Glass 
 Book 
 
 £>ll 
 
 Vt^"£ 
 
SPEECH 
 
 HON. K. V. WHALEY, 
 
 OF VIRGINIA, 
 
 DELIVERED 
 
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 
 
 Mat 12, 1862, 
 
 ON A RESOLUTION TO AWARD MEDALS TO THE HEROES OF FORT 
 
 SUMTER. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C, 
 
 3CMEMELL & CO., PRINTERS, CORNER OP SECOND AND INDIANA AVENUE, THIRD FLOOB. 
 
 1862, 
 

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 SPEECH. 
 
 Mr. Wha.ley, by unanimous consent of the 
 House, offered the following resolutions : 
 
 " Whereas the House of Representatives of 
 1 the Congresss of the United States have made 
 ' no suitable acknowledgment of the services of 
 ' Major Anderson and his gallant band at Fort 
 ' Sumter and Charleston harbor ; and wkere- 
 ' as General Anderson's bold and patriotic and 
 1 fearless acts have been justified by this House ; 
 ' and whereas it is an appropriate custom to 
 ' commemorate and perpetuate such worthy deeds 
 ' by suitable medals for encouragement to the 
 ' patriotic : Therefore, 
 
 " Resolved, That the House of Representatives 
 ' hereby expresses its high sense of the services 
 ' rendered by Major Anderson and his command 
 ' to the cause of the nation and the Union by 
 ' their fearless condct and patient sufferings. 
 
 " Resolved, That a committee of three be ap- 
 ' pointed, who shall cause to be executed and 
 ' presented to Major Anderson and his officers 
 ' and soldiers, who were at Fort Sumter, suita- 
 ' ble medals, historic in character and appropri- 
 ' ate in composition — gold for officers, and silver 
 ' for men." 
 
 Mr. WHALEY said : 
 
 Mr. Speaker : I had hoped that some 
 other member of this House would have pre- 
 sented resolutions, similar to those now of- 
 fered, on the conduct of Major Anderson 
 and his gallant band in the harbor of Charles- 
 ton, South Carolina. And while the majesty 
 of silence may best befit the occasion which 
 waked a nation to her duty, rousing lethargic 
 patriotism to grand and heroic action, yet some- 
 thing is due to ourselves, to Congress, to the 
 country, and the nation's history. It is justice 
 and right that upon our Journals shall be found 
 by the future chronicler of our country's his- 
 tory some slight evidence that we ourselves held 
 in esteem the scenes and actors which brought 
 
 a nation from despondency and confusion^ and 
 almost anarchy, into the fullness of the majesty 
 of asserting so grandly the great truth of gov- 
 ernment. 
 
 However great may be the victories of this 
 war, however brilliant the achievements of our 
 arms, however numerous our heroes, by land 
 or by sea, there can be but one Fort Sumter, 
 one Major Anderson, and but one such band 
 of soldiers. A military evacuation, an annoy- 
 ing defeat, and yet a glorious victory, a moral 
 victory, waking into earnest life a nation appa- 
 rently almost dead to patriotism and honor, 
 preserving Government, our Government, our 
 liberty, and our Union, a heritage for our pos- 
 terity and the nations of the earth forever ; and 
 God grant that to Major Anderson and his asso- 
 ciates may be afforded the privilege and pleas- 
 ure of replanting the flag of the Union on 
 Sumter, its bunting to wave there forever. Bear 
 with me, Mr. Speaker, as I hastily refresh your 
 mind with the incidents of 1860 and 1861, so 
 far as they relate to Major Anderson and his 
 gallant band. On the 17th of December, 1860, 
 the convention of South Carolina assembled, 
 and three days thereafter, by a unanimous vote, 
 passed her ordinance of secession ; and on the 
 24th of the same month Governor Pickens, by 
 proclamation, declared the State independent 
 of the Federal Government. The position then 
 was, "war is imminent— peace impossible." 
 On the 19th of December, 1860, the rebels of 
 Charleston declared that no more soldiers 
 should be sent to the forts in the harbor of 
 Charleston by the General Government. The 
 Charleston Mercury, of December 22, declared 
 that the President would not reinforce Fort 
 Moultrie, that the forts would be demanded by 
 the State authorities, and if not given up, " the 
 people will obey the call for war, and take the 
 forts." Thus forewarned, oh ! how did patri- 
 
