&
P. GRAY HEEEK,
BELLEFONTE, PA.
Friday Morning, Dec. 5, 1862.
We
{= Congress assembled on last Monday.
+ Editor.
R £7 Srawp Act.— Old Abe putting down
his foot.
¥ I Wouldn't blue-bellies bo a more ap-
propriate currency for the Yankees, than
gresn-backs ?
rere Gar me
The news fiom the Army is “All quiet
sbout Fredricksburg,” it appears that the
Confecerates did'nt please to evacuate it
when ordered to do go.
7 The drafted men from this Stale— that
is, we suppose, those of them who Lave not
skedaddle, are under marching orders for
Waushington- -g0 it is ssid. :
pra eer eae '
37 Gen. Burnside, not willing to macii-
fice the lives of his men necdlessly, is about
to have the proscription axe 8f Abram the
First, to fall on his devoted head,
§ 077 The President’s Mvssage wag receiv-
ed too late fi r insertion in tlLis week's pa-
per. Although lengthy, we shall try to give
14 to our readers in our next sszus.
OOP
g§7 Why don’t the President issue a pro-
clamation declaring Burnsides to Le in Rich-
wend, and the “rebellion crushed out 2’ —
‘I1y it, Abram, we think it would be alout
ae sensible as was your cmancipation proce.
lamation,
ieee dh Bf
% I” Gen. Burnside hasn’t got to lich-
mond yet. Strange, isn’t it ¥ Why don’t
you go on, General ? What keeps yon
atanding before Fredericksburg so long /—
Somethivg in the way * Somebody there ?
Hey ? On to Richmond.” “On, Bum-
side, on!’
7" The Confederates made quite a haul
on Saturday last, near’ Falmouth. They
captured between five and six hundred cav
alry, horses, equipments and all. Why the
deuce don’t Abram issue a proclamation to
capture the impudent scampa that would
thus asail an “unsuspecting” foe.
—————— a $e =
97" We publish in to-day's paper, the
eorregpondence Letween General Scott and
Ex-President Buchanan. The hero of Lun-
dy’s Lane has made nothing by this second
attack on the old Statesman, as will be seen
Ly the reader. If General Scott wishes to
make a mark other than in battle, he had
better assail some (me not quite so well
booked up as Mr. Luchanan.
# Nor Correct. - -The report in circulation
that coal ol is advancing in price, because
she “Wide Awakes' are going to light their
lamps again. No, sir, the last of that pa-
triotic tribe, was seen hunting for an ‘‘ab-
dominsl supporter,” and trying to sell his
lamp and cape to procure a substitute ip
esse he was drafied.
crn reel GPA ett
§77 The Philadelphia papers of the 4th
inet., say that Gen. Burnside is to be reliev-
ed of his commard of the army of the Poto-
wae, and his place filled by Gen. Hooker.—
80 be it. Go ahead, Abram—push on, Hal-
leck—do your Lest, Stanton—ihe people
will soon take it into their heads to relieve
you. They will do it, though, in a different
manner. Scotch caps and military cloaks
will be needed, to prepare.
gr Just Lika Troy. —The radical press-
oa have denounced no man with greater
vehemence than they have FanNanpo Woop
ex-Mayorof New Tork. [ua speech just
before the election he said: ‘Last spring
1 was offered — and leading Republicans of
fered to put it mto Writing—that if 1 would
desert they would make mie the next Gov-
ernor of New York.” Comment is unnec-
essary. — Ew. .
The Fastest ¥oss !
“General Harrmck with bis ermy, traveled
from Pittsburg Lending ta Cetinth, a dis-
tance of tweflty cone miles, in fifty four
days—the average daily march being con-
siderably less than half amile! After he
became General-in Chief, and out of danger,
he digsmissed M’Clellan for benig too slow,
although his march averaged siz miles a
day, What will be done now with Burnside
who has been twenty five days in marching
#wenty milest Isn't Halleck the fastest nag
of the three 7— Ea.
— Beem
E27 Some of our abolition exchanges seein.
considerably rejoiced over “the prospects,”
as they term it, of electing Sitnon Cameron
to'the United Sates Senate. To be sure.
the Democratic party has, in times that are
past, been betrayed, basely betrayed, by
wen who owed their political existence to.
its organization ; but that does not argue
that there wili be Democratic representa-
tive in the next Legislature who can be
purchased, or are base enough to accept a
bribe. No, gentlemen, rejoice all you can
on your **PROSPREOTS, ” for it is all you have
left to glory over. Your scepire has fallen,
your power hes departed, and you are now
at the meroy of the goad old party that will
save what you have left of our ence happy
country.
. ~~ Who is Responsible?
We cannot imagine why it is that some
of our would be Democratic exchanges have
labored so hard, and especially since the is-
suing of the order releasing the political pris-
oners throughout the North, to place the re-
sponsibility of the unconstitutional and eut-
rageous acts of the old usurper at W ashing-
ton, upon the miserable curses who Lave
only carried out the orders of their master.
