The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1862-01-15
Ex-Prrsidcnt Bnehanan.

calumnated by the opponents of Democra-
cy as James BuchaLan. Washington, JEFF.
ferson and Jackson were each in their day
reviled and denouRced by inscriptions
demagogues, who sought The overthrow and
the defeat OF the Democratic party, but all
| the bitterness and rancor OF pent up years
of political strife, per6dy and deuacion
seem 10 have eliminated against the per-
sonal and political character of President
Buchanan. The man who entered the
Presidential chair with a moral character %
pure thai the breath of suspicion had never
been whispered against him, was in the-
course OF ore short year held UP lotIe public
view as one o. The most dishonest and cor.
rupt OF all our public Servants The States
man whose name and fame were familiar
TO every civilized and enlightened nation
on the face of the earth was proclaimed
miserable dotard, devoid OF ability and unfit
for the high position he held. Committees
of investigation were Instituted for the pur.
pose of feretiug out abuses which never
had existence save in the brains of dsap-
pointed ambitions and malignant politicians.
and although they were conducted with all
The searching scrutiny which Forney and
Covode could invent or suggest, they failed
most signaly 10 impeach either the moral
or political character Of the man. He stood
before The world un'aintei and unscaihed
by the fiery ordeal through which he passed.
In the Report of The Coyode investigation
page Al, the Hon. Warren Winslow Of the
committee, makes use of The following sig-
nificant language Mr. Forney is the only
witness who has ventured 10 impuie any
dishonorable act TO the President when
.hese things come TO be dispassion.
alely considered, and the whole proceeds
ings OF this committee shall be examined
aud understood as sooner or later they will
be-public justice canno, fail 10 regret that
the power and authority oI this House has
been devoted TO the malignant purposes so
plainly shadowed forth in Forney's speech
| And no matter what resolution. prompted
by party interest ard stimulated by disap-
pointed ambition and revenge. may now be
pronounced public Justice will not fail 10
vindicale chief Magistrate who. venera-
bic in years, after honorable service Of
whole life in the Capitol OF the Nation has
been reviled by mob, caluminated by en-
emes, and for whole session hustled by
an inqnisitorial committee, consisting chief
~ Of his political toes. And when ne re
cords Of this committee shall be,.oroe .,no,,,,
the systematic violation of ali The rules OF
evidence and the plaiGsst principles Of
common Ins!'ce-lhe leading questions that
nave peIsislently'been propounded against
s'nonstrance-theea eager suggestion Of what
ever might degrade or criminate The Presi.
deul-the encouragement OF iniormers- The
refusal TO call exculpsting wi;uesses-it
short when the proceedings of this committee
shall come before the people OF the United
States il is believed by The undersigned thai
they will be condemned with a reprobalior
so strong and earnest as to prevent any rep
estion of such an outrage against the chic
Magistrate OF this nation
The above extract proves conclusively the
I desperate means which were resored TO by
the Covode committee to impeach the char
acter Of President Buchanan. bui wiihou
being able 10 accomplish their purpose =
Forney was the only man on the whole lie
Of iniormers, who ventured TO assaiI BIZ
character, and even he is conlradicied By
several witnesses whose regulations for yer
aciiy, are equally a. good as hi own The
inquisiiion was a failure, and the Black Re,
pu5icaGs chagrined at the resul, were com
PEELED 10 tall back on the slavery agi'aiior
as the only successful method OF conducting
the Presidential campaign Of 1860 Tha
unwise and impolitic step has unfortunate
ly involved the two sections of the country
in civil war lGAamma,ory speeches o
demago2ues both North and South addec
fuel to The fame until men were found or
both sides of Mason and Dixon's line
openly advocating dissolution of the Fed
eraI Union.
But President Buchanan has been much
censured by ultra politicians of the Black
Republican stamp for not putting down the
secession movement al once by an armed
force. That censure was neither founded
in reason or justice. Abolition Convention:
had frequently been held in the New En-
gland States at which resolutions in favor
of dissolution OF the Union had been dis
cussed and passed, and yet no effort was
made TO put them in force. Those who
were so anxious TO punish the. South for
their transg gression, had remained silent spec
tators in abolition conventions. Beside the
President had no army at his command to
march anywhere The troops Of The United
States were all, with The exception of few
( garrisons. stationed in Utah, Texas, Calsfor
MIA Oregon Washington and the Indian Ter.
rtories, and nearly one half of the officers
J Of the army were disaiiec;ed toward the
/ Government so that in ordering the U. S
army down South it would have increased
+ instead of crushed the rebellion. Ii would
have been placing in the hands OF the enc.
my officers and men whose services they