Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-03-12
WASHINGTON, January 9. 1861.


SIR / have received and accepted your
resignation, on yesterday, OF the office OF
Secretary of the Interior.
On Monday evening, 3lst December, 1860,
| suspended the orders which had been issued
by the War and Navy Departments to send
the Brooklyn with reinforcements to Fort
Sumter. i stated to you my reason for this
suspension, which you knew, from its nature,
would be speedily removed. In consequence
of your request, however, / promised that
these orders should not be renewed "without
being previously considered and decided in
Cabinet" This promise was faithfully OBJ
served on nv part. In order to carry it into
effect called special Cabinet meeting on
Wednesday, I'd January, 1861, in which the
question of sending reinforcements to Fort
Sumter was amply discussed both by your
self and others. The decided majority of
opinions was against you. At this moment
the answer of the South Carolina "Commis-
sioners'' to my communication to them OF
3Ist December was received and read. 1t
produced much Indignation among the MEM
bers of the Cabinet. Alter a further brief
conversation L employed the following lam
puage at is now all over, and reinforce
ments must be sent" Judge Black said, at
the moment of my decision, that after this
letter the Cabinet would be unanimous, aud
| heard no dissenting voice. Indeed, the
spirit and tone of the letter left no doubt on
nv mind that Fort Sumter would be immedi-
ately attacked, and hence the necessity of
sending reinforcements there without delay
Whilst you admit "that on Wednesday
January I'd, this subject was discussed in
Cabinet: you say, "but certainly no conclu-
sion was reached, and the War Department
was not justified in ordering achievements
without something mOIe than was then said.o
You are certainly mistaken in alleging that
mo conclusion was reached" In this your
recollection is entirely different from that of
your four oldest colleagues in the Cabinet.
Indeed, my language was SO unmistakable
that the Secretaries of War and the Navy
proceeded to act upon it without any further
| intercourse with myself than what you heard
or might have heard me say. You had been
SO emphatic in opposing these achievements
that thought you would resign in conse-
uuence of my decision. / deeply regret
| that you have been mistaken in point of fact,
| though / firmly believe honestly mistaken.
| Still it is certain you have not the less been
| mistaken. Yours, very respectfully.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Hon. JACOB THOMPSON.
| Nothing can be added to the force and dis
| tinctness of the testimony thus borne by the
President and the four Oldest members of his
Cabinet. So far from the movement for the
| reinforcement of Fort Sumter having been a
| concealed trick" it was repeatedly and
| frankly discussed in the Cabinet, and when a
| conclusion was finally reached the resolution
of the President was announced in terms as
| emphatic as he probably ever addressed TO
/ one of his Secretaries. 1t is now all over.
| and reinforcements must be SENT" was bis
| language; and these words were spoken in
| open council, the honorable Secretary of the
| Interior himself being present. 1t was in
| strict accordance with the command thus
given that the Star of the West was charter
| ed and the reinforcements sent forward. In
all these circumstances the public will look
/ in vain for any traces of "trick" on the part
| of Gen. Scott or of the Secretary of War. 1t
| is true that, in the hope of avoiding waste
of human life, an endeavor was made to
| .couceal" the expedition from the hostile
| troops in charge of the forts and batteries in
Charleston harbor; but this endeavor the
| vigilance and zeal of the Secretary defeated.
| The "countermand" spoken of was not
more cordially sanctioned by the President
| than it was by Gen. Scott and myself. II
was given, not because of any dissent from
| the order on the part of the President, but
because of letter received that day from
Major Anderson, stating, in effect, that he re-
gafded himself as secure in his position, and
vet more because of intelligence which late
on Saturday evening reached the Department
that heavy battery had been erected among
the sand hills at the entrance to Charleston
harbor, which would probably destroy any
unarmed vessel (apd such was the Star of the
WesO which might attempt to make its way
ND to Fort Sumter. This important imfor-
nation satisfied the Government that there
was no present necessity for sending re-
infcrcements, and that when sent they
should go, not in vessel of commerce, but
Of war. Hence the countermand was dis
patched by telegraph to New York, but the
vessel had sailed short time before it REACH
ed the officer to whom it was addressed.
This plain statement is submitted in the
belief that, before an intelligent aud candid
public, it will afford complete vindication
of my conduct. as well ss of the conduct Of
that illuss<ious patriot and soldier-Lieut
Gen. Scott-whose stainless honor certsiply
needs no defence at my hands against the
aspersions OF the present or Of any other A.
saflanti -