Daily national Democrat., 1861-01-11
Resignation of Cass.

Inc ashlngt0n correspondent Of the Bull
letin says
The telegraph will have informed YOU of
the resignation of Gen. Cass, Mr. Buchanan
venerable Secretary of State, which occurr.
ed on FRIDAY evening last This startling
event created intense excitement in all circles
mere, ana still further deepened the general
SIoom' Inc step was not a sudden one on
the part OF the venerable Secretary. He
tehdeFed ms resignation ten days ago, and
the PRESIDENT declined to receive it, and sue
ceeded IN keeping his Premier so much long
er. lhe lmpelIing motive was utter disgust
at the lmbecility of the Executive, whose
Vaclllatng, uncertain and tremulous policy
seems rushing the Government upon the most
serious evils which rebellion and revolution
can rear in its path. The Government organ.
the Constitution, thus frankly admits the
facts:
10 avoid all misconstructions and misstate
ments of the reasons which caused this event
we have taken pains to ascertain the true
cause. 1t is not that Mr. Cass differed from
the President in regard to any portion of his
late message On the great question of co..
ercing State to remain in the Union by mil
itary force, the President and zen. Cass were
perfectly united in opinion The difficulty
arose from the fact that Mr.. Cass insisted
that the naval and military force should be
sent Immediately to Charleston to re inforce
the forts in that harbor, and that the Presi-
dent was of the opinion there was no neces-
sity for any such measure in order to secure
the forts against attack This being the
Presidents conviction, he would not sanction
movement which might lead to a collision
and bloodshed in the present excited state of
fapIi in 1 Al. @ ~
States, and at the time when every friend of
the Union is using his best efforts to prevent
its dissolution, Or if that be not rossible, to
avert the adoption of any measure which
would render its re construction hopeless.
The patriotic reader will deem the apollo
gy for the President in the above quite as
weak as his own acts or non action. Gen.
Cass was member of Gen. Jackson's Cabi-
net, as Secretary of War, and the Old Heros
course in the matter of notification was fully
eddorsed 10y him. The views he then enter
tanned regarding the right of State revolu
tion have not been changed nor impaired by
the lapse of time; and the President, having
declined enforcing the Federal power by
succoring the Notifications in Charleston har-
Dor in this crisis, he felt obliged to withdraw
from the chief council of the nation.
1t is well understood that before General
Cass made his resignation peremptory, he
notified the President that he must retire if
he persisted in leaving Fort Moultrie to be
defended by the miserable inadequate force
now there. Governor Floyd possibly threat
ened his resignation if the re-inforcements
should be sent; and Mr.. Buchanan, notwith-
standing his distinct avowal in his Message
that he would protect the public property at
every hazard-an avowal which he repeats
to everybody who approaches him on the
suhject-had not pluck enough to decide be-
tween the contending Cabinet officials He
failed to do anything, and SO Mr.. Cuss re-
signed. In his letter of resignation, under
stand he refers distinctly to the notification
times, when Gen. Jackson, by the power of
firmne-s quelled an incipient rebellion with.
out the firing of gun.
Attorney General Black has been appoin-
ted to succeed Gen. Cass, and the prevailing
opinion is, that Edwin NJ Stanton of Ohio,
who spent some time, and a considerable sum
OF the Governments money too, in Califor-
MIA, in connection with the New Almaden
case, will be mode Attorney General t. sue
ceed Black The place was offered to the
Hon Reverdy johnson, but he would not
accept it; indeed he could not for he is lust
as decided as Gen. Cass himself in the opin-
~" ''s "iS WV '""iVhO ihusl Keep possess
sion of its forts at any and all hazards. Mr.
Mr.. Trescott having positively resigned his
situation Of Assistant Secretary of State, that
place is also vacant. Mr.. Ledyard, Gen
Casss son-in-law, would have taken it, had
the General remained in the Premiership.
The entire country will applaud the step
which Gen. Cass has taken; indeed he could
have followed no other course without dis,
grace If he was rivht when as Jackson's
Secretary of War he aided in repelling dis
union under the name of notification he
would have been infamously false now to
connive at Buchanans encouragement of
treason under the new name of secession.