The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-11-07
Ex President Buchanan's Reply.
WASHINGTON, Nov.


Ex.Prosident Buchanan, through the National
Inrclligencer, replies al length to Lieutenant
General Scott, whose recent publication no con- |
siders an untiSEu sld ccnsure O his conduct |
during the last months Of his Administration in |
regard TO the seven Cotton States now in 10. |
heilion, In noticing the first md mos: pruinl- |
nent among I he charges, namely, his refusal to
garrison nine enumerated orifca tons, scnt.
tered over six Of the Southern States, according
to SCOTS recommendation. he suys; ] his rciu.
sal ID attributed without the least cause 10 the
influence OF Governor Floyd All my Cabinet
must bear me witness that ] was Prcsldcnt my
sell aud responsible Tor all the acts oi my Admin.
istration. And certnin it is, that during the last
six months previous to the 29lh OF December
1860, the day on which he resigned his oiliro al
my request, he exercised loss influence on the
Administration than any otl5r member Ot The
Cabinet Mir. Holt was Immediately thereafter
transferred from the Post Office Department 10
thnt of the War. so that from this time I'LL the
4lhol March. 1861. which was by Tar the most
important period of the Administration, he per
formed The duties ol Secretary Ol War 10 my en-
tire satisfaction
lie then proceeds to show that there is ono an.
swer both easy and conclusive, it other valid
reasons did moi exist t,-nnmely, there were no
| available troops within reach which could have
| been senl to these Notifications. To have At
| tempted military operations upon scale so eN.
| Iensive by any means within the PresdoEts
power would have been simply absurd. OF this.
he suys, referring 10 his supplemental views Of
| The Both OF October General Scott himself seems
to have been convinced. These views, both
original and supplementary, he says were pub.
lisGe hv General Scott in the National Inteli.
aencer on the 18th Of January, alta most i'm.
portant and critical period ol the Administration.
The publication at that time could do no pussble
good, aud might have done much harm. To have
published them without the Presidents knowledge
aud consent was as much in violation ol the sH
cred confidence which ought TO prevail between
+, the commanding general OF the army, and the
commander in .chet as IL would have been tOr
the Secretary of War ia have published lha ame
, documents without authority. What is oi more
import Innco, their publication was calculated, in
D luruusly TO affect The compromise measures ihel
before Congress and the country, aud tn encouT
. age tho sccessiunsts in their mad and wckct
attempt 20 shaiteT the Union into fragments.
, From the great respect | then entertained fol
General Scott passed it over in silence. Mr.
Buchanan then explains why he refused TO sen,
i 400 men to reinforce Major Anderson at For
0 Moullro Amuug other reasons he says he bo
lryed, as the events proved that NJ lor Ander
son was then IN no danger OF an attack indeer
, he und his command were treated with mark
!, kindness nv the authorities aud people OF Charles
u ton Under these circumstances, 10 have sen
;, such force there would have been only to i'm
Y pair the hope o compromise, to pruvok
AZ collision and dsappont the country, lluvin
:, treated OF the charges ol having Kept back rein
y lorccmen.s from Pensacola, Mr.. Buchanan re
plies 10 ,he ,harge OF having also kept Them bac
u from Charleston, snyin= that neither truce no
n quasi truce, nor anythirg like II, was ever cor
n cludod between the PTesiheul or any human nu
II lhorly concerning Charleston; on the cOntrar
tho south Carolina commissioners first and las
and all lie lime were informed thut the Presidel
never could and never would surrender Fort Sun
= ter nor deprive himself OF the most entiro .iber
TO send reiniorcements 10 il whenever il was M
, ieved to bo in danger, or whenever il might
" requested by Major Anderson Mr., Buchana
u lhon ulludes to other points in General Scott
-, views, and says that he can foiemnly declare b
!. lore God and his country that he cannot reproat
az himself with any oct Ol cOmmissiCn or onlissi,
40 to endauger its happiness, its prosperity and
!, safety, since the existing lToubles commenced.