Surely they would not have the people be-
lieve that Abram Lincoln is not to blame for
the illegal arrests, unwarrantable seizures,
and false imprisonment of hundreds of pa-
triotic, law abiding Democrats, who have
suffered for months in close confinement in
the damp and dismal cells of military pris-
ons, and now liberated by the edict of the
old culprit, not because he wished to, but
for tho simple reason that the people spoke
out cpen and boldly and said it SHOULD
| be done.
Upon the authority of orders issued by
Abram Lincoln, these men were punished
for crimes not committed ; and it is not
Jight that he, whose doty itis to see that
the laws aie faithfully exccuted, end the
Constitution of the United States preserved
and protected, should be exculpated and go
unpunished, and these flagrant violatiors of
the rights guaranteed to every American
citizen be forgotten. Though he be a Pres-
ident, he is subject to the laws, and should
oath and usurpation of power. [tis no ex-
cuse for Lim to say that he is igncrant that
such acts were really committed, or that
they were done without his sanction, for the
orders creating these very lools to establish
his despotism are not yet blotted from the
record, neither have the proclamations de-
claring it to be their duty to carry out mrs
orders, pessed “from our memories.
We should Ihe to know of some of the
contemptible cowards, who a.e still claiming
conservalism and justice, to be attributes of
Abram the first, Who itwas that suspended
the vrit of habeas corpus and declared mar-
tial law throughout the entire North 2 Old
Abe or his mmions ?—who it was that ecre-
ated the offices filled with ignorant mar-
shalls and insolent deputies, with which our
country is filled almost as full as was Egypt
with frogs—tho brainless asses that camry
the commissions, or the imbecile disgracing
the place once filled by Washington ?
Who is it that refuses to release Dr. Ed-
son B, Olds of Ohio, who was arrested on
the Tying affidavit of some perjured whelp,
because he will not take an oath to support
the ApyiNistrATION 7 Abram Lincoln or the
craven white livered scamps that do his
bidding # Who is it that discharges the iu=
mates of the “black holes?’ of the North,
and denies them a trial or refuses to grant
them a hearing 2 Abram Lincoln or his un-
derstrappers 2 Answer ug, ye who would
cover over with smooth words the violated
oath of a man chosen as President of a free
People—ye, who would patch the Constitu
tion wiih abolition proclamations and tyran-
nical erders—ye, who would crowd lies as
black as hell down the throats of your own
friends and neighbors, to save the carcass
of an old despot from the righteous indigna-
tien of an outraged people,
Important Information.
The Sanitary Commission have estab-
lished an office of information in regard to
patients in the Hospitals of the District of
Columbia, and of Frederick City: Maryland.
By a reference - to books which are corrected
daily, an answer can, under ordinary cir-
cumstances, be given by return mail to the
following questions :
Ist, Is [giving name and
regiment of persens] in the hospitals of the
District or of Frederick city.
2d. If so what is his proper address,
3d. What is the name of ths Surgeon or
Chaplin of the hospital ?
4th. If not in hospital, at, has he recently
been in hospital ? i
5th. 1f,s0, did he die in hospital, and at
what date? :
Oth. If recently discharged from hospital,
was he discharged from service 2.
7th. If not what were his orders on lea
ving ? .
The Commission is prepared also to fur-
nish more sepecific information as to the
condition of any patient in the District hos-
pitals, within twenty-four hours after a
request to do so. from an officer of any of ils
corresponding societies.
The oftice of the Directory will be .open
daily from 8 o- clock a, m.” to 8oclock
Pp. m,and accessible in urgent cases at any
hour of the night. ;
The number of patients in these hospitals
is about 25.000. = 1f found to be practica-
ble, tha duty here undertaken locally by the
Commission will be extended to include
all the gencral hospitals in the country.—
Addres, FRED. LAW OLMSTED, General
Secretary, Washington D. C.
tenes ee ecs——— .
Gopey's Lavy Book, for Jahuary has
been placed upon our takle. It is Superior
to any heretofore received. * A New Year's
Gift,” and * A New Year,” two steel cn-
gravings which cannot be excelled are alone
worth the price of the **Book.” ¢Husks,’
a new story by Marian llarland is commen-
ced in this number, and promises to excell
Alone,” “Hidden Path,” or any of the
Author’s previous productions. ¢Godey,”
for 1863 will contain 1300 pages of reading
matter, 24 pages of music, 12 double exten-
sion celored fashion plates, over 1200 wcod
engravings, 14 steel engravigs, 780 articles
by the Lest authors, all of which will be
furnished at the following extremely low
rates—
One copy one year, $3. Two copies one
year, $5. Three copies on year, $6. Four
copies one year, $7. Five copies ono year,
and an extra copy to the person sending the
club, $10. Eight'copies one year, and en
extra copy to the person sending the club,
$15. Eleven copies one year, and an extra
copy to the person sending the club, $20.
The money in all cases must accompany
the orders. We will furnish tha Walchman
and the Lady’s Book, to any person for one
year, at the low price of 28,50, paymble in
$dvxgoe.
be made to suffer the penalties of a violated |;
.us it had been easier to bear.
