The national Republican., 1861-03-01
REVELATIONS OF Ex.sECRETARY
THOMpSNN

rior under Mr.. Buchanan, arrived at his home,
Oxford, Mississippi,a a short time since, and was
received at the depot by a large crowd of his
friends and neighbors. Mr.. Thompson, after
thanking his fellow citizens for the demonstra.
ton, explained his reasons for leaving Mr.. Blu.
chanan's Cabinet. He said:
"No serious difficulty or division occurred in
Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet, until after the late
Presidential election. As soon as it was known
that the sectional candidate was elected Presi.
dent by sectional vote, on platform Of prin.
ciples in direct conflict with the Constitution,
which, by denying right of protection to q
vast property in the Southern States, overthrow.
ing the equality of the States, and in effect put
all the States Of the South in state Of outlaw,
it was perceived that new class Of questions
would arise-the extent of the reserved powers
Of the States was the great question, and the
power Of the General Government to use mill.
tary force upon the people Of sovereign State,
undertaking to resume the powers delegated in
the Constitution of the United States; to en-
force obedience to the mandates Of the Govern.
ment of the Union was the great question. On
the first, that is, on the power of State to se
cede, there was soon developed an irrecon.
cilable difference of opinion. On the power to
coerce State to remain in or to return to the
Union, there were found to be unanimity and
harmony.
Hence it was, fellow citizens, that con.
tinued q member Of the Cabinet after the de.
livery of the Presidents message. differed
with him in his argument on the right Of SO.
cession. I agreed with him in denying the
right of coercion. agreed with him, that it
was his duty to enforce the law, and hold and
preserve the public property. And believing,
as did, that, in enforcing law in this free Gov.
ernment, where our fathers took the greatest
pains to subordinate the military to the civil
authorities the army and navy could only be
called on as posse comitatus to aid the civil
officers in executing the processes and orders
issuing from the civil magistrates. And that,
in preserving property, his duty and his power
only extended to a resistance to all marauders,
to the driving back and defeating all the ap-
proaches of mobs and unlawful and unauthor.
lied combinations of individuals. With an
ardent desire to preserve peace, to avoid all
conflict, and to give full and free opportunity
in all sections for the public opinion 10 develop
itself, so that, if possible, our institutions might
be preserved, retained my place.
Looking at the subject practically, be-
lieved, with due exercise Of caution and mod.
Grafton, conflict could be avoided. Without a
civil magistrate, there could be no process
without writ or process, there could be no
arrangement and no justification for the calling
in the military force and hence, enforcing the
laws was an impossibility, inasmuch as the
machinery for its Accomplishment was wanting
Forts had been erected within the limits of the
States, with their consent, for the purpose of
enabling the United States to fulfill its duties
to protect the States, by repelling invasion, and
suppressing instructions. To hold fort as
menace upon State, with view of CONTROL.
ing her political action, or of endangering her
power, was such a perversion Of the grant of
jurisdiction by the States, that, in the judgment
of all true men, it would be viewed as crying
outrage, an act of war. The forts, then, in Sc.
as property. To hold them as military posts,
to thus threaten tho peace Of the State, is ct
war with the theory OF our Government.
"With these opinions conscientiously enter
tanned, and believing, as l did, that any at.
tempt to reenforce the forts in Charleston har-
Dor would be viewed by the people Of South
Carolina as an act of hostility, and would,
therefore, be resisted, my opposition to an or.
der for re enforcement was early taken and
uniformly maintained. When the question first
arose, the President decided to refuse such an
order, and General Cass withdrew from the
Cabinet on account of the refusal. The Presi-
dent then agreed with certain gentlemen, un.
dertaking to represent South Carolina, that no
change should be made in the military status
Of the forts and when Major Anderson, adopt
ing an extreme measure of war, only justified
in the presence of an overpowering enemy,
spiked his guns and burned his gun carriages,
and moved with his garrison from Fort Moutrie
to Fort Sumter, and thus committed an act of
hostility, the President heard of the movement
with chagrin and modification. Governor
Floyd considered his honor complicated, unless
the garrison under Major Anderson was with.
drawn and when he was refused the permis.
sion to make that order, he threw up his com.
mission. On his withdrawal, Mr.. Holt was
transferred 10 the War Department as Secre-
tary ad interim. This assignment was made
without consultation with me, and on the day
was advised that Mr.. Holt had taken charge
oftlD War Department, knowing his eagerness
to strengthen these forts, l visited the Presi-
dent with my resignation drawn up.
{" He informed me then that the orders for re.
enforcement by the Brooklyn had been coun.
termanded, and that no other orders would be
issued without the question being first consid.
cred and decided in Cabinet. With that prom.
ise l was content. Two days afterward the
question was considered decision was reached,
to send messenger to Major Anderson to
learn his true situation and wishes. As to
what else was done my lips are sealed, because
all Cabinet consultations are confidential. Of
one thing be assured, that so hostile had l been
from the beginning to the sending of additional
troops to the forts in Charleston, that there is
not one member of the Cabinet who would have
expected me to continue one hour in its coun.
ellis, after an affirmative decision had been
made by the President. did not understand
such conclusion to have been adopted, and
the first intimation had that additional troops
had been sent TO Fort Sumter was on the |
morning of the 9Th of January. That day |
severed my connection with the Cabinet My |
ground for doing so was two%fold. First, on |
account Of the manner of the issuance of the or. |
der; and second, on account of the order itself.