DAILY POST.
The *Mon ee Is wags
The 'Constitution es it is t
Readt4g matter oak every page.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOV. 5
EX-PRESIDENT BUCHANAN'S
I LETTER.
We print= to-day's Post the letter of
Ba-President Buchanan, in reply to the
late publicalion of General Scott, relative
to the last ihonths of the late Administra
tion. Theiiletter is an able one, and it
relieves intl . :author of much of the odiiim
which partiatin rancor and detraction have
heaped tiplA him. This is not the time
for. a fair iihd impartial history of Mr.
Buchanan'a idministration ; it will require
other men ' s td other times to do it justice,
whether that justice be a complete vindi
cation or Ondemnation. Onr belief is,
however, that ,the faithful historian will
record theiiket diet what has been termed
the imbecility of the last few months of
the Admini anon was a thoughtful com
prehensionlif the-awful conflict in which
we are engaged. The Natinnal Intelli
,(
geacer remnrks:
"In .the; gaper now placed before our
readers, theivenerable ex-Presidentshews
that he waisi l not unmindful of the obliga
tions placed upon him by the trying events
through which he was compelled to pass
in the cloning months of his Administra
tion, and hip clearly states the considera
tions of pitilic duty under which he acted,
as also theft limits under which he had
power to eat at all. At the same time he
placea is hb clear light some facts which,
from the InOmmanding position he then
held at theihead of affairs, he is able to
present hi i 4 collocation that redeems his
conduct from certain misapprehensions
which maylhave been entertained at the
time by observers less cognizant of all the
oircumstanees which made up the situa
tion,' as well civil as military, at the out
break of secession."
31
STATE ELECTIONS
Yestorday there were State elections
held in - New York, New Jersey, Massa
chusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota; i Missouri and Delaware, the
results of ivhich will settle the complexion
of the next United States House cf Rep
resentativl and probably the future des
tiny of ot& puntry. If these States, yes
terday, in Itheir sovereign capacity, fol
lowed the laxample of those which voted
in Octobet: by defeating the radical Abo
litionists, "co may confidently anticipate a
change in the policy of the Administration
—a nhangekhich will have for its object
the restoration of the Union and the pre
servation the Constitution. On the
•
contrary, the people of the States al
luded to thave endorsed the radicals, by
electing th4ir candidates to Congress and
to the Stails Legislatures, we can see no
thing in We 'future for the country but
incessant, destructive and lasting war. If
the next 114 use of Representatives contain
a majority 'kJ Emancipationists,,then that
policy will :Ike fastened upon the Govern
, :1
ment; then A war will be prosecuted for that
purpose only, and the result will probably
be a war o extermination; a servile in
surrection,i which will result in the utter
annihilaticiit of the blacks, the near de
struction of the Southern whites, and
the reducing to beggary and destitution
_.the millions of -he North. Every day's
experience only serves to develop. the
designs the leading radicals. What
they denougiced as slander upon them but
a few mot4lis ag6, they now proclaim as
being the 4 principles; and sentiments
entertained! and avowed by the President
but a few,weeks since they now denounce
as treason it o the Government. If these
intemperatil radicals succeed, the war will
be continin!id indefinitely, and, it may be,
degeneratinto a series.of butcheries and
outrages the mere contemplation of which
makes the! stoutest shudder. But we have
hopes, antivery flattering ones, too, that
the futurei4of our once happy country is
not altogether darkness and despair. The
late electiOns of October disclosed a
rainbow ofjpromise shining through the
gloom, while we hope that the results of
yesterday' ffiroting, in the States which held
eleetione, will break upon us with a spied ,
dor, bright'. and glorious as unclouded
May 1
'll
In the Omit Empire State, New York,
the eontees has been conducted with des
peration upon the part of the radicals.
Noisy declamation and charges of trea
son against heir opponents have been their
exclusive weapons of attack. On the
contrary, the Democrats and Conservatives
have relieclitpon argument; and we ques
tion very ninch whether, for solid and se
rious reascitiing, lofty appeals to the virtue
of the people, and defiant denunciation of
arbitrary Pnwer,the canvass in New York,
upon the; part of the conservatives,
was -ever surpassed in this or any other
eonntry. We venture no opinion on the
result; oldt'party lines seem utterly oblit
erated ; theoold constitutional Democrats
and -Whigs nf the Clay and Webster school
are shoulder to shoulder, while Abolition
ists, sided •hy a large number of Demo
erste, are united against them. In the city
of New York, especially, the Abolitien
lets have turned the war spirit to good ac
count amotig the Irish-Americans, and
have nominated several of them for im
portant places, in the hope of securing a
large DemOratic vote for their State
ticket. TbS i names of Meagher, Corcoran,
Murphy, Daffy, and others, who have been
conspictioutilin the war, have been induced
to lend th4 i iraid to assist their life long
opponents. ' These, together with the art
ful appealtilof Daniel S. Dickinson, will
detach . from the conservative ranks, but
their influence will, we believe, be more
than balanced by the thoughtful thousands,
whose action "is never seen 'till felt."
.Babellious Slaves.
The Newiprleatut Dena of the 12th inst.
Corifinon the reported outbreak of slaves
on the plastetion of Mr. Milaldon width.?
murder o f lila overseer. Two other lan
tntions have.beea- tlesert,Ad -- 17 - the A iTO
on them;
Letter from Ex-President
Buchanan.
- - -
His Reply to general Scott. •
The Beginning or thellebellion.