otism and the spirit of our fathers lie prostrate 
 amid this vaulting treason J How chafed the 
 spirit of the gallant Anderson, compelled qui- 
 etly to endure the taunts of rebels, with no 
 orders summarily to punish dishonor done to a 
 flag dear to brave and true hearts. On the 
 festival of the nativity of Him who came to 
 proclaim " peace on earth and good will to 
 men," Major Anderson witnessed the unrebuked 
 entrance of troops into Charleston to initiate a 
 war against the best Government any nation 
 has ever enjoyed. 
 
 On the next day Fort Moultrie, hitherto oc- 
 cupied by General Anderson, was evacuated. 
 The Charleston Courier, of December 27, speaks 
 of Fort Moultrie's " busy look one week ago, 
 when scores of laborers were engaged in add- 
 ing to its strength. Around, on every side, 
 were the evidence of labor. The walls of the 
 fort evinced a rare degree of energy in prepar 
 ing for the attack." General Anderson labored 
 to fortify Moultrie, until he saw the troops of 
 the rebels pouring into Charleston, until he saw 
 that his Government had failed to furnish suf- 
 ficient men for both forts — Sumter and Moul 
 trie. The latter fort covers so much surface 
 that it could not be defended successfully at all 
 points by a garrison of less than three hundred 
 men, the adjacent buildings furnished conceal- 
 ment and protection for an attacking force 
 until they arrive at the walls of the fort. Ex- 
 perienced military men, well acquainted with 
 the position, say that a force of two hundred 
 and fifty men, by an attack skilfully planned 
 and executed, could have taken the place with 
 the garrison under Anderson. The general 
 did his work well at Moultrie, hoping even to 
 the last for decision and earnest action in his 
 behalf on the part of the Administration and 
 the country. Seeing that South Carolina in- 
 tended to seize Fort Sumter in advance, and 
 thus compel the evacuation of Moultrie, there- 
 by holding both t i, Major Anderson autiei 
 pated South Carolina. Sumter was occupied 
 on the night of the 2Gth of December, ! 
 and precisely at twelve o'clock m., December 
 'JTth, the American flag was hoisted from the 
 staff of the fort. The authorities of South 
 Carolina, enraged at the movement, made great 
 efforts at Washington to induce the President 
 to order Anderson again to Moultrie, but he 
 refused, and John B. Floyd indignantly re- 
 signed. 
 
 The removal to Sumter on the part of An- 
 derson, while it was one of the plainest devices 
 of the art of the soldier, was yet, in its circum- 
 stances, one of the boldest, bravest, and wisest 
 movements that from time to time has awa 
 ed slumbering nations. General Anderson's 
 resolute maintenance of his post until secession 
 ripened into rebellion, and treason culminated 
 into war, stripped the question of its subtleties, 
 the current debate of all sophistries, and com- 
 pelled the diabolism of disloyalty to lay aside 
 
 its meretricious dress and to^wear its true and 
 odious garb before the vision of a startled and 
 indignant people. It was'action, the initiation 
 of decision, unauthorized by the Administra- 
 tion, taken for himself and his country, so ob- 
 viously right that it was not repudiated. Here is 
 the first feeble glimmering of a Government, 
 the first exhibition that the nation had a Pres- 
 ident, and that we had a country. Floyd re- 
 moved, with a noble, wise, and patriotic suc- 
 cessor, a new aspect is assumed. The highest 
 military commendation of the country was be- 
 stowed on Anderson for the occupancy of Fort 
 Sumter. Fort Moultrie and Castle Piuckney 
 were possessed immediately by the rebels, and 
 put in readiness for firing on Anderson. The 
 Palmetto flag was raised over custom-house 
 and post-office, and the revenue cutter of the 
 port was betrayed by Captain Coste into the 
 hands of the rebels. General Wool advised the 
 Administration, December 6, that troops should 
 be sent promptly to man the forts in the har- 
 bor. He urged the sending of four of the com- 
 panies at Fortress Monroe without delay. He 
 said : 
 
 " The Union can he preserved, but it requires 
 ' firm, decided, prompt, and energetic measures 
 ' on the part of the President." 
 
