Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-08-28
VOL. XXXll.-WHOLE NO. 1868.
Why did not President Buchanan Re
inforce the Forts at Charleston and
other Southern Cities


Con, SCOTS letter to the War Depart
ment, dated Goth OF October last (about
q week before the Presidents election, cons
tains the following paragraph
"From knowledge OF our Southern
population, it is my solemn conviction
that there is some danger of an early act
of rashness preliminary to secession, viz;
the seizure of some or all of the following
posts: Fort jackson and st. Philip in the
Mississippi, below New Orleans, both with
out garrisons Fort Morgan, below Mobile,
without garrison Fort Picllens and Me-
Rea, Pensacola harbor, with an INSULT
cient garrison for one; Fort Pulaski, be>
low Savannah, without garrison; Forts
| MoultTie and Sumter, Charleston barbor,
the former with an insufficient garrison,
the latter withou. any and Fort Monroe,
Hampton Roads, without a sufficient gar
rison. In my opinion ali these works
should be Immediately so garrisoned as to
make any attempt to take any one OF
them 10y surprise or coup de main, ridicu
| lous"
Gen. Scott here enumerates nine forts
in six different States, all of which Forts,
he says, should be Immediately garrison
ed ;" but he submits no plan for the pur-
pose, and designates no troops available
tol that object. In a supplementary let
ter written on the following day, Oct 80,
he says, "Ihere Is one regular company at
| Boston, one here at the Narrows, one at
Portsmouth, one at Augusta, Geo, and
one al Baton Rouge; in all, fCC companies
only ciAm reach, II garrison and reinforce
the Forts mentioned" Five companies,
containing less than 400 men, to garrison
or reinforce nine fortitications, scattered
over six of the Southern
Nearly all Of our small army was at that
time stationed on the remote frontiers Of
our extensive country to protect the in
habitants and emigrants against the tom
hawk and sCalpng knife OF the savage,
and at the approach OF winter could not
have been brought within reach, for sey-
eral months. They were employed as
| they had been for years. At the period
when our fortiticationS were erected, 1T
was not contemplated that they should be
garrisoncd except in the event OF for
eign war, ard this to avoid the necessity
of maintaining large standing army. No
person then dreamed of danger from the
States. 1t is q remarkable fact that after
several months had elapsed and .he Pres
ident, at the instance OF Gen. Scott, had
secured the whole country for forces to
protect the Inauguration OF the President
| Elect, all the troops that could be asscmN
| bled at Washngio ton, rank and file, amount
ed to but six hundred and thirty. This
| is stated in a message Of President Buch>
anan to the House of Representatives
TO have sent 400 men to Charleston at-
ter the Presidential election, NOV. 6 to
rarrson and defend three Forts, an arsen-
al, a custom house, navy yard ana post
office would have only been to provoke
collision. Undoubtedly the public props
erty was safer without than II would nave
| been With force so totally inadequate
and it is fair to presume that such was the
Presidents opinion. Besides there was
strong expression on the part Of the South.
ern States against any attack by South
| Carolina upon the public property For
this reason, it was not polite for them to
make an attack. Accordingly President
Buchanan remarked IN his Message to
Congress 3rd December last,-"it Is not
| believed that any attempt VIII be made to
eXpel the United States from this proper
! tv by force" In this belief he was justi-
! fed by the event; as there was no troub'
! le until after Major ATderso retired from
Fort Moultrie to Fort SUMTER as he had
a rirht TO do, first having spiked his own
cannon and burned his gun carriages
! And suppose it should appear, as we are
inclined 10 think it will eventually that
| Col. Anderson himself after his retire
ment to Fort Sumter, deemed reinforce
ment unadvisable, and so expressed HIM
self TO the governuent? Would this. in
addition to the lack of troops before men
toned, Justify the President buchanan
in not sending them forward
We have said that Gen. Scotts letter
was dated Oct Doth. Con gress met about
five weeks afterwards, say on the 3rd OF
December, and the President in his mes.
sage at the opening of the session, called
the attention of Congress to The SUBJECT
at much length. Had the light which he
then she'd upon it been turned to practi-
cal account, and his advice been needed.
we should have avoided the dreadful fra
tricidal war that is low upon us-a war
which according to present appearances,
must end eitherin final separation, or In
the subiuration ofeleven States to the pow
er of tWoniy-three. Our differ ences
would have been healed and our Union
preserved on its original basis. lie how"
ever committed the whole subject to Cons
sress, declaring his readiness to execute
the laws, to the extent of the powers con-
ferrcd upon him; at the same time decla'
ring the existing laws wholly inadequate
to meet the exigencies growing out OF the
secession of a State or States:-
1T is therefore my duty to submit to
Congress the whole question in all Its
bearings. The course OF events Is so rap
IDLY fastening forward, that the emergen-
cy may soon arise when you may be called
, upon to decide tho momentous question
whether you possess the power, by force
, of arms, to compel State to remain in
the Uuion.'
But Congress did nothing. Week after
week and month after month passed away,
but they did nothing. They refused to
adopt any measures Of Cancellation wor-
thy Of the name-they also refused to
pass Coercion law. Congress continued
in session until the expiration of Presi-
lort puchanan's term of service and the