The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-11-18

legislation, with the full appreciation of
every loyal man in the Union.
2 The Ex-President almost loses his |
amiabili.y in having his neglect of the |
forts attributed" as he says, " without
the least cause, to the influence Of Gov.
Floyd" and, he adds, all my Cabinet
must bear me witness that was the
President myself, responsible for all the
acts of the Administration. /
Now, Notwithstanding this broad as
sumption of responsibility, should be
sorry to believe that Mr.. Buchanan
specially consented to the removal, by
Secretary Floyd, of one hundred and
fifteen thousand extra muskets and
rifles, with all their implements and am
munition, from Northern repositories to
Southern arsenals, so that on the break
ing 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 in
surgents. So, too, of the one hundred
and twenty or one hunred and forty
pieces of heavy artillery which the same
Secretary ordered from Pittsburg to Snip
Island, in Lake Borgne. and Galveston,
Texas, for forts not yet erected. Acct
IDENTIFY learning early in March that un-
der this 'posthhmous order the shipment
of these guns had commenced, COM
municated the fact to Secretary Holt
(acting for Secretary Cameron) just in
time to defeat the robbery
But on this point we may hear Ex-
Secretary Floyd himself At Richmond
he expressly claimed the honor of defeat
ing all my plans and solicitations respect
ing the forts, and received his reward
it being there universally admitted that
but for that victory over me there could
have been no rebellion.
3. Mr.. Buchanan complains that |
published without permission, January
Is, 1861, my views, addressed to him and
the Secretary of War, October 20 and 80,
| 1860 But that act was caused, as | ex-
/ planned to him at the time, by the mis-
representations of the views in one of the
earlier speeches of the same Ex-Secrc-
tary after his return in Virginia.
t. One of my statements, complaining
of the joint countermand, sent through
the Secretaries of War and Navy, to pre-
vent the landing at Fort Pickens Of
Captain Vodges company, unless the
fort should be attacked, is cited by the
ex-Presdent to prove singular want
of memory" on my part; and a note
from Secretary Holt is adduced to show
that had entirely approved of the joint
countermand the day lJanuary 29) that
it was prepared. Few persons are as
| Al S.,.r l.,r
accident as Mr. Holt, and no one more
incapable Of making one by design; yet
l have not the slightest recollection of
any interview with him on this subject.
do remember, however, that Mr.. Holt,
on some matter of business, approached
my bedside about that time, when | was
suffering greatly from an access of pain.
Mr. Buchanan, Mr.. Holt, and myself
were all landsmen, and could know but
little of the impossibility of landing
troops on an open sea beach, with high
wind and surf. Mr.. Toucey, Secretary
of the Navy, with officers about him OF
intelligence and nautical experience,
!, ought to have said plumply that il
Vodges was not to land except in the
case of attack upon Fort Pickens, he
might as well have remained at Fortress
Monroe, as the prohibition placed the
fort, so far as he was concerned, at the
mercy or las the event showed) on the
want of enterprise on the part of the
rebel commander at Pensacola.
Possibly there are other parts of the
reply which superficial reader may
think require comment or elucidationt
: and, indeed, here is another marked fol
me by my kind visitor:
: s. The ex-President has brought to
gether labyrinth of dates respecting
the arrival and departures of rebel com
!, missioners, armistices, &C., with which
!, as l had no official connection, | ma,
e have made an unimportant mistake o
! ! two; but, as l have not by me the mean
of recovering the clue to these windings
shall not attempt to follow him.
WINFIELD ScoTT.
New York, Fifth Av. Hotel, Nov. s.