Terrerism and Outrage in Missouri.
** The condition of the people of Missouri,’
says the Crisis, “is fast becoming of na.
tional importance, The transactions of the
Government military authorities in that
State should attract the attention of every
citizen in the loyal States. Especially are
the Democrats of the North. in the hous of
their triumphs, bound by every tie of hon:
or and justice to raise their voices against
the daily acts of those for whom they, asa
part of the government, are made responsi-
ble.”
Unable themselves to speak, write or vote
without the bayonet at their hearts or the
prison walls before their eyes, let those
who ore in a less restricted atmosphere de-
mand that an explanation be given of the
monstious outrages continually committed
there. The voice of thousands of men, wo-
men and chi'dren ery to us ford protection,
for justice: for that friendship and humani.
ty we profess, and which we planted. upon
our banner, aud under which we’ triumph-
ed. We must not sink all our glory in a
vulgar straggle as to who shall get the next
offices. Our victories won by an uprising
of the people “all well, and we have noth-
more to do!” The more victories we win,
the more we have got to do, and the more
cool calculating and vigilant we have got to
be. :
Every Democrat in the North knows very
“well, that could the Abolitiomsts have got
the machinery totwork here which is descri-
bec by our “St. Louis,” correspondent very
few of those who voted the D¢mocrat ticket
would have escaped the same fate. Our diff:
erence in location, with a continous vigil-
ance, difficult at times to control, is the
only reason why we are not in the same
predicament as eur Democratic friends of
the Union, aud rights of the state—the peo-
plein; Missouri—Ilundreds of Ohio Demo-
crats are settled in Missouri, some of them
of years standing. and sll the crime they
committed was in being Democrats there as
they had been here. Many of them came
buck to Ohio the past year to escape th
"| ptrsecation of the abolitionists there who
daredfnot assail them here. They were
Just as good Union men as they ever were,
and fully concured in the idea that a seper-
ation of rhe States mn the great; Mississippi
Valley could not rema n any length of time
in a state of peace. With peace they had
every hope of a restoration of the national
power, while in a state of war, division was
inevitable, ar.d hostilitics and hatred could
never ceuse.
If holding such, or even much more mod-
ified opinions then these, 88 many of the
Democrats there do, is & crime, subjecting
men to banishment, imprisonment, and a
confiseatation of their property, then others
holdin g the same views, are equally guilty,
though livingiin the most extreme portions
of the Morth.
The scheme of the Abolitionists, broached
years before the civil war broke out to ex-
terminate the cld population of Missouri and
re-populate the State with Abolitionists
from the, North, we fear has had much to do
with the extriordinary outrages which have
been inflicted upon the peaceable and un-
armed population of that desolated State.—
But be the causes what they may, it is ime
the pubtic atttention of the loyal States was
being attracted to that region of ‘country,
and the Administration ealled to account
ior tlie conduct of its officers, and a full ex-
planation given.
The time is passed when the public voice
can be stifled, and those in authority may as
well concede, first as last, that their cons
duct hat got to be submited to the crucible
of public opinion, The decree of a ‘tree
press and free speech,” has gone forth from
a higher tribunal than that of “Old Father
Abraham,” and that-decree i8 srrcrocable!
Vox die in terram! Let no man think him-
self great enough to turn it aside.
The President And Liberty.
"The Evening Post favors the coun vy with-
thefollowing astounding piece of intelligence
which the “order” of Mr, Stanton, this day
published, jpartially confirms ;
“The Presid ents fully _ convinced that
the scase of the country 13 ove rwhelmingly
against anything savoring of tyranny or of a
military despotism.”
Is he indeed ! After eighty years of Amer--
ican liberty and independence, a lawyer from
Illinois, . elevated to the chair .of WasmiNG-
TON, has acteally learned that the sense of
‘the country favors freedom. and’ it is not
altogether, indifferent to justice and « the
laws !_ Had’an enemy put this scorn upon
¢ Bat that an
American journal should thus in the lan-
guage of s court flunkey, reco the shame
of the land, is almost to much for mortal
patience.
Quite to much for morta patience, a trial
beyond all imagined for Jo, it is the same
Jjourna’ls explanation of the process thiough
which this light has reached the Presidential
mind. « ’ ‘
“Some of the arrests madehave been un-
necessary and unjust and the adminstration
has suffered for its mistakes.
The “’adwinstration has suffered,” mark
you—not the, American citizens *‘unneces-
surly and unjustly arrested, not American
liberty indecently outraged ; not the Ameri-
can name made laughing stock and scandal
of the world, but the ‘<adminstration !”
The temporary servants of the people have
been made to tremble for their wases ; the
intriguers of party for the saccess of their
schemes.
Can the force of bland unconscious basen-
ess further go.-—N. Y. World. :
{77 We are often]asked, observes a cotem-
porary, in view of the late elections ¢ What
will Old Abe do? . We don’t know what he
will do’; but we are free to- say what he
ought to do. Hs ought to hire a sub-
shitule,
177 In two towns of New Jersey, at the
late State election there was not a Rrpub-
lican vote cast. Inone offthe towns 290
votes were casi, all Demgeratic. In the
other over 350 votes were cast, also all
(Clirisgaas i8 coming.