 The last day of 1860 closed with the arsenal 
 at Charleston in possession of South Carolina, 
 and strong fortifications in and around Charles- 
 ton harbor to resist reinforcements to Major 
 Anderson. The year 1861 opens with censor- 
 ship over telegrams in South Carolina, with 
 Charleston patrolled by military, with the min- 
 ute men at Norfolk ready to seize the Brooklyn, 
 and with the news at Washington that Sumter 
 is besieged, Major Anderson's communication 
 cut off, Fort Moultrie repaired, and guns re- 
 mounted by the rebels. 
 
 January 5, the South Carolina commission- 
 ers were excluded from further communication 
 with the President. The one right step of An- 
 derson led to Floyd's resignation and the first 
 exhibition of self-respect and dignity showu by 
 the Government towards the rebellion. The 
 commissioners ought to have been arrested and 
 put in irons as traitors. Just severity, early, 
 would have proved mercy to the people, and 
 economy to the nation. The rebellion was 
 tampered with as if a political contest or a 
 party issue. There was no recognition of its 
 sin, its crime, its true char: cing at the 
 
 wry existence of Government; ignoring the 
 remedy, not to be found in the philosophy and 
 history of politics, but in the philosophy and 
 history of revolutions. 
 
 Humiliated under the pressure of historic 
 and national responsibility, with little to sus- 
 tain him beyond the consciousness of his in- 
 tegrity, the hero of Sumter must have been 
 cheered by the resolution of the House of Rep- 
 
;<ry 
 
 resentatives, offered by Mr. Adrain, of New 
 Jersey : 
 
 " That we fully approve the bold and patriotic 
 ' act of Major Anderson in withdrawing from 
 < Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, and the determi- 
 ' nation of the President to maintian that fearless 
 ' officer in his present condition." 
 
 Communication was cut off between Sumter 
 and Charleston ; the paymaster was not allow- 
 ed to pay Anderson's men ; early in the morn- 
 ing of January 8, the Star of the West was re- 
 peatedly fired into, making her way to Sumter, 
 and the national flag insulted ; at eleven o'clock 
 Major Anderson sent to Governor Pickens, in- 
 quiring if the firing on the Star of the West 
 had his sanction, and he replied that it had, 
 and a special messenger was dispatched to 
 Washington , Major Anderson declared to 
 Governor Pickens that the firing on an un- 
 armed vessel, bearing the flag of the Govern- 
 ment, [s " without parallel in the history of our 
 country or any other civilized Government," 
 and if not disclaimed, he must " regard it as an 
 (Kit of war ;" and he wrote, " I shall not, after 
 reasonable time for the return of my messen- 
 ger, permit any vessel to pass within range of 
 the guns of my fort." 
 
 In the early days of the Republic such in- 
 sults would have been promptly avenged by 
 the Government. Emboldened by the past, 
 Governor Pickens sent to Washington for a 
 balance of $3,000 due him as late minister to 
 Russia, which the Department duly honored by 
 sending him a draft on the stolen sub-treasury. 
 A few days afterwards Colonel Hayne is re- 
 ceived by the President, who in behalf of South 
 Carolina demands the withdrawal of the gar- 
 rison from Fort Sumter ; and on the 25th of 
 January the Catawba Indians are received into 
 the service of the rebels at Charleston, and on 
 the last day of January South Carolina offered 
 to buy Sumter, and if not acceded to, threat- 
 ened " to seize it by force." Each day added 
 insult to the Government and to Anderson. 
 
 Hastening on, I pass over the events of Feb- 
 ruary. 
 