To THE EDITORS OF THE NATIONAL INTEL
LTDENCER: —On Wednesday last, I re
ceived the "National Iritenigencer," con
taining Gen. Scott's address to The pub
lie...This is throughout an nndisgnised ceri
sure of my conduct tor the last months of
the Administration, in regard to the seven
Cotton States' now in rebellion. From
our past relations, I was greatly surprised
at the appearance of such a paper. In
one aspect, however„it wag highly gratify.
ing. It has justified me, nay, it has ren
dered it absolutely necessary that I should
no longer remain silent in respect to the
charges which have been long vaguely cir
culating, but are now, ndorsed by the re
sponsible name of Gen. Scott.
I. The first and most - prominent among
these charges is my refusal immediately to
garrison nine enumerated fortifications,
scattered oyer six of the Southern States,
according to the recommendation oft Gen.
Scott, in his "views" addressed to the , War
Department on the 29th and 30th of Octo•
ber, 1860. And it has even been alleged
that if this had been done it might have
prevented the civil war.
This refusal is attributed, without the
least Cause, to the influence of Governor
Floyd. All my cabinet must bear me wit
ness that I was the President myself, re
sponsible for all the Acts of the Adminis
tration; and certain it is that daring the
last six months preVious to the 28th of
December, 1860, the day on which he re- ,
signed his office, after my request, he ex •
ercised less influence on the Administra
tion than any other member of the Cab
inet,. Mr. Holt was immediately transfer
red from the Post Office Department to
that of War; so that, , from this time until
the 4th of March, 1861, which was by far
the most important period of the Admin
istration, he performed the duties of the
Secretary of War to my entire satisfac
tion.
But I did not immeiliately garrison these
nine fortifications, in such a manner, to
use the language of: Gen. Scott, "as to
make any attempt to take au one of them
by surprise or coup-de-main ridiculous?
There is one answer both easy and con
clusive, even if other valid reasons did ex
ist. There were no available troops -with
in reach which could be sent to these for
tifications. Tolhave attempted a military
operation on d scale so extensive by any
means within the President's . power would
have been simply absurd. Of this Gener
al Scott himself seems to have been con
vinced, for on the day, after the date
of his first "views" he addressed on the
30th of October) supplemental views to
tne War Department in which he states:
"There is one (regular) company in Bos-
ton, one here (at the Narrows), one at
Pittsburgh, one at Augusta ( Ga.,) one at
Baton Rouge," in all live companies only
within reach to garrison or reinforce the
forts mentioned in the "views."
Five companies—four hundred men—to
occupy and reinforce nine fortifications in
six highly excited Southern States! The
force "within reach" was so entirely in
adequate that nothing more need be said
on the subject. To have attempted such a
military movement with so feeble a force,
and the Presidental election impending,
would have been an invitation to collision
and secession. Indeed, if the whole
American army, consisting then of only
sixteen thousand men, had been "within
reach," they would have .been scarcely
sufficient for this purpose. Such was our
want of troops, that, although Gen. Scott,
believing in opposition to the opinion of
the committee raised in the House of Rep
resentatives, that the inauguration of Mr.
Lincoln might be interrupted by military
force, was only able to assemble at Wash
ington, so late as the 4th of March, six
hundred and fifty-three men, rank and tile
of the army. And, to make up this num
ber, even the sappers and miners we: e
brought from West Point,
But why was there no greater force
within reach; This ,inestion could be
better answered by Gen. Scott himself
than by any other person. Our small
regular army, with the exception of a few
hundred men, were out of reach. on our
remote frontiers, where it had been con
tinuously stationed for years, to protect
the inhabitants and the emigrants, on their
way thither, against the attacks of hostile
Indians. All were insufficient, and both
Gen. Scott and myself endeavored in vain
to prevail upon Congress to raise several
additional regiments for this purpose.—
In recomm ending this augumentation of
the General states, in his report to the War
Department, of November, 18&7, that "it
would not more than furnish the reinforce
ments now greatly needed in Flordia, Tex
as, New Mexico, California, Oregon,
Washington, (T.,) Kansas, Nebraska,
Minnesota, leaving] not a company for
Utah." And again, !in his report of No
vember, 1853, he says:
"This want of troops, to give reason
-abli security to our citizens in distant
settlements, including emigrants on the
plains, can scarcely he too strongly stated;
but I will only add, that as often as we
have been obliged to withdraw troops from
one frontier in order to reinforce another,
the weakened points' have been instantly
attacked or threatened with formidable
invasion."
These "views" of General Scott exhib
it the crude notions then, prevailing even
among intelligent and patriotic men on
this subject of secession. In the first sen
tence the General, whilst stating .that "to
save time the right of secession may be
conceded," yet immediately says "this is
instantly balanced by the correlative right
on the part of the Federal Government
against an INTERIOR State or States to re
establish by force, if ,necessary, its former
continuity of territory." (For this he
cites, "Paley'a Moral and Political Philos
ophy, last chapter." It may be there ; but
I ave been unable to find it.) Whilst it
is difficult to ascertain his precise mean
ing in this passage, he renders what he
did NOT mean quite clear in his suppll
mentary "views." In these he says: "It
will be seen that the "views" only apply
to a case of secession that makes a GAP in
the present Union. The falling off say of
Texas, or of all the Atlantic States, from
the Potomac South, (the very thing which
has occurred,) was not within the scope of
General Scott's "provisional remedies;"
that is to say, to establish by force, if ne
sessary, the continuity of our territory. In
his 'views' he also states as follows: "But
break this glorious Union by whatever line
or lines that political' madness may con- '
trive, and there would be no hope of re
cruiting the fragments except by the lacer
ation and despotism of the sword. To
effect such a result the intestine wars of
our Mexican neighbors would, in compar
ison to ours, sink into mere,child' play."