CRETE aT
Constitutional Rights.
We give below a few cxfracts from the
Constitutions of several Northern States, as
well as from the Constitution of the United |
States. They contain principles which frec-
men should be willing to maintain at all
hazzards and under all circumstances, and
which we, as citizens of a Republic, should
see were protected and pres.rved. Although
the people of each of the. States named, are
guaranteed the freedom of speech and of
the press, yet they are fully represented by
men who dared to raise their voices in de-
fence of these rights, in the loathsome dun-
geons of sickening bastiles ! Shall a usurp-
er continne to thus crush out the privileges
of the people 7? Shall the doors of the politi
cal prisons throughout the North still open
to receive new victims ? or shall they be
battered down and the suffering inmates re-
stored to liberty and light 2 Itis for you
Democrat, to answer, Read the following
extracts and say whether your friends, your
neighbors and yourselves, shall be robbed
of the rights which the Constitution of your
State aud the United States guarantees you.
The constitution of New Hampshire says :
“The liberty of the press 1s essential to
the security of freedom and ought to Le in-
vioiably preserved.”
The constitution of Massachusetts says—
“The liberty of the press is essential to
the recurity of freedom, and it ought not
therelore to be restrained by this Common-
wealth.”
‘The constitution of Connecticut Says—
No law shall ever Le passed to curtail
or restrain the liberty of speech or of the
press.”
The constitution of New York says—
“Every citizen may freely speak, write
and publish his sentiments on all subjects,
and no law shall be passed to restrain or
abridge the liberty of .speech or of the
press.”
New Jersey, in the same words, asserts
the full liberty of speech and of: the press,
and that no law shall be passed to restrain
or abridge those sacred rights.
The constitution of Pennsylvania says—
“The printing press shall be free to any
person who undertakes to examine the pro-
ceedings of any branch of the governwent,
and no law shall ever be made to restrain
the rights thereof. The free communication
of thought and opinion is one of the invalua-
ble rights of man,”
The constitution of Ohio says —
+ Every citizen may freely speak and pub-
lish his sentiments, and no lap shall ‘be
passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of
speech or of the press.”
The constitution of Indiana sayg—
¢‘No law shall be passed restraining or re-
stricting the right to speak, write, or print
freely on any subject whatever.’
And so says the constitution of every State
in the Union, guarding only against libels,
but in the fullest manner defending and se-
curing to every citizen the freeman’s right
to the fullest liberty of speech and liberty of
the press—a sacred right, never questioned
but by tyrants, or crusned down but in the
most degraded despotisms.
The foregoing provisious in the State Con-
stitutions were made in accordance With a
provision of the seme kind in the Cons:itu-
tion of the United States.
[From the Constitution of she United
States :]
“1. Congress shall make no jaw respect-
ing an establishment of religion, or prohib-
iting the free exercise thereof, or abridging
the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.”
Alter defining the rights of the people, and
the restrictions of the powers of the govern-
ment over thecitizen, to doully insure the
people in the protection of these rights, the
framers of the Constitution summed up, as
it were, their great work by adding the fol-
lowing important provision :
“This Constitution and the laws of the
United States which shall be made in pursu-
ance thereof ; and all treaties made, or
which shall be made, under the authority of
the United States, sha / be the supreme law
of the land ; and the JUDGES in every
State shall be bound thereby, anything in
the Constitution or LAWS of any State to
the contrary notwithstanding.”
[For the Watchman. ]
Mn. Epitox : 3
J Being called to Wash-
ington on business relative to some sick
friendsan the hospitals, I was much grati-
fied so find that our Pennsylvania soldiers,
were so well provided for. Those who
have friends in that city, in the hospitals,
ought to feel under many obligations to
Major James Gilliland, formerly of this
pcounty, who has charge of the sick and
wounded soldiers from this State. When
not engaged with the necessary duties of his
office, which are very onerous, he is ever
willing to impart such information, and lend
such personal assistance as are in his power,
My principle opject, Mr. Editor, in this
brief communication, is to make honorable
mention of one who has done much for the
relief of poor suffering humanity.
The Relay Society is also worthy of much
praise, for what it has been doing for the
sick and wounded soldiers ; but the limits
of this article will not admit of a more ex-
tended notice.
Hoping that you may find a place for this
in your columns, I remain very respectfully
yours, J H.H,
MosmaNNoON, Pa.
eres
[= Brig-General Francis E. Patterson, of
Philadelphia, was found dead in his tent,
near Fairfax Court House, Gen. Patterson
comwanded a Brigadeof New Jersey Troops.
[lis death was very sudden and unexpected,
but the cause of it has not been ascertained.
The deceased was a sonof Gen. R. Patterson
of Phi'adelphia.— Ez,
17 Thousands of the drafted men from
this State have deserted and returned home.
