Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-12-22
The Resignation of Hon. Howell Cobb

of Georgia requires me to take step which
makes 1T proper that should no longer con-
tinue to be a member of your Cabinet.
In the troubles of the country consequent
upon the late Presidential election, the honor
aud safety of my State are involved. Her
people 50 regard it, and in their opinion |
fully concur, They are engaged in struggle
where the issue is life or death My friends
ask for my views and counsel not to respond
would be degrading to myself and unjust to
them. have accordingly prepared, and must
now issue to them, an address which contains
the calm and solemn convictions of nv heart
and judgment.
The views which sincerely entertain and
which, therefore, am bound to express, differ
IN some respects from your own. The exist
encc OF tins difference would expose me, if |
should remain in my present place, to unjust
suspicious and put you in a false position
Inc first OF these consequences | could bear
well enough, but | will not subject YOU to the
last
I My withdrawal has not been occasoned by
anything you have said or done. Whilst dif
tcrng from your Message upon some of its
Theoretical doctrines, as well as from the hope
so earnestly expressed that the Union can vet
be preserved, there was no practical result
likely to follow which required me to retire
from your administration. That necessity is
created by what feel it my duty 10 do, and
the responsibility of the act, therefore, rests
alone upon myself
10 say that | rcgrct-dceply rcgct-this
necessity, but fccby expresses the feeling with
which pen this communication For nearly
four years | have been associated with you as
one OF your Cabinet officers, and during that
period nothing has occurred to mar even for
EreaiH2mGnt, our personal and official relations.
n Inc pdFftS;ISnd 1h Ind 'Sf,surcs of your Admins
traton have cord..af ~ SsSsie9rrsI and shall
ever feel proud of the humble place ~lis. NY
name may occupy in its history. If your wise
counscs and patriotic warnings had been heed
ed by your countrymen, the fourth of March
next would have found our country happy,
prosperous ard united. That it will not be
50, is no fault of yours
| The evil has now passed beyond control,
and must be met by each and all of us under
our responsibility to God and our country. If,
as believe, history will have to record yours
as the last administration of ourprcscnt Union,
1t will also place it side by side with the puscst
and abIest of those that preceded it.. With
the kindest regards for yourself and the mem
bcrs of your Cabinet, with whom have been
| so pleasantly associated, | am most truly and
| sincerely your friend, HOWELL CoBB
To the President
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1860
My Dear Sir: | have received YOUR COM
muncation of Saturday evening, resieninc the
position of Secretary of the Treasury, which
you have held since the commencement of NV
administration. Whilst | deeply regret that
you have determined to separate yourself from
us at the present critical moment, yet admit
that the question was one for your own dccis
ion. | could have wished you had arrived at
different conclusion, because our relations
both Official and personal, have ever been of
the most friendly and confidential character
may add that | have been entirely satisfied
with the ability and zeal whioh you have dis
played in performing the duties Of your i'm
portant Office.
Cordially rcciprocating your sentiments of
personal regard, remain, very respectfully,
your fsicnd, JAMES BUcHANAN.
Hon. Howell Cobb
Knowing, as VIC do, the reverence and af-
fection which Mr.. Cobb feels for the Prcsi-
dent, and the uhboundcd fidcncc in and
regard for him which the President cntcrtains.
we can comprehend the regret which this sew
crancc OF official Intercourse must have caused
to both; and we arc well aware that nothing
but an imperative sense of duty would have
mpelcd Gov. Cobb to the step he has taken.
Hosts Of friends who, like ourselves, have
learned to know his WORTH to value h.; many
high qurlities of head and heart, to admire
his great talents, aud to appreciate his frank,
genial manners, will miss him from ong us
as regrctfully as we shall. We know that the
same high and honorable motives which have
ever guided his public and private career nave
actuated him in his present course, and arc
sure that even those who differ most widely
from him in opinion, must honor and respect
his convictions of duty.
Gov. Cobb returns Immediately to his ma
tive State, Georgia, where we have no doubt
his sage counsels and varied experience will !
prove of immense value to his fellow.c;jizens
in the stirring scenes in which they arc called
to pay so prominent and important part.
Washington Consultation.
---~-
lT is a strange and tedious war when violence !
attempts to vanquish truth An the efforts of |
violence cannot weaken truth, and .nIy serve to |
give it fresh vigor. All the rights of truth can |
not arrest violence, and only serve to exasper.
ate it When force meets force the weaker
must snccumb to the stronger; when argument |
is opposed to argument, the solid and convinc |
ing triumph over the empty and false but VIC.
lencc aud verify can make no impress ON each |
other Let none suppose, however, that the 4
two are therefore equal to each other, for there |
is this vast difference between them, that yio |
lence has certain course to run, limited by the |
appointment of heaven, which overrhicss sits of |
tecte to the glory of the truth which isassaiis "a