ANXIETIES AND PROSPECTS DURING THE WINTER. LETTERS TO JOHN A. ANDREW, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, JANUARY 17 TO FEBRUARY 20, 1861. THE following letters to Governor Andrew were obviously written in the intimacy of personal friendship and under the spur of public duty. The constant appeals for firmness at home found sympathetic response in one who was himself always firm, and they helped him with others. A letter to Mr. Sumner, dated January 28th, shows his appreciation of the correspondence. "I have had great satisfaction in your constant remembrance of me by letters, documents, &c. I bear always in my mind and on my heart the honor of the 'Old Bay State,' and the claims of our holy cause of Liberty upon my devotion and efforts. May God help us all to be faithful! . . . I feel much support in your letters." SENATE CHAMBER, January 17, 1861. DEAR ANDREW, - Your timely suggestion MY notes Mr. Sherman in the House, where any measure founded upon it must originate. I have letters constantly from New York as well as Massachusetts, expressing great solicitude with regard to the safety of the capital. I am satisfied, that, had the President persevered in his original policy of surrender and treason, we should have been driven away before the 1st of February. Others with whom I converse do not doubt this. But General Scott has applied his best energies to measures of defence. He is sat isfied that the traitors cannot succeed here, whatever they may do elsewhere. He has force enough on hand to hold the capital for hours against any attack which can be expected, and within that time he can have fifty thousand men from the North. A law maxim says, Cuique in sua arte credendum est. Should he be mistaken, his military reputation will suffer terribly. " You see as well as I, that any military assistance must be invited by the Government. A march of troops on our side would be a 'first move" towards hostilities. Our safety must depend upon the watchfulness of the Government. But I agree with Mr. Stearns, that it would be useful to have some faithful men here who would make it a business to ascertain the plans and purposes of the enemy. Mr. Burleigh, a Republican of John Covode's district, has recently made an excursion into Maryland, where, passing himself as a speculator in negroes, he thinks he got into secrets. He reports a combination of ten thousand men to seize the capital, and also another conspiracy to assassinate Mr. Lincoln in Maryland, on his way to Washington. Our friends are all tranquil, except so far as disturbed by Seward's speech. If his propositions were pressed, I think they would split the party. I regret very much that he made them, and I protested most earnestly against them. He read me his speech four days in advance of its delivery. I pleaded with him, for the sake of the cause, the country, and his own good name, to abandon all his propositions, and simply to declare that Mr. Lincoln would be inaugurated on the 4th of March President of the United States, and rally the country to his support. I do not think we should allow this opportunity to pass without trying the question, whether a single State can break up the Union. What is it worth, if held by any such tenure? I have no concession or compromise of any kind to propose or favor; least of all can I become party to any proposition which sanctions Slavery directly or indirectly. I deplore everything of this kind, however plausible, as demoralizing to the country. FIRM Pray keep Massachusetts sound and firm God bless you! Ever and ever yours, CHARLES SUMNER. SENATE CHAMBER, January 18, 1861. MY DEAR ANDREW, -I think that our friends are coming to the conclusion, that we can offer no terms of concession or compromise, in order to please the Border States. The question must be met on the Constitution as it is and the facts as they are, or we shall hereafter hold our Government subject to this asserted right of secession. Should we yield now,—and any offer is concession, every Presidential election will be conducted with menace of secession by the defeated party. There is a disposition to stand firm together. monwealth firm; yet a little longer and the crisis will be passed. Save her from surrender. Nothing she can do will stay secession. IMPOSSIBLE. Let her not write a shameful page in the history of Human Freedom. I feel strongly for her fame, her good name, her character, her example. In the future let it be said that Massachusetts did not waver in the cause for which she has done so much. How easy it would be for me to give my life rather than have her take a single backward step! God bless you! Ever yours, CHARLES SUMNER. There is tranquillity now with regard to the capital. General Scott feels safe, and others feel safe under his wing. Virginia, it is said, will surely go. SENATE CHAMBER, January 23, 1861. MY DEAR ANDREW, You have doubtless received my telegram. I found General Scott with the Secretary of War, and read the letter you inclosed. They said at once that no such guns had been ordered by the National Government, and General Scott added that they were, without doubt, intended for Fort Sumter. He said they were "very formidable." He thought they were already in a state of great forwardness." Of course you will see that Massachusetts does not "imp the wings" of Treason. Yesterday, before receiving your letter, I passed an hour and a half with General Scott. He is not with out solicitude in regard to the capital. Information received yesterday confirms the idea that there is a widespread conspiracy. He will have one thousand men here, three companies of flying artillery, two companies of infantry, and five companies from Fortress Monroe. The place of the latter at Fortress Monroe will be supplied by recruits from New York. He cannot ride on horseback, but he proposes to accompany Mr. Lincoln on the 4th of March in a carriage with Commodore Stewart, each in his uniform. Nothing that Massachusetts can do now can arrest one single State. There can be no other result except our own humiliation, and a bad example, which will be felt by all other States. If Massachusetts yields one hair's breadth, other States may yield an inch or foot, a furlong, or a mile. Pray keep the Legislature firm. Don't let them undo anything ever done for Freedom. Good bye. Ever yours, CHARLES SUMNER. SENATE CHAMBER, January 24, 1861. MY DEAR ANDREW, I have a suggestion to make which is in harmony with one of your recent letters. Mr. Dix, in his letter of 18th January, on the present resources of the country, says: "Before closing this communication, I wish to call your attention to the fact that there are deposited with twenty of the States, for safe-keeping, over $28,000,000 belonging to the United States, for the repayment of which the faith of these 1 Secretary of the Treasury. |