In the General's opinion, "a smaller evil
(than these intestine; wars) would be to
allow the fragments of the great Republic
to form themselves into new Confederacies,
probably four." He then points out what
ought to be the boundaries between the
new Unions; and at the end of each goes
so far as even to indicate the cities which
ought to be capitals of the three first on
this side of the Rocky Mountains, to wit,
"Columbia, South Carolina,') "Alton or
Quincy, Illinois." and "Albany, New
York," excluding Washington City alto
gether. This tindacation of capital con•
Wined in the original now in my possis
ion' is curiously omitted in the version pub
lished in the National Intelligencer. He
designates no capital for the fourth Union,
on the Pacific. The reader will judge
what encouragement these views, proceed
ing fromtio distingaished a source, must
have afforded to.. the ieeesaionista '4ll the
Ofittnn-Statea. •
Ihave said e onghitn4 more than
I enough to convince every mind why I did
not, with a force of five companies, at
tempt to reinforce Forts Jachson end St.
Philip, on the M.issiseippi; Fort Mprgan,
below Mobile, Forts Pietteneitnid.MoCre7e;
in Pensacola Harbor. Fort Puluaki,ie
low Savannah; Forts'Moultrie
and Sdm
ter, Charleston Harbor, and ,Ftirt Mon
roe? in Virginia.
These "views," both original and sup
plementary, were published by General
Scott in the National Intelligencer of
January 18, 1861,nt the most important
and critical period of the Administration.
Their publication, at that time, :could do
no possible good, and it might do much
harm. To have published them 'without
the President's .knowledge and consent,
was as much in violation of the sacred con
fidence which ought to prevail between the
commanding General of the army l and the
Commander-in-chief as it .would have been
for the Secretary of War to publish the'
same document without his authority.—
What is of more importance, their publi
cation was calculated injuriously to affect
the compromise measures then pending
before Congress and the country, and to
encourage the secessionists in their mad
and wicked attempt to shatter the Union
into fragments. For the great respect
which I then entertained for the General,
I passed it over in silence.
It is worthy of remark that soon after
the Presidental election representations
of what these "views" contained, of
more or less correctness, were dnfortun
ately circulated, especially throughout the
South. The editors of the '•Nationalln
telligencer" in aasigning a reason for their
publication, state that both in public prints
and in public speeches allusions had been
made to them, and some misapprehensions
of their character had got abroad.
11. and 111. General Scott states that
he arrived in Washington on the 12th and,
accompanied by the Secretary of War,
held a conversation with the President on
the 15th of December. Whilst I have no
recollection whatever of this conversation.
he doubtless states cot rectly that 4 did re
fuse to send three hundred men to rein•
force Major Anderson at Fort Moultrie,
who had not then removed to Fort Sum.
ter. The reason for this refusal is mani
fest to all who recollect the history of the
time. But twelve days before, in the an:
nnal message of the Id December. 1 had
urged upon Congress the adoption of
amendments to the Constitutidu of the
same character with those subsequently
proposed byMr. Crittenden, called the
-Crittenden Compromise. - At-that time
high hopes were entertained throughout
the country that these would be adopted.
Besides, 1 beliuve, and this correctly, as
the event proved, that Major Anderson
was then in no danger of an attack. In
deed he and his command were then treat
ed with marked kindness by the authori
ties and people of Charleston. Curler
these circumstances, to have sent such a
force there would have been only to im
pair the hope of compromise, to provoke
collision and disappoint the country.
There are some details of this conversa
tion in regard to which the ;4eneraPs
memory must be defective. A t present I
shall specify only one. 1 could not have
stated that on a future contingent occasion
I would telegraph "Major Anderson, of
Fort Moultrie, to hold the Forts (Moultrie
and Stilarter) against attack ;•' because,
with priudent precaution. this had been
done several days before. through a special
messenger sent to Major Anderson for
this very purpose. I refer to Major Buell,
of the army.
The General's supplementary note of
the same day, presenting to me General
Jackson's conduct in Mitt, daring the pe
riod of nullification, as an example, re
quires no special notice. Even if the cas e s
were not entirely different, l had previous
ly determined upon a policy of my own, as
will appear irom my annual message. This
was, at every hazard to collect the ens
toms at Charleston and outside the port, if
need be, in a vessel of war. Mr. Colcock,
the existing Collector, as I had anticipa
ted resigned his office about the end of
I lecember and, immediately thereafter, I
nominated to the Senate, as hissue. essor,
a suitable person, prepared, at nos per
sonal risk, to do his duty. 'no, body,
however, throughout its entire stsaion,
declined to act on this nomination. Thus,
without a Collector, it was rendered im
possible to collect the revenue.
IV. General Scott's statement alleges
that the "Brooklyn, with itiptain Vodges'
company alone, left the Chesapeake for
Fort Pickens, about January •-lid and, on
the 29th, President Buchanan having en
tered into a quasi armistice eijh leading
rebels at Pensacola and elsewhere, caused
Secretaries Holt and Toucey to instruct, in
a joint rote, the commander 'Of the war
vessels off Pensacola and Lieut.; Stemmer,
commanding Fort Pickens. to commit no
act of hostility and not to land Captain
Vodges' company unless the Fort should
be attacked." He afterward states, with
in brackets, "That joint note I never saw,
but suppose the armistice was Consequent
upon the meeting of the Peace Conven
tion at Washington and was understood to
terminate with it."
These statements betray a singular want
of memory on the part of General Scott.
It is scarcely credible that thief very joint
note, presented in such odious Colors, was
submitted to General Scott oq the very
day it was prepared, (January 29th), and
met his entire approbation. I wduld not
make this assertion. if 1 did not possess
conclusive evidence to prove it: On that
day Secretary bolt addressed me a note,
from which the following is an extract
"I have the satisfaction of saying that on
submitting the paper to General Scott he
expressed himself satisfied with it, saying
that there could be no objectiori to the ar
rangement in a military point'of view or
otherwise." This requires no - ,co,mment.
