Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-11-15
GEN. sCoTT's REPLY TO MR.. BU-
CUANAN.

GEN. scoTTs REPLY TO Mr.. BU-
CuANAE
The special plcadings ofEx-President Bu-
chanan in reply to the charges of Cen. Scott,
has elected from the General are ioindCr that
is almost m cxtinguishcr. We have room
only for the concluding portion. The gene
raj after showing that men enough TO garri- /
son all the forts could have been obtained .
at Carlisle and New York, says:
II have thus shown that small garrisons .
would at first have suiliccd for the other
twins. Forts jackson and st. Philip, also /
Nv object was to save to the Union, hy any
means at hand, all those works. until Con F.
urcss could have had time to authorize Il call
for voiuntccrs--a call which the President, !
idr such pnrposc. might no doubt have made
without any special legislation, with the full
appreciation Of every loyal man in the
Union.
.. The cX-Prcsidcnt almost loses his
amiablity in having his neglect of the forts
. "attrhutcd," as he says, without the least
causc 20 the influence to Coy. Floyd : and
he adds. "All my Cabinet must bear me wit
ness that was the President myself, re.
,ponsiblc for all the acts Of the Admiuistra-
tion.
I Now, notwithstanding this broad assump-
| ton Of responsibility. should be sorry to
believe that Mr Buchanan specially consent
! cd to the removal, by Secretary Floyd, Of
/ $4,000 extra muskcts and rifles with all
. their implements and ammunition. from
/ Northern repositories to Southern arsenals.
50 that en- the breaking out of the maturing
rebellion they might be found without cost,
except to the United States, in the most
convenient positions for distribution among
/ the insurgents. So. too. of the one hundred
and twenty or one hundred and forty pieces
Of heavy artillery which the same Secretary
ordered to Ship Island, in Lake Borgnc. and
Galveston, Texas, ior forts not yet Crcrtad.
Accidentally learning, early in March, that
under this poSfhuaOaJ order, the shipment
Of these guns had commenced, | commune
Gated these facts to Secretary Holt (acting
foy SECRETARY Cameron just in time to defeat
the robbery.
But on this point we may hear cX-Sccre-
taIy Floyd himself. At Richmoud he cX-
pressly claimed the honor Of defeating all
my plans and solicitations respecting the
forts and received hi, rcward--it being
there universally admitted that but for that
victory over me there could have been no
rebellion.
3. Nj Buchanan complains that pub
my views. addressed to him and the Sccrc-
tayy Of War, October 20 and 80, 1850. But
that act, was caused. rs l explained to him
at the time, by the Misrepresentation Of the
r!c"t in one Of the earlier speeches Of the
same cN-Secrctary after lis return to Nir-
ginia.
+. One Of my statements complaining of
the joint eouutcrmand, sent through the
Secretaries of War. and Navy, to prevent the
} landing at Fort Pickcns of Captain Nodgcs
company li1sSy tie F1t ShovH be attgcl,d
is cited 10y the cX President to prove 4
singular want of memory on my part
and a note from Secretary Holt is adduccd
) to show that had entirely approved of tho
/ Joint countcrmand the day lIanuary 2Gl that
it was prepared Few persons are as little
liable to make a misstatcmcnt 10y accident
as Alr. Holt, and no one more incapable o.
making one by design; yet | have not tn,
slightest recollection Of any interview viii
him on this subject. | do remember. how
p ever. that Mr.. Holt. on some matter of bust
! ness approached my bedside about that time
when | was suffering greatly from an excess
> OF pain. Mr.. Buchanan, Mr. Holt and my
c self were all landsmCu. and could know bu
little Of the impossibility Of landing troop
on an open sea beach, with high wind an,
. surf Mr.. TouCey, Secretary Of the Navy
4 with officers about him of intelligence m,
; nautical experience. ought to have eai,
Is rlUmply that if Wedges was not to Ian,
except in case of attack upon Fort Pickcn
he might rs well have remained at Fortres
\ Monroe. as the prohibition placed the fort St
II far as he was concerned. at the mercy. or "a
: the event showed on the want of cnterpris
, on the part OF the rebel commander at Pen
sacoa