Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-18
BUCHANAN THE rxGRArE.
from the Richmond F0osi5sfi -- -


Dir. James Buchanan, ex-President of the
United States has written letter for publi-
cation, (Which is snbjoiued, } in which he takes
occasion to.express his full adhesion to the
brutal war policy of Abraham Lincoln. We
are to be won back TO the Union by blood
and carnage Most persons viii consider the
letter a degradation for him. We cannot so
regrad it. For years before he left Office our
opinion of him has been fixed, that more
thorough bred hypocrite or a more corrupt
man never disgraced the Presidential Office.
If any person doubts the science of Lavater
he should look at James Buchanan, and his
skepticism will vanish. Villainy is written
Enthusiastically all about the lines of that hypo-
itic mouth. His eye has covert look, as If
he had just picked yonr pocket The manifold
instances of his political and personal kna-
very we have not time to recount; but we
do happen. to know that the cid scamp had
no sort OF Objection to secession provided it
did not take place during has administration
His first ideas OF Southern secession were
somewhat crude. He thought that at some
time during the last session the Southern
Senators and members would take their de-
parture from the Capitol, and that, in this
way, the movement would be inaugurated.
Such were his notions last October. He was
greatly surprised when Southern Senator
unjolded to him the m33uS 0psraRdi of the
revolution, and he shiVered in every fibre OF
his weak, cowardly frame, at the thought OF
dealing with this difficult problem. He had
no scruple in saying that he did not care how
soon the Southern States seeded after Lin
coin came into Office. But be did not want
his administration to be A'embarrassed' with
the question. He pleaded hard that the cup
might, pass from his lips. II would have
been great thing for him to say that, in
MS administration. no act OF disintegraiio On
had occurred. This spirit, this towards fear
of the Secession leaders on the one hand,
the fear of losing his Lancaster property On
the other, was the key to his vascillations
and falsehoods all last winter. He broke
faith with South Carolina and with his own
Secretary of War. He winKed at crime be
had not expressly authorised. pleaded that he
had not himself ordered it, but, at the same
time, appropriated lis fruits. Honor and
morality he never had, but, in the earlier
part of his career, he understood what de-
| cency and regard for public opinion re-
quired. As he grew older, and the Difficult
ties around him multiplied, his conduct not
being founded on virtue and Conscience, be-
came more indirect and vile. 1t was not 50
| much a contempt tor public opinion that led
| him into error as a species of moral obiiqui-
/ ty that prevented him from feeling that GER
tain acts would be regarded as disgraceiul
| y Leaving Washington and power behind. he
PtNAChOSu " Oc d Happy HAIL. III one sense
he was. He was frightened out OF his wits
at the straits he found himself in between the
Secessonists and the dread of losing his pro-
perty by neighborhood violence. He was
/ glad, perhaps, to shake off a responsibility
| which he, had not the nerve to deal with. But
if ever there was a man that loved power aud
| its use, or that enjOyeda mean hate or a vim,
4 dictive act, that man was James Buchanan
His whole soul was sordid. He never repos
4
| science. His aim was ever to please man t.
| get power and to keep it. Power and place
| have been his idols through life. He has had
| them. What is he now! An old man with
| money that he canaot take away with him to
| the next world, without friends, without pub
| lie respect, without fame, with a heart con.
| sumed and gnawed by all the mean passions
| of fallen nature.
| UNION MEETING AT HAYESyLLE, PA.-LETTEI
FROM Ex-PREsIDENT BUCHANAN, ETC.
WEsrCHEsTER, Pa, Oct. AT the great
Union meeting at Hayesville, Chester coun.
ty, on the lst., the following letter from Ex.
President Buchanan was read:
WHEAFLAND (near Lancaster), PAP
- September Is, 1861. :
Dear Sir: / have been honored by your
kind invitation, as chairman of the appropri-
ate committee, to attend and address a Union
meeting of the citizens of Chester and Lam
caster counties, to be held at Hayesville on
the 1st of October. This should gladly ac-
cept, proceeding, as it does, from much
valued portion of my old Congressional dis
trict, but advancing years and the present
state of my health render it impossible.
You correctly estimate the deep interest
which / feel, In common with the citizens
who will be assembled. in the present condi-
ton of our country. This is, indeed, serious:
but our recent military reverses, so far from
producing dependency in the minds of q
loyal and powerful people will only animate
them to more mighty exertious in sustaining
war which has become inevitable by the
assault of the Confederate States upon Fort
Sumter. For this reason, were it possible
| waving all other topics, should conline
myself TO a solemn and earnest appeal to my
| countrymen, and especially to those without
| families, to volunteer for the war, and join
the many thousands of brave volunteers who
are now already 10 the field. This is the mo-
| ment for action, for prompt, energetic and
| united action. and not for the discussion Of
peace propositions. These we must know
| would be rejected by the States that have Sc.
ceded, unless we should offer to recognise
| their independence, which is entirely out OF
| the question.
Better counsels may hereafter prevail
when these people shall be convinced that
the war is conducted not for their conquest
or suhiugation, but solely for the purpose OF
bringing them back to their original posi-
.tion in the Union, without imparing in the
slightest degree any of their constitutional
rights.
While. therefore, we shall cordially hail
their return under our common glorious flag
and welcome them as brothers, yet until that
happy day shall arrive it will be our duty to
support the President, with all the men and
means at the command of the country, in a
vigorous and successful prosecution of the
war. Yours, very respectfully,
.,. JAMES BUCHANAN.