Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/189

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in command of the Fort, whether he would engage to tak* m part in the expected blow, then coming down upon him from the approach- ing tleet ? "

( iovernor 1'ickens and General Beauregard had been notified from Washington of the approach of this fleet, and the objects for which it was sent, but this notice did not reach them (owing to the treachery and duplicity of Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward, practiced on the Commissioners sent to Washington by the Confederate Government, which are enough to bring the blush of shame to the cheek of every American citizen), until the fleet had neared its destination. But Anderson refused to make any promise, and when he did this, // be- came necessary for Beauregard to reduce the fort as he did. Other- wise his command would have been exposed to two fires one in front and the other in the rear.

SEWARD'S TREACHERY AND DUPLICITY.

I wish I had the time to give here the details of this miserable treachery and duplicity practiced on the Confederate Commissioners by Mr. Seward, with, as he says, the knowledge of Mr. Lincoln. These gentlemen had been sent to Washington, as they stated in their letter to Mr. Seward. to treat with him, " with a view to a speedy adjust- ment 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."

I can only state that although Mr. Seward refused to treat with the Commissioners directly, he did so, through the medium of Justices Campbell and Nelson, of the Supreme Court of the United States; that through these intermediaries the Commissioners were given to understand that Fort Sumter would be evacuated within a few days, and they were kept under that impression up to the jth of April, 1861, although during that interval of twenty-three days the " Relief Squadron " was being put in readiness for reinforcing Sumter. And even on that date (the day after the Squadron was ordered to sail), Mr. Seward wrote Judge Campbell, ' ' Faith as to Sumter fully kept; wait and see," when he must have known that nothing was further from the truth, and as events then transpiring conclusively showed. Judge Campbell wrote two letters to Mr. Seward, setting out all the details of the deception practiced on the Commissioners through him and Justice Nelson, and asked an explanation of his conduct. But