That the General had every reason to be
satisfied with the arrangement will appear
from the following statement:
A revolutionary outbreak had occurred
in Florida ; the troops of the United States
had been expelled from Pensacola and the
adjacent Navy Yard; and Lieut. Slem
mer, of the Artillery, with his brave little
command, bad been forced to take refuge
in Fort Pickens, where he was in immi
nent danger every 'moment of being cap
tured by a vastly superior force. Owing
to the interruption of regular communica,
Lions, Secretary Holt did not receive in
formation of these events until several
days after their occurrence and then
through a letter addressed to a third per
son. He immediately informed the Pres
ident of the fact and reinforcements, pro
visions and military stores were, dispatch
ed by the Brooklyn to Fort Pickens, with
out a moment's unnecessary. delay. She,
left Fortress Monroe on the 24th of Janu
ary.
Well-founded apprehensions, however,
were entertained at the time of her de
parture that the reinforcements, with the
vessels of war at no great distance from
Fort Pickens, could not arrive in time to
defend it against the impending attack.
In this state of suspense and whilst Lieut.
Skinnier was in extreme peril; Senators
Slidell, Huuter and Bigler recei'ed a tel
egraphic dispatch from Senator i Mallory,
of Florida, dated at Pensacola, on the
28th January, with the urgent request that
they should lay it before the President.
This dispatch expressed an earnest desire
to maintain the peace, as well as. the most
positive assurance that no attack would be
mane on Fort Pickens if the present status
should be preserved.
This proposal was carefully considered,
both with a view to the safety of the Fort
and to the unhappy effect which pan actual
collision, either at that or any other point,
might produce on the Peace COnvention
then about to assemble at Washington.
The result was that a joint dispatoh • was
carefully prepared by the Secretaries of
War and Navy, - accepting the proposal,
with :important. modifications, which was
transmitted by telegraph, on the 9th Jan
uary, to Lieut. Slemmer and to the naval
commanders near the. , station. it is too
long for transeriptiori- suffice it to say it
wasvalefUlly guardod 'at every, 00illt for
the s curity of the Fort and its free coin
maul ation with Wittihington.
Th result waehighly fortunate. The.
Broo.lm hait.4 Ong passage. Although
t4hrf iift . : . -Pukirea t ti - Monroe on the 24th•
Janu rye shii_.:did not arrive at Pensacola
until the fitlilFebruary In ihe meantime
Fort 'ickene;.'with Lieut. Slemmer (whose
conduct deservis high commendation,)
and is brave little band, were placed, by
virtue of this arrangement, in perfect se-
r until an adequate force had arrived
fend it 'against any attack. The tort
h in our, possession. Well might
Scott have expressed his satisti3c
ith this arrangement. The General
curit •
to dd
sti
Gen.
tion •
orient iti his supposition that this
ement was'to expire on the termi
, of the Peace Convention.
V. But we now come to an important
perio., when dates will be essentially
necessary to disentangle the statement of
Gen. Scott. The South Carolina Corn
missi.ners were appointed on the 22d,
and .rrived in Washington on the 27th
Dece ber. The day atter their arrival it
was unounced that Major Anderson had
rein .ed from Fort Moultrie to Fort
er. This rendered them furious.
he same day they addressed an angry
to the President demanding the sur
u. of Fort Sumter. The President
:red this letter on the 30th Decem
a peremptory refusal. This brought
a reply from the Commissioners on
January, 1861, of such an insulting
Sum 1
OLi ,I
lette
rend:
1 1
I' )
Ts e l r ' b v
torthl
the ..1
,
:cter, that—
the President instantly re.
.d it to them with the following en
: ment: "This paper, just presented
e Preilidea, is of such a character,
he declines to receive it." From
time forward, all friendly, political
personal intercouse finally ceased
en the revolutionary Senators and
resident, and he was severely attack
them in the Senate, and especiAlly
Ir. detterson Davis. Indeed, their
ourse had previously been of the
st character ever since the Presi
li anti-secession message at the cum
venseut of the session of Congress.
rider these changed circumstances.
1 Scott, by note on Sunday, the 30th
sniber. addressed the following inquiry
President:
Filli the President permit Gen. Scott,
mat reference to the War Department.
otherwise as secretly as possible, to
two hundred and fifty recruits from
York harbor to reinforce Fort Sum
ogether with some extra muskets or
ammunition, and subsistence? It
is 14ed that a sloop of-war and cutter
may: be ordered for the same purpose to
morrow...
l'lle General seems nut to have known
thea that Mr. Floyd was out of otlice.
N , ver did a request meet a more prompt
eom liance. It was received on Sunday
evening, December 36th. On Monday
utor ling I gave instructions to the War
and Navy Departments, and on .Slonday
evemng Gen. Scott came to congratulate
me that the Secretaries had issued the
nec4ssary orders to the army and navy
officers, and that they were in his posses
sion. The Brooklyn, with troops, mili•
. .
storks, and provisions, was to sal
hwith from Fortress Monroe for Fort,
ter. I am, therefire, utterly at a loss
magine why the (;eueral, in his state
t, should have asserted "that the
h Carolina Cornmissioners bad already
many days in Washington, and no
ement of defence ion the part ()l i the
el States) was permitted." These
missionerk arrived in Washington on
) 7th December,_ Gen. Scott's request
made to the President on the 30th.
