Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-08-16
Caleb f. Wright upon President
Buchanan.

me IOiloWlng are CNtracJS lloHn Ihc
Speech Of CALEB Il WRIGHT, Esq, made
at Union Nee ting, in Wilkes Barre, in
the Spring of last year, as published by
DR.. John, with high approval in the Col-
,n,6io Republican, of May 10th, ls6l
"Why, they say below, Cotton is King
Cotton be id l tell you who is King;
old Abe Lincoln.
l say it with grief aud modification, that
for four years, treason, black hearted trta-
son, has reignod. Spies and traitors have
been in the Cabinet. If we had had a
President with the heart of louse, he
would have stifled treason with one dis
charge of cannon in the harbor of Charles
tom
This unjust and indecent assault upon
the administration of President Buchanan
deserves some notice at our hands, ct
this time, and shall receive it.
Whatever may be said by Mr.. Wright
and by Republicans about political events
early in 1861, when the history of that
time comes to be really written, when
fact is separated from fiction and the whole
honest truth of the case is told, there
will be but one opinion as to the integri-
ty, sagacty and patriotism of Mr.. Bu-
chanan. They will be vindicated and
made unquestionable to all after times,
and the responsibility and the whole re.
sponsibility for misconduct (othor than
what pertains to secession leaders, will
be placed where it rightiully belongs, to
wit, upon Congress and the Republican
party. In the presence Of uncXampled
difficulties, and opposed and thwarted a +
every point by powerful section party
flushed with victory and insolent and
impatient of restraint, he did all that a
patriot and statesman could, to avert I'M
pending evils. For proof Of this let the
official documents of that period be con-
suited. Their testimony is clear and
complete and they show, that by mes
sage he demonstrated the illegality of
secession in an argument so conclusive
and powerful that nothing has been added
to it by all subsequent discussion that
he earnestly urged upon Congress and
the country an adjustmeat and agreement
in preference to the dread alternative of
war; that he encouraged the several at
tempts at settlement which were made {;
and finally, that when secession became
formidable, he submitted the whole sub
ject i'll most earnest message, for the
consideration and action of Congress, the
body to which pertains the function of
enacting laws as we'll aspower TO propose
amendments to the Constitution. Mean
time he preserved peace, and gave op-
portunity to such men as Crittenden and
Douglas to labor for adjustment.
And what did Congress do! 1t did
nothing or worse than nothing. 1t could
only discuss the negro with which it had
no business, and the Republican part OF
it secure! the defeat of all plans of set
tlement. Nor were any acts passed con-
lerring upon the President authority or
power to use force to put down secession,
although it was known that neither his
legal powers nor the existing military and
naval force were adequate for such pur-
pose.
Upon the 4th of March. 1861, the ad.
ministration of the Government was pass
ed over by him to Mr.. Lincoln and the
Republicans, unaffected by any act done
or omitted which could compromise OF
fetter them in dealing with the great dan
ger Of the times. Sumter had not been
evacuated, no recognition Of rebellion
had been permitted, nor had anything
been done which rendered adjustment
and settlement impossible. The latter
only required that the Republicans should
prefer the Union and peace, to the dog-
mas Of the Chicago platform. 1t is well
known, and was then notorious, that the
Crittenden Compromise would have Sc
cured relcc and reserved the Union, and
that too without any sacrifice of honor OF
interest in any action. Unfortunately
party was preferred to country, the reality
Of the danger was scoffed at, and nothing
effective was done to restrain the course
Of passion, until upon the 18th OF April the
attack on Fort Sumter lit up the flames
of civil war. Upon that event the North
stood up as one man, and at its behes
the administration of Mr.. Lincoln cntareC
upon the existing strugglo-a struggle a:
just and necessary as it is onerous in it.
burdens and unexampled in its magnitude
But between the 4h of March wher
Mr.. Lincoln was inaugurated, and tn,
l2th of April when Sumter was attacked
the administration adopted no new poll