You took from the members of
the House of Representatives a written memorandum that no such attempt
should be made, "provided that no reenforcements shall be sent into
those forts, and their relative military _status_ shall remain as at
present." And, although you attach no force to the acceptance of such a
paper, although you "considered it as nothing more in effect than the
promise of highly honorable gentlemen," as an obligation on one side
without corresponding obligation on the other, it must be remembered (if
we are rightly informed) that you were pledged, if you ever did send
reenforcements, to return it to those from whom you had received it
before you executed your resolution. You sent orders to your officers,
commanding them strictly to follow a line of conduct in conformity with
such an understanding.
Besides all this, you had received formal and official notice, from the
Governor of South Carolina, that we had been appointed commissioners and
were on our way to Washington. You knew the implied condition under
which we came; our arrival was notified to you, and an hour appointed
for an interview. We arrived in Washington on Wednesday, at three
o'clock, and you appointed an interview with us at one the next day.
Early on that day, Thursday, the news was received here of the movement
of Major Anderson. That news was communicated to you immediately, and
you postponed our meeting until half-past two o'clock on Friday, in
order that you might consult your Cabinet.
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