Not much wonder. Men can't fight with a
good stomach, when they see nothing to be
accomplished but the eternal destruction of
our free governmentand the liberation of
Southern negros.
T7"Marriage certificates are required to
have a ten cent stamp on them to mak them
legal
—
Rejoinder of Licut. Genaral Scott to
Ex-President Buchanan,
1 the Editors of the National Intelligencer :
yo
1 regret to find myself iu a controversy
with the venerable ex-President Buchanan.
Recently (October 21,) you published my
official report w President Lincoln, dated
March 30, 1861, giving a summary of my
then recent commection with our principle
Southern forts which. I am sorry to per-
ceive, has given offence to the ex-President.
That result, purely incidental, did not en-
ter into my purpose in drawing up the pa-
per, bat, on reflection, I supposed that, un-
ge the circumstances, offence was unavoid-
able.
Letit be remembered that the new Presi-
deut had a right to demand of me—the im-
mediate commander of the Army—how it
had happened that the ificipient rebels had
been allowed to seize several of those forts,
and from the bad condition of others were
likely to gain possession of them also, Pri
marily the blame rested exclusively on me
Hence, to vindicate my sworn allegiance to
the Union and professional conduct, the re-
port was submitted to President Lincoln at
an early day, (in, bis administration,) and
recently to the world.
"To that short paper ex-President Buchan-
an publishes a reply of double the length in
the Intelligencer of the 1st instant. My re-
Jjoinder from necessity, if not taste, will be
short, for I hold the pen in a rheumatic
hand, and am without aid-de-camp amanu-
ensiy, and, without a printed document’and
my own official papers.
Unable, in my present condition, to make
an analysis of the ex-President’s long reply,
I avail myself of a substitute furnished by
an accidental visitor, who has kindly mark:
ed the few points which, he thinks may re-
quire some slight notice at my hands.
1. To account for not haying garrisoned
| sufficiently the Southern forts named against
acticipated treason and rebellion, according
to my many recommendations, beginning
October 20, 1860, repeated the next day,
and again more earnestly, December 13, 15,
28 and 30, the ex-President says: * There
were no available troops within reach.”
Now, although it is true that, with or
without the ex-President’s approbation, the
Secretary of War had nearly denuded our
whole eastern seaboard of troops in order to
augment our forces in Texas and Utah, I
nevertheless pointed out, at several of the
above dates, the six bundred recruits (about)
which we had in the harbor of New York
and at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania,
nearly all organized into temporary compa-
nies, and tolerably drilled and disciplined —
quite equal to the purpose in question—be-
sides the five companies of regulars near at
hand, making about one thousand men.
These disposal troops would have given
(say) two hundred men to the twin forts
Jackson aod St. Philip, below New Orleans ;
an equal number to Fort Morgan, below
Mobile; a reinforcement of one hundred
men to Fort Pickens, Pensacola Ilarbor, and
a garrison of the like number to the twin
fort McRae ; a garrison of one hundred men
to fort Jefferson, Tortagad Island, and the
same to Fort Pulaski, below Savannah,
which like Forts Jackson, St. Philip, Mor-
gan and McRae, had not at that time a sol-
dier—leaving about two hundred men for
the twin forts, Moultrie and Sumpter,
Charleston barbor where there were two
weak companies, making less than ninety
men. Fortress Munroe had already a gai-
rison of some eight companies, one or two
of which might, in the earlier period of
danger have been spared till volanteers
could have been obtained, notwithstanding
printed handbills were everywhere posted
in Eastern Virginia by an eccentric char-
acter inviting reeraits to take that most i=
portant work.
Now, I Lave nowhere said that either of
those forts, even with the reinforcement in-
dicated, woud have had a war garrison.
Certainly not. My proposition was to put
each in a condition, as I expressly said, to
guard against a surprise or coup de-main,
(an off-band attack, one without full prepa-
ration.)
That these movements of small detach-
ments might easily have Leen made in No-
vember and December, 1860, and some of
them as late as the following wonth, caun-
not be doubted. But the ex-President
soeers at my ““ weak device 7 for saving the
forts. He forgets what the gallant Auder-
son did, with a handful of men, in Fort
Sumpter, and leaves out the ncceunt what
he might have done with a like in Fort
Moultrie, even without further augmenta-
tion of men to divide between the garrisons.
Twin forts, on the opposite sides of a chan-
nel, not only give a cruss fire on the head of
an attack, bus the strength of each is more
than doubled by the flanking fire of the oth-
er. * The same remarks apply to. the gal
lant Lieut. Slemmer, with his hendfal of
brave men in Fort Pickens. With what
contempt might be not have looked upon
Chase or Braz, in front of him, with vary-
ing masses of from two thousand tv six
thousand men, if Fort Pickens and its twin
Fort McRae had had between them only
two hundred men! 5
I have thus shown that small garrisons
would have sufficed for the other twins,
Forts Jackson, and St. Philip, also. My
object was to save to the Uniom, by any
means at hand, all those works, util Con
gress could have time to guthorize a call for
volunteers—a call which the President, for
such purpose might no doubt, have made,
without any special legislation, with the full
approbation of every loyal man in the Un-
ion.