'OA complied with on the 314, and a
le day is all that represents the "many
of the General.
gain, General Scott asserts, in the face
hese facts, that the President refused
How any attempt to be made to reti
e Fort Sumter—because he was hold
negotiations with the South Carolina
imissioners. 4.nd still again, that
erwards Secretary Holt and myself
' , armed, iu vain, to obtain a ship-of
for the purpose, and were finally
• ed to employ the passenger steamer
rof the West.'" Will it be believed
the substitution of the "Star of the
West" for the powerful war steamer
dsl)n, of which he now complains, we,
the advice of General Scott himself?
tve never heard this doubted until I
the statement.
t the interview already referred to be
t the General and myself, on the
ring of Monday, the 31st of December,
I b
Ti Ot
ego
ly :
von
ggested to him that, although I had
received the South Carolina Commis•
era in their official capacity, but mere
private gentlemen, yet it might be
idered an improper act to send the
klyn with reinforcements to Fog,
er until. I had received an answer
I t them to uiy letter of the preceding
that the delay could not continue
than tarty-elght hours
incurred in this suggestion as gentle
ly and proper, and the orders were not
smitted to the Brooklyn on that even-
My anticipations were correct, for
.. .
ly e
Mal
tra
ing.
he morning of the 2d of January I re
led their insolent note, and sent it back
em. In the meantime, however, the
,eral had become convinced, by the
esentations of a gentleman whom I
ear to name, that the better plan, as
ecretaries of War and the Navy in
.ed me, to secure secrecy and success
reach the fort, would be to send a fast
wheel merchandise steamer from New
with the reinforcement. Accord-
ingl: the Star of the West was selected for
this duty. The' substitution of this mer
can .le steamer for the Brooklyn, which
wou d have been able to defend herself in
cast of attack, was reluctantly yielded by
me o the high military Judgment of Gen.
Scot.
T. a change of programme required a
brie • space of time; but the Star of the
We• left New York for Charleston on the
eve . ing of the 4th of January. On the
vet. day, however, when this ill-fated
ilt
steer left New York, a telegram was
disp tched by Gen. Scott to Col. Scott to
con termand her departure; but it did not
reac its destination until after she had
gon to sea. The reason for this counter
man shall be stated in the language of
Sec tary Holt, to be found in a letter ad
dres ed by him to Mr. Thompson, the late
Seer tary of, the Interior, on the 6th of
Max h, 18111:, and published in the Na
tion 1 Intelligencer. Mr. Holt says:
_
he countermand spoken of (by Mr.
peon) was not more cordially sane
d by the President*than it was by Gen.
and myself ; not because of any die
from the order on the part of the
it
Tho
tion
Sco
sent
dent, but because of a letter received
lay from Major Anderson, stating, in
that he reg . arded himself secure in
isition '
• and yet more from intelli
, which late on Saturday evening (sth
ary, 18610 reached the Department,
a heavy battery had been erected
g the sand hills at the entrance to
eston harbor, wi&ch would probably
y any unarmed vessel (and such was
ar of the West) which might attempt
ke its way to Fort Sumter. This im
nt information satisfied the Govern.
that there was no present necessity
nding reinforcements, and that when
they should go, not in a vessel of
erce but of war. Hence the cowl ,
nd was dispatched by telegraph to
ark, but the vessel had sailed a
time before it reached the officer
Scott) to whom it was addressed."
corn
term
New
short
Col.
atement of these facts, established
: tes, proves conclusively that the
4 en t was not only willing but anxious
p briefest period to reinforce Fort
r.
A :1
by d:
Presi.
in th
Saint.
;the 4th of January, the day before
:parture of the Star of the West from
ork, as General Scott in his state-
E, ['mita, succor was sent to Fort Tay
isv West, and to Fort Jefferson, Tor
i eland, which reached these points
e for theii security. He neverthe
eculates on the consequences which
have followed had the reinforce
not reached their destination-in due
and even expresses the extraordi-
meat 1
lor, 91
tugp-s I
in Ito
less s
migbt
mental
nary opinion that, with the possession of
these,forts,tA'the rebels might have pur
chased an early recognition.' ' •
I shall, heat advert to the statement
that the eirpedition under Capt. Ward, "of
three or. four small steamers belonging to
the Coast Survey," was kept back by
something like a truce or armistice, [made
here,]
embracing Charleston and Pensa
cola harbors, agreed upon between the late
President and certain principal seceders
of South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana,
&c. And this truce lasted to the end of
the administration." Thing--altogether
distinct in their nature are often so blended
in this statement that it is difficult to sep
arate them. Such is eminently the case in
connecting the facts relative to Charleston
with Pensacola.
Having already treated of the charge
of having kept back reinforcements.from
Pensacola, I shall now say something of
the charge of having also kept them back
from Charleston. Neither a truce, nor
quasi truce, nor anything like it, was ever
concluded between the President and any
human authority concerning Charleston.
On the contrary, the South Carolina Com
missioners, first and last, and all the time,
were informed that the President could
never surrender Fort Sumter, nor deprive
himself of the most entire liberty to send
reinforcements to it whenever it was be
lieved to be in danger, or requested by
Major Anderson. It is strange that Gen.
Scott was not apprised of this well known
fact. It was then, with some astonish
ment, that I learned from the statement of
the General that he had, on the 12th -
March, Ist;1, advised that Major Ander
son should be instructed to evacuate the
fort as soon as suitable transportation
could be procured to carry himself and his
command to New fork. A military ne
cessity for a capitulation may have existed
in case there should be an attack upon the
fort, or a demand for its surrender ; but
surely none such could have existed for its
voluntary surrender and abandonment.
