SOUTH CAROLINA. 



655 



Secretary of the Treasury, C. G. Memminger ; 

 Postmaster-General, W. II. Ilarlee ; Secretary 

 of the Interior, A. C. Gurlington. 



On the 31st of December, the State troops, 

 which had been for some time acting as a guard 

 to the arsenal, under orders from the Governor,, 

 took full possession, and relieved the United 

 States officer who had been in charge. At half- 

 past one o'clock on Sunday, the Federal flag 

 was lowered after a salute of thirty-two guns. 

 The State troops were drawn up in order and 

 presented arms. The Palmetto flag was then 

 run up, with a salute of one gun for South 

 Carolina. 



The arsenal contained at the time a large 

 amount of arms and other stores. Meanwhile 

 military preparations were actively pushed for- 

 ward, and several volunteer companies from 

 other Southern States tendered their services. 

 Notice was given by the collector at Charleston 

 that the masters of all vessels from ports out- 

 side of South Carolina must enter and clear at 

 Charleston. Bank bills were also made receiv- 

 able for duties. 



The Legislature had continued its session, 

 but no business of importance was transacted 

 until after the adjournment of the State Con- 

 vention. Under the military law, which had 

 been passed, a call was made for volunteers by 

 the Governor about the time that Fort Suuiter 

 was occupied by Major Anderson. This act re- 

 quired the Governor to receive one volunteer 

 company from each battalion in the State, and 

 two rifle companies from each infantry brigade, 

 each company to consist, besides the commis- 

 sioned and non-commissioned officers, of not 

 less than sixty nor more than eighty-five men. 



If volunteers in sufficient numbers did not 

 present themselves, the order then required 

 that a sufficient number be drafted into the ser- 

 vice of the State thus compelling them to per- 

 form military duty. The term of their service 

 was not stated. 



A loan of $400,000 was also authorized, 

 which was taken by the banks of the State, 

 which were also authorized to suspend specie 

 payments. 



About this time the United States Assistant 

 Treasurer was ordered not to pay any further 

 drafts of Major Anderson, then in command at 

 Fort Sumter. (See SUMTER.) The money at 

 this time in the hands of the Treasurer was 

 $150,000. 



The flag of the State, adopted by the Legis- 

 lature, to whom the subject had been referred 

 by the State Convention, consisted of a plain 

 white ground with a green Palmetto tree in 

 the centre, and a white crescent in the left 

 upper corner on a square blue field. 



On the 14th of January the Legislature unan- 

 imously passed a resolution declaring that any 

 attempt by the Federal Government to reen- 

 force Fort Sumter would be considered as an 

 act of open hostility, and as a declaration of 

 war. At the same time they adopted another 

 resolution, approving the act of the troops who 



fired on the Star of the "West, (tee STAR OF THB 

 WEST,) and also resolved to sustain the Gov- 

 ernor in all measures necessary for defence. 



The Governor proposed, for the defence of 

 the coast, the purchase of three steam propel- 

 lers of light draught, each to be manned by 

 thirty-two seamen. One of the steamers should 

 be stationed in Charleston harbor, one at Beau- 

 fort, and one at Georgetown. He also recom- 

 mended that all inlets and months of rivers 

 should be fortified with redoubts and owJnance, 

 and that boats should keep up a constant com- 

 munication between the several points as a 

 protection against sudden invasion by lawless 

 bands. 



On the 16th an act passed the House, to stay 

 the collection of all debts due by South Caro- 

 lina to persons in the non-slaveholding States, 

 until after December ensuing. 



An act of treason to the State wa? detected 

 at this time, and the criminal was arrested and 

 confined for trial. The collector of the port at 

 Georgetown, J. N. Merriman, was the person. 



A letter was found, written by him, and ad- 

 dressed to President Buchanan, stating that he 

 had just cleared vessels in the name of the 

 United States, and that he would continue to 

 do so. The letter urged upon the President to 

 send a boat and men to collect the Federal rev- 

 enue, and informed him of the progress made 

 in the construction of the works near George- 

 town, and promised to keep him'informed from 

 time to time in relation to the same. "When 

 arrested, he acknowledged himself the author 

 of the letter. 



The reply of South Carolina to the peace 

 propositions of Virginia is to be found in these 

 resolutions, adopted by her General Assembly 

 of the Legislature. 



l&tolved unanimously, That the General Assembly 

 of South Carolina tenders to the Legislature of Vir- 

 ginia their acknowledgments of the friendly motives 

 which inspired the mission intrusted to Hon. Judge 

 Robertson, her commissioner. 



Sesohed unanimously, That candor, which is due to 

 the long-continued sympathy and respect which has 

 subsisted between Virginia and South Carolina, in- 

 duces the Assembly to declare with frankness that they 

 do not deem it advisable to initiate negotiations when 

 they have no desire or intention to promote the ulti- 

 mate object in view that object which is declared in 

 the resolution of the Virginia Legislature to be the 

 procurement of amendments or new guarantees to the 

 Constitution of the United States. 



Sfsolied unanimoufly, That the separation of South 

 Carolina from the Federal Union is final, and she has 

 no further interest in the Constitution of the United 

 States ; and that the only appropriate negotiations be- 

 tween her and the Federal Government are as to their 

 mutual relations as foreign States. 



The following resolution was also adopted 

 about the some time by the Assembly : 



Resolved unanimously, That this Assembly further 

 owes it to her friendly relations with the State of Vir- 

 ginia to declare that they have no confidence in the 

 Federal Government of the United States; that the 

 most solemn pledges of that Government have been 

 disregarded; that under pretence of preserving prop- 

 erty hostile troops have been attempted to be intro- 

 duced into one of the fortresses of this State, concealed 