 The 5th of March General Beauregard took 
 command of the forces at Charleston for the 
 investment of Fort Sumter. On the 8th of 
 April the General Government advises South 
 Carolina that they desire to send supplies to 
 Fort Sumter in an unarmed vessel. South Car- 
 olina replies that she will fire on the vessel. The 
 Federal Government rejoins that supplies will be 
 sent, peaceably if possible, otherwise by force. 
 The entire military force of Charleston is or- 
 dered out ; four thousand men are telegraphed 
 for from the country. At midnight, at the dis- 
 charge of seven guns from Citadel Square, men 
 . are hastening to their rendezvous ; drams and 
 the tramp of soldiers and gallop of cavalry re- 
 sound through the streets all night long. Major 
 Anderson displays signal lights during the night 
 
 from the walls of Sumter. The Charleston pa- 
 pers of the next day hope that " such a blow will 
 be struck that Sumter and Charleston harbor 
 will be remembered at the North as long as they 
 exist as a people." April 11) at two p. m., 
 Colonel Chestnut and Major Lee, aids to Gen- 
 eral Beauregard, demanded of Major Anderson 
 that he should evacuate the fort. At six p. m., 
 he replied that his " sense of honor and his ob- 
 ligations to his Government would prevent his 
 compliance with the demand." Seven thou- 
 sand men were now under arms around Fort 
 Sumter, and one hundred and forty pieces of 
 ordnance of heavy calibre in position. 
 
 What was the condition of things within the 
 fort ? The force consisted of seventy soldiers, 
 one hundred and twenty workmen, and nine 
 officers. Provisions stopped from the city, the 
 garrison living upon commissary^ stores of 
 scanty supply, the men at work, with little in- 
 termission, closing up embrasures, clearing the 
 parade, and walling up the main gate. There 
 were no elevating screws for guns, and but 
 scanty implements. Staff officers assisted those 
 of the line on guard duty, sentinels were visited 
 every two hours through the night, watching 
 the guard boats, with which the harbor was 
 filled, to resist reinforcements for the fort. Fuel 
 gave out, and in January the officers were con- 
 fined to one fire, and were compelled to use the 
 wooden structures on parade, and finally the 
 blacksmith shop, for fuel. The command was 
 limited to shorter rations. One of the officers 
 of the garrison says : 
 
 " The rebels landed their men and guns with- 
 1 in range of the guns of Fort Sumter and our 
 ' brave men had no power to act. Slowly the 
 ' rebels went on until they completely surround- 
 ■ ed us. We watched their proceedings from 
 ' day to day, with feelings to be imagined but 
 ' not described, more annoying to us than scan- 
 ' tiness of food and fuel." 
 
 Major Anderson g^ve orders for the women and 
 children to be sent to a place of safety. The offi- 
 cers packed up what was most valuable to them ; 
 and on the 1st ofFebruary left in a small schoon- 
 er, allowed to take their bedding and a few chairs 
 only. Sad was the scene of separation between 
 husbands and wives and parents and children. 
 Under ordinary circumstances such farewell 
 scenes are affecting. When the soldier leaves 
 his home and family, the imagination, with 
 comparative faintness, suggests the incidents of 
 disease and wasting, of battles and wounds and 
 death : but here was the living vivid reality be- 
 fore them. Amid implements of destruction, 
 amid the excitement of continued preparation 
 for defence, in view of the formidable move- 
 ments of the rebels, with no hope of succor 
 and decided action from Washington, with no 
 disposition to abandon those time-honored forts, 
 what but certain death could have been antici- 
 pated ? Few instances are on reeord of more sad 
 parting scenes. To them, so far as could have 
 
6 
 
 jeen anticipated, it was the last look upon the 
 learest objects of life. Dearer, dearest, because 
 ibout to be lost forever. For three days were 
 :he women and children at Charleston, and no 
 .etiolation given to their husbands and fathers 
 whether good faith would be preserved by the 
 Charleston rebels. Nervous and sleepless were 
 hese brave but sympathetic hearts, for fear 
 heir dear ones were immured in dungeons or 
 letained in the city ; but great was the joy and 
 ;he relief when from the decks, and even the 
 :igging of the vessel, the forms of their loved 
 >nes were seen, as the New York steamer bade 
 idieu to Sumter for that portion of the Union 
 vhere the crime of rebellion was somewhat 
 inderstood, and where public faith and public 
 .'Irtue would appreciate a band so noble as this 
 ;f Sumter.y 
 