2. The ex-President almost loses his
amiability in having his rceglect of the
forts “attributed,” us hae says, “without
the least cause to theiinfluence of Governor
Floyd;” and, he adds, * all my Cabinet
must bear me witness that I was the Presi-
dent myself, responsible for all the acts of
the administration,” ! ;
Now, notwithstanding this broad assump-
tion of responsibility, I should be sorry to
believe that Mr. Buchanan specially con-
sented to the removal, by Secretary Floyd,
of 115,000 extra muskets and rifles, with
all their implements and ammunition, from
Northern repositcries to Southern arsenals,
so that, on the breaking out of the maturing
rebellion, they might be found without cost,
except to the United States, in the most
convenient position for distribution among
the insurgents. So, too, of the one hundred
and twenty or one hundred and forty pieces
of heavy artillery which the same Secreta-
ry ordered from Pittsburg to Ship Island, in
Lake Borgne, and Galveston, Texas, for
forts not yet erected! Accidentally loarn-
ing, early in March, that, under this postiu-
mous crder, the shipment of these guns had
commenced, I communicated the fact to
Secretary Holt (acting for Secretary Cam-
eron) just in time to defeat the robbery.
But on this point we may hear ex-Secre-
tary Floyd himself. At Richmond, he ex-
pressly claimed the honor of defeating all
my plans and solicitations respecting the
forts, and received his reward; it being
there universally admitted that but for that
victory over mo there could have been no
rebellion.
3. Mr. Buchanan ‘complains that I pub-
lished., without permission, January 18,
1861, my views addressed to him and the
Secretary of War, October 29 and 30, 1860.
But that act was caused, as I explained to
him at tho time by the misropresentations
of the vicws in one of the esrlior speeches o
the sama ex-Secretary after his retarn to
Virginia, |
+4. Ove of my statements complaining
of the joint countermand sens through the
Secretaries of War and Navy to prevent the
landing &t Fort Pickens of Captain Vodges’
comprny unless the fort should be attacked,
is eited hy the ex-Prerident to prove a sin-
gular want of memory on my part; and a
note from Secretary Tote is addressed to
show that I bad entirely approved of the
Joint countermand the day (January 29,)
that it was propared. Few persons are as
little liable to make a misstatenent by acci-
dent as Mr. ITolt, and no one more incapa-
ble of making one by design; yet, I have
not the slightest recollection of any inter-
view with him on this subject, Ts re-
member, however, that Mr. Holt, on some
matter of business, approaching my bedside
about that time when I was suffering great-
ly from ‘an access of pat. + Mr. Buchanan,
Mr. Holt, and myself were all landsmen,
and I could knpw but little of the impossi-
bility of landing troops on an open sea
beach, with a high wind and surf. My.
Touey, Secretary of the Navy, with officers
about him of intelligence and nautical ex-
perience, ought to have said plumply that if
Vodges was not to land except in the case of
attack upon Fort Pickens, he might as well
have remafned at Fortress Monroe, as the
prohibition placed the fort, so far as he was
concerned, at the mergy, or (as the event
showed) on the want of enterprise on the
pie of the yebel commander as Pensaco-
ey :
Possibly thero are other parts of the re-
ply’ which a superficial reader may think
requires comment or elucidation ; and, in-
deed, here is ancther marked for me by my
kind visitor + 3
5. The ex-President has brought togeth-
er a lybrinth of dates respecting the arrival
and depariure of rebel commissioners, ar-
mistices, &c., with which, as I had no oflit
cial connection, [ may have made an unim-
portant mistake or two; but, as I have not
by me the means of recovering the ciue to
those windings, I shall not attempt to foi
low him.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Now York Fifth-Av. Nov: 8. 1862.
——— Ee —
Letter From Ex-President Buchanan,
Tothe Riilor of the National Intelligen-
cer. .
With a few remarks 1 shall close the con-
troversy with Gen. Scott, into which [ have
been most reluclantly forced by his volun-
tary and unexpeclod attack,” This has
nevertheless, aflorded me an opportunity of
correcting many unfounded reports which [
had long borne in patience and in silence.—
In my answer, 1 have already furnished
clear and distinct respons: s to all the alle
gations of (ten. Scott ; and in his rejoinder
he has not called in question any of my
statements, with a single exception. Which
of ws is eorrect in this particular depends
upon the question whether his recollection
of an event which occured more than cight-
een months ago, or the statemeny of Mr.
Holt reduced to writing on the very day, is
entiled to the greater credit,
‘I'he General in the introduction of his re-
joinder, assigns as an excase for the criti-
cism on my public conduct that this was
merely incidental to his alleged official re-
port to President Lincoln on the condition of
our fortifications, and was not primarily in-
tended for myself. From this statement
one would conclude that he had made such
a report. But where is this to be found 2 —
For it he refers to the Jutelligencer of the
21st October ; but there I discover nothing
but his letter of four points to Mr. Seward,
dated on the 3d March, 1861, advising the
incoming President how to guide his admin-
istration in face of the threatening dangers
to the country. In the single introductory
sentence to this letter he barely refers to
his ‘printed views,’ (dated in October, 1860)
which bad been long before the public; but
it contains nothing hike an official report on
tle condition of the fortifications.
