The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-11-21

acting In their sovereign capaclty,-aHu
no one state has right to determine Tor
herself whether that compact has been
violated or not" At this point | inter-
rupted OLD Buck with this intcrr0gatory
'sThen / am to understand, Mr.. BUCHAN-
AN, that you will favor the abominabie
doctrine of coercion !' ''Oh, bless your
soul, ~ he replied. ''While / claim
that state has no right to withdraw from
the Union, l cheerfully admit that the
Union has no right to keep her in if she
chooses to 60" L Immediately drank
OLD BUCKS health and departed.
The same evening, by appointment, L
confabulated awhile with CoBB and FLOYD
of the Cabinet, than whom it would be
impossible to find two more honest or re-
liable men. Of course, they were both
sound on the goose question, and we were
unanimous that OLD Buck wasn't agolng
to 90 mucl. against secession. We then
took counsel as to how we should demean
ourselves respectively, each man having
sworn to run his state out of the Union or
die. COBB, being Secretary of the Treas
ury, was to get and hold on to all the
funds and Government securities; and
FLOYD, being Secretary of War, was to
collect all the arms and ammunition he
could, and ship them South All OF which
were to be appropriated by, and used fol-
the benefit Of the SecessioniSts, if the ex-
igency so required. Most nobly did CoBB
and FLOYD do their work, and al the close
of their labor of love, they felt that they
could not conscientiously longer hold Off
ces under the Federal Government. Like
high minded, honorable men, therefore,
they resigned their positions and went
home | witnessed their departure from
Mr.. BUCHANAN. 1t was very affecting
indeed, tears being she d on all sides. The
tears were very large too, and there were
a great many of them.
| know there are plenty of mud-sills in
the North who regard the conduct of COBB
and FLOYD as synonymous with ste0tiitG.
Such an opinion is contemplate, and the
creature who entertains it is not fit to be a
Southern geEtleman's 5ody-seyvant- Steal
i,,g indeed, Why COBB is Colonel in
Georgia, and FLOYD is General III Fir-
ginia-both in the service Of the Southern
Confederacy President DAVIS knows
them both well, and he would be the last
man in the world to give them Commits
sions, if he were not satisfied that they are
perfectly honest and trustworthy.
From the time of the conversations re-
ferred to, / did all [ could to advance the
cause Of Secession. The Office of Vice
President was very convenient for the
purpose, and of course / used it Con the
sly) while it lasted; and, as good luck had
it, my friends had elected me to full
term in the Senate. So | went right out
of one Office into another. | took the oath
to support the Constitution of the United
States, with mental reservation to sup
port the Southern Confedcracy. / kept
quiet; I felt that could do more in that
way than by becoming boisterous, for my
object was to gather information at Wash
ington, and impart it to the people Of the
South-in other words, / had opened
small intelligence office for their bene65.
For long time | managed the thing so
well, that the people Of the North gener-
ally thought me loyal to the Union. But
at last [ was compelled TO show my hand,
and l did it boldly. Ny course in the
extra session of Congress wiped away ev-
cry doubt as to my true position. Since
then / have been open and board,
and-on the principle that the end justi-
fies the means-I recently made a tour
through the mountainous districts near the
border lines of Kentucky, Tennessee and
Virginia, alarming the people by circula-
ting big stories as to the intentions of the
Federal Government, and using every
means in my power TO make converts to
Secession. If anybody thinks the prin-
ciple on which l did this an unsound one.
all | can say is, that | despise his or her
opinion | have the proud satisfaction
that Mr. DAVIS has approved of all my
acts, he having been graciously pleased
recently to reward my services with
Brigadier Generals commission / want