 The work of the men at the fort continued 
 lay and night, with insufficient means and sup- 
 )lies. They had been without bread of any 
 ;ort for five days. Under this slate of the case 
 he demand for, .sin-render was refused. On 
 lay, April 12, at half-past four o'clock a. 
 n.. the first she 1 was fired at Sumter. Fire 
 it once was opened from eighteen mortar bat- 
 eries, and continued until daylight. The rebel 
 )atteiies all day long rained a storm of iron 
 lail into Sumter. The barracks took fire twice. 
 Sumter kept up a continual fire upon the bat- 
 eries of Sullivan's Island and Cumming Point 
 mtil night. Shells were fired at intermission 
 )f ten minutes during the night into Sumter. 
 The next morning Sumter opened fire again, 
 <vith the men weak and exhausted, from want 
 )f food and the strict watch of the night. The 
 lavoc of the enemy's fire was immense. Early 
 he next morning firing upon Sumter was re- 
 lewed with increased vigor. The works of the 
 brt were everywhere exposed to the shells of 
 he enemy. The barracks took fire, aud so 
 :oncentrated was the enemy's fire upon this 
 iart of the work that Major Anderson forbade 
 ipt XP extinguish it. The fire raged 
 he whole daj-, the casemates were filled with 
 smoke, which, with the heat, made it almost 
 pportable — the men lying on their faces 
 ling for breath, the officers wetting their' 
 land kerchiefs and spreading them over their 
 r aces, and the shells, prepared to resist an as- 
 sault upon the fort, beginning to explode, the 
 are threatening the magazine, so that, taking' 
 Dut twenty or thirty barrels of powder, dirt was j 
 .hrown around its doors. The fire still spread, ! 
 rkz barrels of powder were, for safety,' 
 thrown into the sea. The guns were still fired, ' 
 although the cartridges were almost exhausted, j 
 Flanti els, blankets, and sheets from the b 
 tal were put in requisition. The flag-staff was 
 shot away, but the stars and stripes were soon 
 flyin ' in the parapet. Wigfall soon 
 
 came to Sumter with an offer to cease hostili- 
 ties, and Major Anderson and his exhausted, 
 gallant band marched out with drums beating 
 
 and flag still flying. Sumter fell ; but a na- 
 tion hose to arms. The Secretary of War, 
 1861, after characterizing the conduct of Gen- 
 eral Twiggs, says that a striking and honorable 
 contrast thereto is found in the heroic and 
 truly self-sacrificing course pursued by Major 
 Robert Anderson and the small and gallant 
 band of officers and men under his command 
 at Fort Sumter. 
 
 Terrible is the historic retribution awaiting 
 Mr. Buchanan's administration when it shall 
 have become fully patent that the Administration 
 was perfectly cognizant of the coming events 
 of this civil war, that the negligence and dere- 
 liction of those in office were of the gravest 
 character, falsely temporizing, negotiating with 
 rebels in arms without cause and almost with- 
 out pretext ; delicately tender of seditious em- 
 bassies, most cowardly neglect ing true and brave 
 rs and soldiers. The policy of the retiring 
 Administration necessarily affected that of the 
 new Administration. Scarcely an army or 
 navy, and these of doubtful loyalty, the rebel- 
 lion grown into power and magnitude, and or- 
 ganized, earnest, active, and full of hope ; the 
 friends of the Union disheartened, the free 
 States divided, the Breckinridge Democracy 
 generally for the rebels openly, the loyalty of 
 the nation untried, Mr. Lincoln received the 
 gift of the nation, with its embarrassments, and 
 with the annoyances of the policy of his weak 
 if not faintly loyal predecessor. Mr. Lincoln, 
 the day after his inauguration, received Major 
 Anderson's letter of February 28. It contained 
 his professional opinion, concurred in by all 
 the officers of his command, that reinforce- 
 ments could not be given within the time for 
 his relief, rendered necessary by the limited 
 supply of provisions, and with a view of hold- 
 ing possession of the same, with a force of less 
 than twenty thousand good and well disciplined 
 men. General Scott and the officers of the 
 army and navy concurred, General Scott at the 
 same time saying tbat no such sufficient force 
 was then at the control of the Government or 
 could be brought to the ground within the time 
 wheH the provisions in the fort would be ex- 
 hausted. As a military matter the only possi- 
 ble duty of Mr. Lincoln was to get the garrison 
 out safely. As advised by military experts, 
 Mr. Lincoln did his full duty. But there was 
 a State policy. I can conceive of nothing 
 more prostrating and perplexing than the po- 
 sition of Major Anderson. His devotion to his 
 country was religious, sacred. He loved it and 
 cherished her honor as his religion. He will 
 have his reward. 
 
