They come as our enemies -they act as our most deadly foes-they promise us bloodshed and fire, and this is the only promise they have ever redeemed. The fanatical yell for the immediate subjugation of the whole South, is going up hourly from the united voices of all the North; and for the purpose of making their work sure, they have determined to hold Washington City | as the point from whence to carry on their brutal warfare.

"Our people can take it-they will take it-and Scott the arch-traitor, and Lincoln the Beast, combined, cannot prevent it. The just indignation of an outraged and deeply injured people will teach the Illinois Ape to repeat his race and retrace his journey across the borders of the Free negro States still more rapidly than he came; and Scott, the traitor, will be given an opportunity at the same

of Washington; and many indeed will be the car casses of dogs and caitiffs that will blacken the air upon the gallows, before the great work is accomplished. So let it be."

Virginia demanding
Explanations.

The country was prepared for the reply which Gover nor Letcher, of Virginia, returned to the President's call for troops. The Virginia Convention, still in session, had accomplished nothing definite since the proceedings recorded in Chapter IV of this vol

ume.

The dispatch of supplies to Sumter much strengthened the Secessionists in the Convention, and the President was forthwith called upon for explanations, by a resolution adopted April 8th, appointing Wm. Ballard Preston, Alexander H. H. Stuart, and George W. Randolph "Commissioners" to wait upon Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln. The Unionists and some of the Conservatives of the Convention, opposed the resolution, as designed to precipitate secession, but they failed of a majority. The “Commissioners" called upon Mr. Lincoln, April 13th, presenting their resolution — which, with the President's patriotic reply, we here place on record:

"To Hon. Messrs. PRESTON,

Mr. Lincoln's Answer.

STUART, and RANDOLPH: "GENTLEMEN: As a committee of the Virginia Convention, now in session, you present me a preamble and resolution in these words:

"Whereas, in the opinion of this Convention, the uncertainty which prevails in the public mind as to the policy which the Federal Executive intends to pursue towards the Seceded States, is extremely injurious to the industrial and commercial interests of the country, tends to keep up an excitement which is unfavorable to the adjustment of the pending difficulties, and threatens a disturbance of the public peace; therefore,

"Resolved, That a committee of three delegates be appointed to wait on the President of the United States, present to him this preamble, and respectfully ask him to communicate to this Convention the policy which the Federal Executive intends to pursue in regard to the Confederate States.'

"In answer I have to say, that having, at the be ginning of my official term, expressed my intended policy as plainly as I was able, it is with deep re

Mr. Lincoln's Answer.

VIRGINIA?S ORDINANCE OF SECESSION.

gret and mortification I now learn there is great and injurious uncertainty in the public mind as to what that policy is, and what course I intend to pursue. Not having as yet seen occasion to change, it is now my purpose to pursue the course marked out in the Inaugural address. I commend a

careful consideration of the whole document, as the best expression I can give to my purposes. As I then and therein said, I now repeat, 'The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imports; but beyond what is necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere.' By the words' property and places belonging to the Government,' I chiefly allude to the military posts and property which were in possession of the Government when it came into my hands. But if, as now appears to be true, in pursuit of a purpose to drive the United States author

ity from these places, an unprovoked assault has been made upon Fort Sumter, I shall hold myself at liberty to repossess it, if I can, like places which had been seized before the Government was devolved upon me; and in any event I shall, to the best of my ability, repel force by force. In case it proves true that Fort Sumter has been assaulted, as is reported, I shall, perhaps, cause the United States mails to be withdrawn from all the States which claim to have seceded, believing that the commencement of actual war against the Government justifies and possibly demands it. I scarcely need to say that I consider the military posts and property situated within the States which claim to have seceded, as yet belonging to the Government of the United States as much as they did before the supposed secession. Whatever else I may do for the purpose, I shall not attempt to collect the duties and imposts by any armed invasion of any part of the country; not meaning by this, however, that I may not land a force deemed necessary to relieve a fort upon the border of the country. From the fact that have quoted a part of the Inaugural address, it must not be inferred that I repudiate any other part, the whole of which I reaffirm, except so far as what I now say of the mails may be regarded as a modification."

91

Governor Letcher's

Disloyalty.

Governor Letcher replied to the call for troops: "I have only to say that the militia of Virginia will not be furnished to the powers at Washington for any such use or purpose as they have in view. Your object is to subjugate the Southern States, and a requisition made upon me for such an object-an object, in my judgment, not within the purview of the Constitution or the Act of 1795—will not be complied with. You have chosen to inaugurate civil war, and having done so, we will meet it in a spirit as determined as the Administration has exhibited towards the South." This piece of treason and threat only anticipated the Secessionists in their now hurried action. It assumed an open antagonism to the Federal authorities—thus, at one sweep of the pen, virtually placing the State out of the Union, whether the people willed it or not. The following proclamation succeeded the answer to the Secretary of War:

tion.

"Whereas, seven of the States formerly composing a part of Letcher's Proclamathe United States have, by authority of their people, solemnly resumed the powers granted by them to the United States, and have framed a Constitution and organized a Government for themselves, to which the people of those States are yielding willing obedience, and have so notified the President of the United States by all the formalities. incident to such action, and thereby become to the United States a separate, independent and foreign power; and whereas, the Constitution of the United States has invested Congress with the sole power 'to declare war,' and until such declaration is made, the President has no authority to call for an extraordinary force to wage offensive war against any foreign Power; and whereas, on the 15th instant, the President of the United States, in plain violation of the Constitution, issued a proclamation calling for a force of seventy-five thousand men, to cause the laws of the United States to be duly executed over a people who are no longer a part of the Union, and in said proclamation threatens to exert this unusual

whereas, the General Assembly of Virginia, by a ma

This answer left no doubt as to the Presi- force to compel obedience to his mandates; and dent's mode of treatment of the Southern erup-jority approaching to entire unanimity, declared at its tion, and the Commissioners returned home to report that "Virginia's honor and interest alike demanded immediate secession, and a unity with the Confederate States in a common cause."

last session, that the State of Virginia would consider such an exertion of force as a virtual declaration of war, to be resisted by all the power at the command of Virginia; and subsequently the Convention now in session, representing the sovereignty of this State,

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