Whether the introduction of this letter to
the public, without the consent of President
Lincoln by one of the General's friends, in
a political speech during a highly excited
gubernatorial canvass, had influenced him
to prepare’his criticism on my conduct, ic is
not for ‘me to determine,
At what period did Gen Scott obtain the
six hundred recruits to which he rerers in
his rejoinder 2 This, was certainly after the
date of his ‘views,’ on the 30th October, 18-
GO, becar.se in these he states emphatically
that the forces then at his command were
‘in all five companies only within reach to
garrison or reinforce the [nine] forts men-
tioned in the * views.’ nN
Did he obtamn theke recruits in Novemuver ?
If so had he visited Washington or written
and explained to me in what manner this
Juilitary operation could be aczomplished by
the four hundred men in thé five companies
and the six hundred retruits, 1 should have
given bis representations all the considera-
tion eminen:ly due his high military reputa-
ton. :
But he informs us he did not ‘arrive in
Washington till the i2th of December. His
second recommendation to garrison these
forts must consequently have been made ac-
cording to his own stafement, on the 13th,
15th, 28th, or 30th of December, or on more
' than one’of these days. At this period the
aspect of public affairs bad greatly changed
from what it, was in October. =~ Congress
Was now In session, and our relations with
the Setédda Chtton States had been placed
before them by the President's message. —
Proceedings had been instituted by that
body with a view toa compromise of the
dangerous questions between the North and
the South ; ‘and the highest hopes and warm-
est aspirations were then entertained for
their success. - Under these circumstances
it was the President’s duty to take a broad
view of the condition of the whele country,
in all its relations, civil, industrial, and com-
mercial; as well as military, giving to each
its appropriate intiuence. "It was only from
such a combination that he could frame a
policy calculated to preserve the peace and
to consolidate the strength of the Union, —
Isolated recommendations proceeding from
one department, without weighing well their
effect upon the general policy, ought to be
adopted with extreme caution. ‘
But ic seems from the rejoinder that Sec
retary Floyd at Richmond had claimed the
honor of defeating General Scott's ‘plans
and solicitations respecting the forts, it be-
ing there,” says the General, ‘universally
admitted that but for that victory over me
there could have beén no rebellion.” This
is, in plain Eoglish, that the secessionists of
the cotton States, who have since brought
intu the field hundreds of thousands of un-
doubtedly brave soldiers, wonld have aban-
doned in terror their unlawful and rebellious
desigris, had Gen. Scott distributed among
chieir numerous forts {our hundred and eigh-
ty men in October or one thousand in De.
tember ! This requires no comment. 1
have never been able to obtain a copy of the
speech of Mr. Floyd at Richmond, to which
1 presume General Scott refers ; but I learn-
ed, both at the time and since, from gentle-
men of high respectability, that in this same
speech he devounced me most bitterly for
my determination to stard by and sustain
he Union with all the power I possessed
under the Constitution and the law.
And here perv mie to remark that it
due to General Scuie as well as myself to d-
ny that there is any portion ef my answer
which justifies the allegation that the -‘Ex-
President sneers st my ‘weak devices’ the
words ‘weak device’ boing marked as a quo-
tation) for saving the forts.” This mistake
I must attribute to ais “accidental visitor.
Aad in this connection | emphatically de-
clare that the General neitper before nor af-
ter the publication of his views” in ti:e
Intelligencer of the 18h January, 1851,
without my consent, assigned Any reasqu to
me for making this pu-lication, or ever'‘en
sade to ihe subject. In this licannot ho
mistaken, from the deep jm: essiga. which
the occurence made i gs memory for
the reasons aircady mentioned in my aa-
swer. : - ~ i
. I should have nothing more to add had
Gen. Scott in his rejoinder, confined himself
to the topics embraced in his original letter.
He has extended them, and now for the first
time, and in a sarcastic and no kindly spi
rit, refers to the alleged stealing “of public
arms by Sceretary Floyd and their. trans.
portation to the South in anticipation of the
rebellion. The most conclusive answer to
this allegation‘is that, notwithstanding the
boasting of Mr, Floyd at Richmond evi-
dently with a view monciliating his new al-
lies cited by the General as his authority, no
public aims were ever stolen. This fact in
established by the report of the committee
on Military affairs of the Hou-e of Repre-
sentatives now before me, mado by Mr.
Stanton of Pio, their chairman on the 18ih
February 1861 and to be found in the second
volume of the reports of Oommittees of tha
House for the session of 1860-61, This re-
port aud the testimony before the committee
establish :
1. That the Southern States received in
1860 less instead of more than the quota
of arms towhich they aro entitled by law;
and that three of thgm— North Carolina,
Mississippt and Kentucky —received no
arms whatever and (hig simply because
they did not ask for them. Weil may Mr,
Stanton have said in the house “that there
and missapprehensions as to the true state
of facts in regard to this matter.”