Probably that to which the General
means to refer was not the quasi, but the
actual truce of arms concluded at Charles
ton on the 11th ofJanuary, Iso; 1, between
Governor Pickens and Major Anderson,
without the knowledge of the President.—
It was on the 9th of .1 anuary that the Star
of the West, under the American flag, was
tired upon in the harbor of Charleston, by
order of Governor Pickens. Immediately
after this outrage, Major Anderson sent a
flag to the Governor, stating that he pre
sumed the act had been unauthorized, and
for that reason be had not opened fire from
Fort Sumter on the adjacent batteries ;
but demanding its disavowal, and, if this
were not sent in a reasonable time he
would consider it war, and fire on any ves
sel that attempted to leave the harbor.—
wo days after this occurrence, on the 11th
January, Governor Pickens had the au ,
dacity to demand of Major Anderson the
surrender of the tort. In his answer of the
same date, the Major made the following
proposition : "Should your excellency
deem fit, previous to a resort to arms, to
refer this matter to Washington, it would
afford me the sincerest pleasure to depute
one of my officers to accompany any mes
senger you may deem proper to be the
bearer of your commnnd. This proposi
tion was promptly accepted by the Gov
ernor, and, in pursuance thereof, he sent
on his part, Hon, J. W. Rayne, the Attor
ney General of South Carolina, to Wash•
t ngton, whilst Major Anderson deputeci
Lieutenant Hall, of the United States ar
my, t.i accompany him. These gentlemen
arrived together in Washington, on the
evening of the 13th January, when the
President obtained the first knowledge of
he transaction. But it will be recollected
that no time intervened between the
return of the Star of the West to New
ork and the arrival of the messenger
bearing a copy of the truce at Washington,
within which it would have been possible
to send reinforcements to Fort Sumter.—
Both events occurred about the same time.
Thus a truce, or suspension of arms,was
concluded between the parties, to con
tinue until the question of the surrender
of the fort should be decided by the Pr si
dent. Until this decision Major Anderson
hadlaced out of his own power to ask for
reinforcements,and equally out of the power
of Government to send them without viola
tion of public faith. This was what writers
on public law denominate "a partial truce
under which hostilities are suspended only
in certain places, us between a town and
the army besieging it." It is possible that
the President, under the laws of war,
might have annulled this truce upon due
notice to the opposite party ; but neither
Gen. Scott nor any other person suggested
this expedient. This would have been to
cast a reflection on Major Anderson, who
beyond question, acted from the highest
and purest motives. Did Gen. Scot:ever
propose to violate this truce during its ex
istence'? It he did, I am not now, and
never was, aware of the fact. Indeed I
think he would have been one of the last
men in the world to propose such a meas
ure.
lie prompt
Col. [Layne did not deliver the letter which
he bore from Governor Pickens,demanding
the surrender of the fort, tolthe President,
until the 31st of January. The documents
containing the reasons for this worrying
delay were communicated to Congress in a
special message of the Bth of February, to
which I refer the reader. On the 6th of
February the Secretary of War, under the
instructions of the President, gave a per
emptory refusal to this demand in an able
and comprehensive letter, reviewing the
whole ;subject. explaining and justifying
the conduct of the President throughout.
Its conoloding sentence is both eloquent
and emphatic.
"If, (says Mr. Holt,) with all the multi
plied proofs which exist of the Presi
dent's anxiety for peace, and of the earn
estness which he has pursued it,the authori
ties of that State shall assault Fort Sum
ter and imperil the lives of the handful of
the brave and loyal men shut up within
its walls, and thus plunge our country in
to the horrors of civil war, then upon them
and those they represent must rest the re
sponsibility."
The truce was then ended, and General
Scott is incorrect in statirg "that it lasted
to the end of that Administration."
An expedition was quietly fitted outat
New York under the supervision of Gen.
Scott, to be ready for any contingency. He
arranged its details, and regarded the re
inforcements thus provided for as suffi
cient. This was ready to sail for Fort
Sumter on five hours' notice. It is of this
expedition that Gen. Scott thus speaks :
"At that time, when this (the trace)
had passed away, Secretaries Holt and
Toucey, Captain Ward, of the navy, and
myself, with the knowledge of the Presi
dent, settled upon the employment, under
the Captain, of three or four steamers be
longing to the Coast Survey, but he was
kept back by the truce."
A strange inconsistency. The truce had
expired with Mr. bolt's letter to Colonel
Hayne on the sth of February, and Gen
eral Scott, in his statement, says : "It
would have been easy to reinforce the
fort down to about the 12th of February."
Why, then, did not the reinforcements
proceed ? This was simply because of
communications from Major Anderson.—
It was most fortunate that they did not
proceed; because the three or four small
steamers which were to bear them would
never have reached the fort, arid in the
attempt must have been captured or de
stroyed. The past inadequacy of the
force provided to .accomplish the object
was demonstrated by information received
from Major Anderson at the War Depart
ment on the last day of the Administra
tion.
I purposely forebear at present to say
more on this subject, lest I might, howev
er unintentionally, do injustice to one or
more of the parties concerned, in conse
quence of the brevity required by the
nature of this communication. The facts.
relating toit, with the appropriate accom
paniments, have been fully presented in a
historical review, prepared a year ago,
which will ere long be published. This
review contains a sketch of the four last
. ,i,:.:--- A l l
months of my A:dininialt*on. It is atn
partial; at least such is mi'bonest?con'iib
tion. That it has not yetlieen published
has arisen solely from, ari.-apprehension,
no longer - :entertaiiind, that something
therein might be unjustly :preverted into
an interference with the Goveinment in a
vigorous prosecution of the war tor the
maintenance of the Constitution and the
restoration of the Union 1 which was far,'
very far, from my' intention.
After a careful retrospect, I can solemn
ly declare before God and my country that
I cannot reßroach myself with any act of
commission or omission since the existing
trouble commenced: I have never doubted
that my coUntrymen would y et do mejustice.
In my special message of the Bth of Janu
ary, 1801,1 presented a full and fair ex
position -of the alarming condition of the
country, and urged* Congress either to
adopt measures of compromise, :or, fail
ing in -this to prepare for the last alterna
tive. In both aspects my recommendation
was disregarded. I shall close this docu
ment with) a quotation of the last sentences
of that message, as follows :
`•ln conclusion, it may be permitted me
to remarklthat I have often warned my
countrymen of the dangers which now
i
surround s. This may be the last time I
shall refs to Ole subject officially,. I feel
that my d ty has been faithfully, though it
may be iMperfecily, performed; and what
ever the result mayle; I shall carry to my
grave the j nonscionsness that I at least
meant well for my country." '
i Your obedient servant,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Wheatlan 1, near Lancaster, Oct. 28, 1882.
