From the American State Papers, House of Representatives, 25th Congress, 2nd Session, Military Affairs: Volume 7, page 966 and 997. December 1837.

The United States government, without authority from the Government of the State of South Carolina, decided to dump piles of large rocks into Charleston Harbor to form a bed upon to build Fort Sumter, thus creating an unknown hazard to that harbor.

1. The State of South Carolina owned Sullivan's Island and ceded to the Federal Government the authority to operate and improve the lands upon which Fort Moultrie occupied upon that island. No private person was allowed own any portion of Sullivan's Island, and the owner's of house's on that island were tenants of the State, and could not claim compensation for damages if all of their property on that Island was destroyed, by order of the proper authorities, for the purpose of safety and defense.

2. The Governor of the State of South Carolina had the express authority of quarantine ships when present and by the City of Charleston, only in his absence.

3. The City of Charleston had the authority to regulate of vessels within its limits under express acts of law, and no other further control within the harbor.

4. The Federal Government was confided, by express laws of the State of South Carolina in the....

a. Protection of the harbor FROM INVASION.
b. Construction and regulation of light-houses, beacons, and buoys for maritime navigation safety.

- Three sites for forts were ceded, under certain restrictions, to the Federal Government, (Pinckney, Johnson, and Moultrie) the site of Fort Sumter being occupied without State authority (at least by 1838). Fort Sumter was planned as a substitute to the abandoned Fort Johnson. Soon after the foundation to Fort Sumter had begun the effects of this placement where noticed. The natural course of the harbor's waters changed causing current's near Fort Moultrie began to eat away the Sullivan's Island, threatening to expose the harbor to the open sea; which prompted the State of South Carolina to protest the manor of construction and location of Fort Sumter.