Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-03-01
ALABAMA AND THE FEDERAL
GOFERNmENT.
s LNo. s.
1EsIDENI EULHNNAN
w-----ss, 49,


! M me. s.
M. CLAY To FREsIDENT BUcHANAN.
BRowEs EorELs
WARRINGTON, CITY February g. 1881.
His Excellency James Buchanan, President ol
the United States;
Sir; submitted my note and yosr reply,
Z touching the mission of the Hon. Thomas ].
| Judge, to bin, fer bis consideration, and send
you, herewith, a copy Of bis response.
You will see that be declines TO address you
on the subject matters Of bis mission, because
be regards your note to me as closing the door
I against him as the representative OF Ala
bama, and repelling any offers she may have
to make at the very threshold.
] an sure you desire peace with al the
/ world, and especially with those States which
I have seeded from the Union. You profess 70
I clam and hold fsTls and srsenals in those
Safes, only as property Of the United States,
7 that you are ofieially bound to take care
| thereof It is, therefore, matter Of surprise,
as well as regret, that you not only refuse to
trust the people Of those States with such prop-
srty, in their own limits, and intended fer
their benefit, but pursue course tending to
[ destroy that property, and to break the peace
! between your Government and those States.
/ II, recognizing the right Of secession, you had
received Mr.. Judge as commissioner Of for
eign State, and bad sent bis proposals to the
Senate, with your approval or objection; or
/ cenFing that right you bad submitted bis pro-
possl to Congress as those Of a commissioner
from a S ate Of the Union, possibly the inde-
1 pendence Of the State might have been ac-
4 lnoWiedged, and a treaty with it formed, or,
! denying its independence, Congress might have
! agreed to the sale and retrocession Of the dis
| puted places. At all eyents, il would have
Z relieved you Of the responsibility you have as
/ sumed, OF not only refusing TO entertain q
] -
D but Of preventing Congress from receiving it.
! ] see nothing in the Constitution forbldding
/ the course l suggest, either on your part or
! that Of Congress. II would not have com
! promised your duty or the rights Of the Uni
/ ted States.
Certainly the lands for Forts Morgan and
l Gaines, and for Mount Vernon arsenal, were
/ csded to the United States for the erection Of
] such "nssdful buildingsS for the defense and
/ protection of the people OF Alabama For
/ what other purpose should the Government OF
/ the United States hold them2 But it Il too
/ late, il not Improper to pursue the argument.
} Alabama has vindicated her integrity before
/ the world. She sends her commissioner here
/ to purchase the property, which her people
prefer to hold In her own defense. Il is now
useless to your Government, except 10 injure
| them, their allies or friends. Knowing these
/ facts they were right TO seize it, and magnan-
]
amount it cost. They cannot misunderstood
! your course IN refusing to receive her comnia-
sioneT, that you deny their right to take their
destiny into their own hands, OF to defend
themselves against the Government Of the
l United States, or to resist its authority, and
/ that you mean to control their action BY mili-
/ tary force. Their governor advised you, az
/ soon al possible after the seizure Of the forts
I and arsenal, that Il was done By bis orders, to
make the secession Of Alabama peaceful, and
I to prevent your reinforcing those places, and
shedding the blood and sacrificing the lives Of
/ her people in endssEoriDing to maintain the
authority Of your Government over them.
| Subsequent events have proven bis wisdom anil
! forecaste. Your transfer Of troops from north
I ern and western posts 10 this city, and to all
southern forts where YOU appTehended that the
| people might take them for their defense, TO
/ secure peaceful secession, shows your inelina-
/ tion TO keep them for coercion, and TO prevent
/ peaceful secession. The froWning artillery and
I armed men brought 20 the unaecustomed view
/ TIE people Of Maryland and Virginia, Of
/ Charleston and Pensacola, are lust causes OF
/ ofenss to those who esteem themselves free
I citizens, not subjsets-masteFs, not servants OF
I government.
The free people OF Alabama will not consent
/ that places and power granted by them to
/ Government, for their defense against invs-
/ sion and insgTrection, shall be used in aid Of
I their invasion and subjugstion. They regard
/ ths uses now made Of Forts Pickens, Sumter,
/ Nc Henry and others in Southern States as a
I gross abuse Of the peoples trust, and a plain
/ usurpation Of ungranted power. And, be as
I sured, that the men Of the South will not long
/ endure this constant menace Of the power OF
I your Government, or suffer it to stand senti-
/ mel over their doorways, with arms presented,
/ ready to challenge themselves OF their friends,
7 or 70 dfguuta their iDpreqg or errnga
TIE instincts Of mere brute nature, no less
/ than the noblest sentiments Of humanity, self
/ preservation, patriotism, honor, and the pride
/ OF independence, coRspire against such delib-
4 crate insults and persistent menace Of injury.
/ II not surrendered for the defense Of the pso-
/ pie against your standing army, thev must
and viii, take them, at every hazard and at
any sacrifice These States that have seeded
will never reunits with the Northern States
/ under a common government. The idea Is
prepOsterous-the hope is groundless There
has been constant and Increasing strife be-
tween them for more than quarter Of a cen
I tEry. They differ 80 widely iR principles and
sentiments, in morals, manners, religion, and
politics, as well ss social insti5Stions ana hab-
/ its, that the world knows they are different
and uncongenial types Of civilization. They
have long seen and felt It. and cannot have a
motive for living together that is not purely
{
! they viii hereafter form separate and distinc,
/ governments, In which they cannot love each
other less, or harm each other more, than un-
/ der common government. The people Of
| Alabama believe their rights will be better re-
/ spected by the New England aud sther North
ern States when ont Of the Union, than thew
have been in it. The common prevalence, in
the South, OF this opinion will ever prevent the
! rebuilding Of the old Union.
d -
/ United States, and the unhomogeneous char
acters Of the northern and southern people,
I you must agree with ne, that man will never
i witness the reconstruction Of the Union. Then,
why hold forts and keep troops in our seeded
4 States, 10 not to disturb US WAY not take
the purchase money offered for them? Isf to
/ yourself, think you would Withdraw vour
gsrrisons and sell us the forts, for you pray Tor
I peace and protest against coercion. Take
/ care that your oounsellors do not compromise
I your honor and your character By evincinz
uses Of these sirongholds at vari6hee with
/ your prayers and protests. A superanuuated
I soldier, whose vanity and ignorance have
I never failed 70 provoke contempt whenever hs
I essayed 10 play The statesman, is not compe.
tent to advise you. Neither is a mere iurist
and scholar, who has lived a reeluse, and
( knows less Of living and feeling men than ol
dead languages and abstract sciences. Trusi
I your own Judgment and feeli9gs, and think
| you will correct the errors they have commit.
ted, BY transferring your troops from Southern
states-wbere they only excite suspicious anC
| hsart-burnings, and make enemies Of thos,
who should be frieBds-to the western frontier
where war is being carried on against citizeni
Of the United States.
Hoping that good may come out OF seeming
evil, and that we may not be precipitated inte
war by your preparations to prevent it, and
wishing the peace and tranquility in your re-
tirement that follows good deeds,
have the honor 20 be,
Respectfully and truly,
Your friend and ob't perF't,
c. c. CLAY, in.