 A passing remark I will make to those who 
 suspect a man merely because born in the 
 South. Anderson, the first and gr^at hero of 
 this war, is of southern birth. A gentleman is 
 a gentleman wherever found. So is true loy- 
 alty, wherever found — true loyalty, North or 
 South. Southern men have been loyal at a 
 
/<fg 
 
 sacrifice unknown at the North ; a sacrifice of 
 social position, of the endearments of relation- 
 ship and home, of the associations of childhood, 
 of local attachments, and of political relations. 
 The spirit of southern devotion to the Union is 
 the martyr spirit tried as by fire ; and by Union 
 men I mean only those who have no contin- 
 gencies in their devotion to the Union, who 
 place neither houses, nor lands, nor sons, nor 
 yet slaves before the Union ; who would offer 
 all on the altar of liberty and the Union, that 
 posterity and distant generations and the op- 
 pressed of all lands may find here the home of 
 freedom and self-government. I call not those 
 persons of the North truly loyal and for the 
 Union who attempt to embarrass the Adminis- 
 tration, and unjustly attack it for the pitiful 
 purpose of organizing a party for their own 
 selfish purposes amid our nation's troubles. 
 They are traitors at heart, and need only op- 
 portunity and circumstances to be traitors in 
 action. 
 
 But what, Mr. Speaker, was the condition of 
 the country in mid April, when Sumter fell ? 
 The President said that he found on the 4th of 
 March the functions of the Federal Govern- 
 ment suspended in sis States, all the forts and 
 arsenals in them seized and in hostility to the 
 Government, except Forts Pickens, Taylor, 
 and Jefferson, on the Florida coast, and Fort 
 Sumter, Charleston harbor; these seized forts 
 improved, new ones built, armed forces organ- 
 ized, Fort Sumter surrounded by well-protected 
 hostile batteries; arms beyond their proportion 
 in these States; public revenue seized; navy 
 scattered in distant seas ; many officers of army 
 and navy resigned and in arms against the 
 Government; ordinances of secession adopted, 
 and the confederate Congress invoking recog- 
 nition and intervention abroad ; the friends of 
 the Union alarmed, hesitating about measures, 
 and when adopted, doubtful how far the people 
 would sustain them. The property not yet 
 wrested from the Government was merely held, 
 and mails afforded in the seceded States at the 
 Government expense, with no adequate provis- 
 ion made by Mr. Buchanan for reinforcing the 
 forts. Scarcely a sign of national life. 
 
 In the House of Representatives, when Mr. 
 Garnett, of Virginia, announced that "one of 
 the sovereign States of the confederacy has, by 
 the glorious act of her people, withdrawn in 
 vindication of her rights," there was clapping 
 of hands. In the Senate, when Mr. Benjamin 
 declared that the rebel States could never be 
 subjugated, he was greeted with vociferous ap 
 plause and uproar. Ratification meetings of 
 secession were held in every slave State. As 
 far North as Delaware, Wilmington fired one 
 hundred guns in honor of secession of South 
 Carolina. In Brooklyn, New York, even the 
 navy yard was put in arms, in entire force, to 
 be ready to put down organized bodies sympa- 
 thizing with secession there. There were 
 
 presses, clergymen, public functionaries at 
 the North ; and almost the entire Breckin- 
 ridge party were doubting about the right 
 of coercion — traitors to their country. Thi3 
 city swarmed with them, and I regret that 
 it is not yet garnished. Mr. Speaker, it will 
 not do to deal gently with determined traitors. 
 They must feel severely and protractedly the 
 force of Government and of law, until the 
 law becomes, as of old, " a terror to evil-doers." 
 Those very persons are now sympathizing with 
 the movement, and aiding it to organize and 
 resuscitate the party which has brought all this 
 ruin upon us by breaking up the Charleston 
 Convention, and dividing the Democratic party. 
 
