The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-01-08
The Scheme to Break up the Govern
menf.


ment.
EF Few men will fail to conclude,
from the facts that have recently trans.
pired, that the present attempt to break
up the government was determined upon
by the fre-eaters months, perhaps years,
ago, and that whether Mr.. DOUGLAS OF
Mr.. LINCOLN, or any other Northern man,
had been elected, the result would have
been the same. The rapid increase Of
free states, and the powerlessness Of slay.
cry TO compete with free labor in the ter
ri,ories, as exemplifed in Kansas, has
convinced the Oligarchy that in the Uni
On The farther spread of the institution
would be improbable if not impossible.
Southern leaders have taught that to run
the race of conquest with the free states
il was necessary to have more and cheap
err slaves, and these could only be pro-
cured from abroad. But with the in
crease of anti-slavery sentiment at the
North, and the increase of Northern po-
litical power in both branches of Con-
gress, consequent upon increased repre-
sentation, the prospect of revivipg the
African slave trade was every day be-
coming less, and the only chance of the
cotton states for cheap negroes was de-
termined to be in separation from the
Union. This has been the argument of
Southern journals, and of number of
Southern men, for years, and undoubtedly
they only needed shadow of excuse to
give the theory practical application. The
growing strength Of the Republican par
~ plainly evidenced the passing away of
federal power from their hands, and In
the triumph of that party they hailed the
wished-for pretext for their cherished
purpose, and the developments of the ad-
ministration prove that they commenced
10 prepare for the present movement
months ago. The government was in
their hands, and the first step was to
bankrupt the treasury, which Secretary
COBB did most effectually. Secretary
FLOYD also assisted in this business by
swindkngson contracts to the tune of over
S1,50O,000, besides assisting, as he
doubtless did, in the recent robbery of
$4,000 from the Indian Trust Fund.
He also kindly provided arms for the Sc
cessionists, even sending 5000 muskets
to Charleston while the arsenal was in
the hands of the State authorities, and
revolution there palpable fact. He
had also deposited $4,000 stand of arms
in that city, and had distributed and sold
large numbers Of guns to the other cot
ton states. He had put most Of the
Southern forts in good condition, with
good ornaments, but without garrisons,
SO that they might be an easy prey to the
revolutiorists. But a few days ago he
ordered nearly two hundred large can
non to be shipped to Louisiana and Tex
as, from Pittsburg, although it is proven
that the Notifications for which he pro-
fessed they were intended, will not be
ready for them for year or two to come.
lie also granted to Col. HARDEE, of Geor
gia, leave OF absence for year, to 60 to
Europe and negotiate for arms for that
State. And. when Major ANDERSON
made a movement to protect the lives Of
himself and men, and save the honor of
the national flag, he fires up, leaves his
post. aud goes off, like his friend, Mr..
CoBB, to give further aid towards over
throwing the government he had sworn
10 serve.
His worthy coadjutor, Mr.. THOMPSON,
while occupying a position as Cabinet
Counsellor. goes off, with the sanction Of
the President, as commissioner from his
own state to North Carolina, to urge the
people of that State to help destroy the
very government whose reins are partly
entrusted to him. And he comes back
only TO chronicle robbery Of nearly a
million of dollars from his department,
and 10 advocate total surrender of the
public property a: Charleston into the
hands of the secessionsts. And Mr..
BpcHAEAs, besides being privy to all
these acts, proves himself equally as
mucha traitor, and in sympathy with
traitors, by making treaty with the rev.
oluiionists. virtually surrendering every
thing into their bands as soon as his term
Of office expires.
This is the aspect which this admins
iralion presents in connection with the
present revolutionary movement and
such are the evidences that the scheme
WAS determined upon and provided for
long ago. Unless this is SO. the attempts
Of Cons to bankrupt the treasury and ru
in the government, and the efforts of