THE ,DE AMA.
The legitimate drama has possession Of
our stage again, with Mr. C. W. Couldock
and his interesting daughter as its chief
renresentittives; and we are pleased, too,
that their delineations of character are
being witnessed by unusdally large and
attentive audiences.
Mr. Couldock is an artist of peculiari
ties, marlied and distinct as any we have
seen. His excellencies and blemishes are
peculiarl . his own. '1 hose traits which
render him remarkable in a certain line of
character totally disqualify him for a suc
cessful personation of others. Judgment
and feeling are his specialities, and they
prepondqate in all his delineations. He
cannot play Richard the Third, nor Sir
Giles Overreach, like the elder Booth;
but that great tragedian would make a
sorry comparisoti with Mr. Couldock ,in
Luke Fieiding or John Mirdinay. Where
the domestic, honest, blunt and affection
ate hero is painted, as in the case of Field
ing, it finds in Mr: Couldock a represent
ative without a rival—at least upon the
American stage.
The class of characters such as the two
to which we hard Alluded, and Peter Pro
bity, in the Chimney Corner, have been
by Mr. Couldock moulded into a separate
and distinct department of the drama.
They conatitute a role of themselves, and
he, their representative, is as peculiar as
they. They are new and singular, both
in plot and action, and he appears peculi
arly qualified tb properly appreciate and
represent them. The authors of these
pieces have disregarded all precedent in
preparing them, and Mr. Couldock is just
as original in acting them. Everything
like stage tradition is disregarded by both
author and actor; and while the former
has added something to the literatpre of
the drama, the latter has constituted him
self its sole reprerientative. There is but
one Luke r Fielding, and but one represen
tative of similar.characters, and he is Mr.
Couldock, now at the Pittsburgh Theatre.
There is quite a variety of other charac
ters in Which Mr. Couldock is excellent,
if not s 9 great as he is in Fielding. His
performance of Richelieu, last evening,
was marked by a perception of the author,
true to his creation of the wily Cardinal;
while the delineation of the part was lull
of disCrichination and effect.
On Tuesday, Nov, 4th, at lOo'clock a in.; MIN
NIE LOUISA, only daughter of Capt. I'dward
and Annie Louisa Evans, aged 2 yens. 7 months
and 19 days.
The funeral will take place this day at 3 o'clock
p. from zesidence tat Penn street above Me
chanic,
113 Cindinnati commercial, copy.
On Tuesday morning. at 6 o'clock p 111., SARAH
JANE. wife cf Victor Harp, aged 30years 4 mos.
The Fu seal will take place on Thursday morn
ing Nov. th. at 8 o'clock,from her late residence
nesr the German Catholic Church, BirMingham,
DIED
Cl 00 CIDER ALL THE YEAR
l$• ROUND.:
Sulphite of Lime will preserve Cider for any
lengi of time.
litirectio'oo for ifs ooe.—Take one quarter of an
ounce for every gallon of Cider, or ten ounces of
the Sulphite to every barrel of forty gallons—first
mixing it With some Cider or water. ,After a few
days draw off the Cider carefully into' another
barrel.
For sale in bottles containing a sufficient quan
titybarrel of Cider by
f° " 4l 1- SALON JOHNSTON:
oc2o corner Smithfield and Fourth streets.
THE I WM. PENN' HOUSE
FOR RENT.
ZHE tiIIUBSCRIBEIII. WILL RENT His
property and sell his Punuture of that old
established
W.H. PENN HOUSE,
on Penn skeet, near the canal bridge.
The house is well situated and near tho location
of the new depot of the Pennsylvania Central
Railroad. land has a good run of custom at the
Present time. SALVADOR SLOCUM.
n 04.6 wd
PUFF BOXE4
PUFFF BOXES
PUFF BOXES
I am in receipt of a superior lot of fine Puff Box
es. Those wishing anything in thisline should ca'l
and examine my stock before purchasing else
-where.
JOSEPH FLEMING.
JOSEPH FLEMING,
corner of t'e Diamond and Market street.
no 3 corner of the Diamond and Market Street.
SUPERIOR SODA ASH a! POT ASH
Superior SodaAati and Pot Ash,
Superior Soda Aah and Pot Ash,
Superior Soda Ash and Pot Ash,
AT
JOSEPH FLEMING'S
JOSEPH FLEMING'S,
comet of the Diamond and Market street
corner of the Diamond and Market street.
no 3
GOOD CIDER ALL THE YEAR
round ' y the use of
EUT.itAL SULPHITE OF LIME.
Call and procure . a circular, with directions for
using it.
The Best and most Reliable Article,
EA. Put up in bottles sufficient tor one barrel of
Cider. For sale at .
JOSEPH FLEMING S.
JOSEPH FLEMING'S.,
Corner Of the, Diamond and Market Streets.
Corner of the Diamond and Market Streets,
003
SOLDIERS,
FAMILIES,
CAN SAVE MONEY
BY BUYING THEIR
BOOTS anti SHOES
M'CLELLANWS AUCTION,
NO. 55 FIFTH STREET,
no!
Tb-DAY'S ADVERTISEMENTS
ULECTIVIIE AT THE AMON CIT
COLLEGE. corner of Penn and Bt. OJair
streets. Wednesday morning atH A.M.
FIXED CAPITAL.
NOTICE!!!
ANOTHER NEW STOOK OF
BOOTS and SHOES,
JUST RECICTWED . AT
CONCERT - HALL SHOE STORE.