 And now what was the effect produced upon 
 the country by the Sumter heroes holding on 
 till the last, and maintaining the honor of our 
 flag? The loyal people of the North were 
 united, the hearts of millions fired, an army of 
 half a million, as if by magic, marshaled, now 
 carrying the flag of the nation into the remotest 
 part of our land ; a firm country, no more ruled 
 over by slavery propagandists and a venal 
 Northern Democracy, bowing popularly low to 
 a Southern aristocracy for the loaves and fishes 
 of office ; no more a nation losing almost the 
 name of liberty, and the form of the ancient 
 republic ; a nation no more almost doomed to 
 slavery and anarchy, ready for military despot- 
 ism, aud the fate of degraded, demoralized 
 Mexico ; the European world astounded, giv- 
 ing us immunity in the future from repetition 
 of Anglican insults in adversity, and perfect 
 freedom from any formidable rebellion a^ain 
 in this land ; readiness for patriotic duty here- 
 after, educated boldly to meet the issues of 
 coming evens, trusting God and the people. 
 
 The Speaker of this House, on the 4th of 
 July, 1861, on taking his seat, well said: 
 
 " All parties, sects, and conditions of men,'' 
 * * * * i: forgetting bygone rancors and 
 ' prejudices, blend in one united phalanx for the 
 ' integrity of the Union and the perpetuity ot 
 ' the Republic." * * * * "The merchant, 
 ' the banker, and the tradesman, with an alac- 
 ' rity unparalleled, proffer their all at the altar 
 ' of their country, while from the counter, work- 
 ' shop, and plow, brave hearts, and stout arms, 
 ' leaving their tasks unfinished, rush to the tented 
 ' field." 
 
 The Secretary of War spoke of the spectacle 
 as "taking rank among the most extraordi- 
 nary facts of history." It was not the mere 
 bunting, the target of rebel bullets, the mere 
 stars and stripes being fired at, that awakened 
 the nation. It was this symbolical interest and 
 power, respected abroad, and hereafter to be 
 honored at home. The emblem of past honor, 
 peace aud union, personal protection, domestic 
 security, religious freedom, and national great- 
 ness — the emblem of liberty and progress, ed- 
 ucation for the masses and hope for posterity — 
 the emblem hallowed by the sufferings of our 
 
8 
 
 forefathers and Woody contests on many a bat- 
 tle-field — sanctified by faith, hope, and mem- 
 ory. This glorious emblem was insulted, and 
 dearly v.ill the insult be avenged. The suffer- 
 ings of Anderson's gallant band have well-nigh 
 exhausted their number, and the strength aud 
 health of the surviving. But can we, Mr. 
 Speaker, ever forget Fort Sumter and the gal- 
 lant Anderson? Is it not befitting that Con- 
 gress should order something commemorative 
 of this event, perpetuating it by the proposed 
 medals ? From the earliest dawn of art we 
 have specimens, now in good preservation, 
 celebrating the triumphs of the hero, the 
 achievements of science, and the prowess of 
 consolidated legions. The coins and medals of 
 ancient Rome tell us of grand aqueducts, colis- 
 eums, and temples, of the glory of Ctesar and 
 
 the infamy of Nero and Caligula. So let us 
 commemorate our buildings, events, and heroes. 
 Let the proposed medals be historic in character, 
 elegant in design, appropriate in composition, 
 and beautiful in execution — an encouragement 
 to the loyal and brave, to the young and am- 
 bitious of distinction, that they may strive not 
 for selfish glory, but for their own honor, 
 through and by their country ; her glory, 
 theirs ; her renown, their renown ; and with 
 such men as our defenders — men of Sumter 
 faith, purity, integrity and patriotism — men of 
 truth, honor, and valor, our country, our 
 Union, our liberty, will be safe. With such de- 
 fenders — 
 
 "The Star- spangled Banner forever shall wave 
 O'er the land of the free and the home of the 
 brave.'' 
 
 LB D '05 
 
UBRARVOFCONGHt^ 
 
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