2 Seeretary Floyd ander suspicious eir-
cumstances on the 23d December 1860 and
buta few days before he left the department
had without the knowledge of the President
ordered one hundred and thirteen (113) coi-
-| umbiads and cleven (11) thirty two pound.
ers 1 be transported from Pittsburg to Ship
Island and Galveston in Mississippi and
Texas. This fact was brought to the knowl-
edge of the President by a communication
from Pitisburg : and Sccretary Holt imme.
diately thereafter countermanded tho order,
and the cannon were never = sent.
The promptitude with which we acted elici-
ted a vote of thanks, dated on the 4th Jan-
nary 1361 from the Selec: and Common
Councils of that city “to the President th.
Attorney General and the acting Secretary
of War,” Mr, Holt.
Alter this statement how shall we acconut
for the explicit declaration of Gen Scott that
“accidentally hearing early in March that
under this prsthumoas order (that of Mr.
Floyd of the 224 December) the shipment of
these guns had commenced, 1 communica-
ted the fact to Sceretary Holt (acting for
Seeretary Cameron) just in time to defeat
tha robbery ¢7 And this isthe same Sec-
retary Holt who had countermanded the
posthumous order n the previous Decem-
ber. And strange to say these guns but
fur he alleged interposition of Gen Scost,
were about to be sent so late as March from
the loyal States into those over which Jeff.
erson Davis had then for some time pres:
ded!
tad Gen. Scott reflected for a moment he
couid not have fallen into this blunder. Jt
is quite manifest he was “without a prife
document and my (his) own official papers.”’
3. The Government had on hand in ths
year 1859 about 500.000 old muskets which
bad been condemned ¢ as unsuitabie for pub
lie service,” under the aci of 3d of March,
1825 They were of such a character that
although offired both at public and private
sale for $2 50 cach, purchasers could not be
obtained at that rate except for a compar-
atively small number, On the 30th of No
vember 1859 Secretary Floyd ordered about
one fifth of the whole number, (105.000) to
be sent {row the Springfield Armory where
they had dccumulated, to five Southern arsg-
nals “in proportion to their respective means
of proper storage.” This order wag carried
imo efect by the Ordnance Bureau in the
usual course of administration and * without
reference to the President. Ii is but jus.
tice to say that from the testimony = betore
the commitice there ix no reason to suspect
that Secretary Floyd issued this order from
any sinister motive Its date was months
before Mr Lincoln’s nomination for the
Presidincy, and nearly a year before his
election and whilst the Secrctary was stil
an avowed opponent of secession. Lndeed
the testimony of Colonel Craig and
Capt, Maynadier, of the Ordnansze, before
any evil intention on his part,
And yet these ‘condemned muskets,”
with a few thousand ancient rifles of & cali-
bre then no longer used dvd trdnsformed by
Gen. Scott into 115,000 eatra muskets and
rifles with all their implements. and aumm-
ation.” This is the first time ¥ have Eeard
—certainly there was nothing of “the kind
sent with these condemed and inferior arms
to their places of storage just ag though
they had been intended not for safe but 1m-
Inediate usc on the field. The truth is that
is impossible to steal arms and transport
them from one depository to another without
the knowledge and active participation of
the officers = of . the Bareaa,§ both at
Washington and these depositories. It may
he observed that Colonel Oraig, the heed of
the Bureau, at this period was as correct an
oflicer and as loyal and as honest a man as
exists in the country.
Yours, very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Wheatland near Lancaster," November 17.
——— eee
CouNreRFREIT GREENBACKS.— Among the
numerous counterfits :afloat arg photograp-
ic five dollar Treasury notes: They are
well calculated to deceive, would not be de-
tected at a casual glance by one man out of
ive hundred. Compared closely with the
a they are found to be about
the sixteenth of an jach longer, and
stiffer. The signatures show moreZgplaily
on the back of the bills than in the good
money, and the shading of the engraving is
heavier and darker. Other defects would
probably be disclosed ona very critical ex-
amination. It islikely these coualgifeits
have obtained a wide feirculation, hd it
will become necessary; for the people to be
a little more careful in handling *‘green-
backs,” than they have heretofore been.
TT Net Span
[Z7Tho Lewistown Gazette calls the
Democrats who were incarcerated in Forts
Warren, Layfaye¥ie, &c,, “‘cutthroats.” |
If they were to mete out justice to the mis-
erable devils that caused their imprison-
ment, they would cut the throats of every
cowardly whelp among them. Justice may
yet triumph. Beware old man.
NPoverty is often despair. = A good
fellow went to hang himself, but finding a
pot of gold. went merrily home. Bat
he who had hidden the pot, weat and hang
kid
are a good deal of rumors. and speculation -
the committee is wholly inconsistent, with’
before the commitlee—that ammunition was,
..
oem