AND WILL BE SOLD CHEAP AS EVER
lERSONSI :WISHING ANl , 7Am° IN
P
that Idle will find it to tbeir interest and to
the interest of their pciaketa to give us a call be
fore purchasing el.sewhere, and we will convinoe
that
YOU • ,
.
ONEERT HALL SHOE STORE,
is the place to Nu Your Boots and Roes.—
They are direct from the Manufacturer and war
ranted to be first class goods.
Mens', Misses, Womens and Children's
work of all kind kept constantlt on hand and at
prices to suit toe times.
TOTBE PUBLIC
•
Daily arrivals, by Express and RailroLl, of
•
NEW GOODS !
AT
, .
Itlacruni. Glyde7s,
NO. 78 MARKET STREET.
Latest style's of TRIMMINGS, YMBROIDER
IES, COLLARS, Handkerchiefs, Laces, Fancy Goods, Read Nets, Patterns, Shirts, Corse% &e.
Large assortments of Hosiery, Motes. lkin
.shing GON:I9 for Ladies and Gentlemen,
and Children; Pins, Needles, Thieado,
and other small wares. -
We invite the special attention of Wholesale
and Retail besets, confident that we tan meet ev
ery want in price and variety.
. MACRUNI &(GLYDE,
not 78 Market st...bet. 4th and Diamond.
SECOND LOT
OF
SECOND-HAND
PIANOS & MELODEONS,
EAL BARGAINS,
AROSNWOOD Oil TA VE PIANO, -
round corners, made by Chickering & Pons.
only 23i; years 0.1: a very fine instrument 00
A Rosewood 6% octave Plana same as above 200
Ft osewood 6% octave Piano, Chicktring& '
Sons, about 4 yrs old, in firdvatecondivon 185
A Rosewood ox i octave Piano made by 13004 ,
maker, Philadelphia, !wood .
Piano 150
A Roaewood octave Piano, iron frame.
made by Hallet,Davis &Co in good order l4O
A Rosewood 6%octave upright Piano, made
by Gilbert. Boston, 125
A Mahogony 6 octave Piano, made by Etod
art & o.„ a very good instrument, 120 •
A Mdbogony 6 octave Piano, N. Y. mate 85
A Walnut 6 octave Piano, Lease 75
A Mahogony 6 octave Piano, Loud & Bro. 45
A Mabogony - 534 octave Piano "20
A Mahogony 0 octave Piano -20
A Rosewood 5 octave Piano style Melodeon
made by Mason g Hamlin , as good es new 70
A Rosewood 5 octave Piano style Melodeon
made by Carbardt 60
A Rosewood 5 octave Purtable Melodeon
made by Carhardt—o 875 . 25
Sok sale by
.JOllll H. MIELLOIt 9
cloi 81 Wood street.
DI - vIDEND.
Pirreaugag, November 4.1862.
IRE WESTERN INSURANCE COE-
N. PANY of Pittsburgh, has this day declared
a Dividend of TWO AND A HALF DOLLARS
per share un its capital stook, oat of the earned
premiums of toe last six moats. pas able on and
after the 11th. , P. W. GORDON. Sec'y.
nos:2lvd
MEROIfiNTS AND MACIIPACTIIItERS' BA NC
Pittsburgh. Nov. 9,166 . 2
THIS BANK HAS THIS BAY DE
GLARED a dividend of FOUR PEtt CENT.
on its capital stock out of the profits for the last
six months, free of all taxes, ;payable on or after
the 14th inst. W. If. DENNY, Cashier.:
nay
ilexu or Prrysairaosi.
Pittsburgh, Nov. 4, 1862.
A DIVIDEND OF FOUR PER CENT.
-tR„ (4 on the capital stock of this Bank, for the
past siic months, has beon declared this day, and
will be payable to the stoosho'ders i r their lentil'
representatives on or after the 14th inst • This
dividend will be free of the United btates tax, the
Bank having mutinied the payment of the same to
the Government. JOIIN HARPER,
no4;3td<w. .Cashier.
- -
MAOHAN BANS}
Pittsburgh, Nov. 4.1862.
111111 FIE MECHANICS' RANH HAS THIS
AL day declared a Dividend of . FGUR.
CENT, on the capital stock -exolusiVe of 0 098111-
m3nLiax) payable to the Stockholders on or after
the 14th inst. -G O. D. McGREW, Cashier.
nos
ALLIGHENY BANE.).
Pittsburgh. Nov. 4,1862.
IWE PRESIDENTADD DIRECTORS
L f this Bank, have this day declared a diva
dead of FOUR PER CENT. on the eapl al stock,
payable to Stockholders. or their legal represen
tatives on and after the 14th inst, free of (loyern-
meat tax. - J. W. COUR. Cashier.
no4td.
NEW STYLE'S IN SHAWLS
JUST OPENED AT
W. & D.
,HUGUS 9 ,
LONG WOOL SHAWLS,
Square Wool p.hawl,
NEW STYLE
STRIPED BROCHE SHAWLS, •
IN LONG AND SQUARE.
MISSES LONG WOOL SHAWLS.
MISSES SQUARE WOOL SHAWLS,
CHILDREN'S LONG AND splint
WOOL SHAWLS.
NEWEST, STYES IN -
Lathes', Misses and °blithe&
HOOP MIMES.
no 4.
04'1'8.-2" BEIStIELS PANE OATS
Justreceiva and for sale by • " • '
" JAS. A.LETZEIL
nal Corner market and Fast street 4'
F it it * l s an Fn YFC, just
_received and Web;
REIMER W o odOB.
no 3 N 05.1126 and.l23 streat.
F E LT
SHOES
SHOES
FOR LADIES AND GENTS,
W. E . ._151C111111111117, ('O.,
.31 111TH STitlat
SHOES