The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-01-17
History that is Prophecy.
AN IMPORTANT LITERARY WORK,
From the y. y. Herald. Jan. s. 1862. !

From the n. y. Herald. Jan s. 1862
We understand that q work, called The
Life and Times of James Buchanan" and
written by the eX-pre>dent himself, is now
printing, and will soon be published at Phil
adelphia. As Mr.. Buchanan is as little not
ed for bresity as for Wit. the book will be
long-winded. and comprise several volumes
1t is said to be very we'll written, very severe
and sarcastic, and it pitches into Buchanan $
own Cabinet in the toughest possible style
It's object is to prove that Mr. Buchanan is
and always has been true Union man.
The venerable politician and humbugged
eX President could not wait. it seems, until
the grass grew over his grave t. have his
life written. and his virtues and tailings dis
played. Perhaps he undertook the task him
self because he djstrusts and wishes to fore
stall the calm judgement of the country and
tie world. He might have spared himself
the labor and The pens and ink. however
Tor the popular estimate of MIR Buchanan is
too we'll settled and too nearly right TO be
disturbed or altered by this antehumous at
tempt AZ seit.lusticaton. Just as there are
sins of omission, 50 there is a treason in re-
framing from suppressins, as well as a trea-
son in abet,ng and assisting rebellion
Try as he will, Mr.. Buchanan cannot defend
himself from the charge Of reasonable CmiS-
sons Of duty. There may be no evidence TO
show that h, was a traitor in act ard deed
but, mon man as he Processes to be, there is
mple evidence that he was a traitor in not
ucting. when. by a little courage and decision,
ne could nave saved the Union, and that
without a civil war.
Il is beyond all question that the two adj
mini>trations which preceded tn" present.
to>,ered and Strengthened the rebellion. which
had been concocted years ago. and gave it
form and power. jeff Davis now the chief
Of the rebels. was the master spirit of poor
Perces Cabinet He was the bully of the
ed. Cushing and thr rest submitting to him
almost without murmur; and if Marcy now
and then showed a iiltle Spunk. he was sound
~ Slapped upon his patched br,eches. and
soon subsidized. Poor Pierce himself was a
mere nIncnmpoop, whose only talent WAS a
hnack Of getting off neat after dinner
speech. Wthrnt the slightest mind of his
own. he tuttered like a feather in every
breeze. and was pulled this way md that like
fancy dancing jack. Among such incapa-
b,rS jeff Davis was easily chief, and manage,
everything qIitt his own way. SO if the
ilea ii / southern Ionttderacy was planted
hv Paul Calhoun. II was watcrtI hv ApolIos
Fierce. and The administration of Jane, Bu-
chanan gave the trea>onable increase.
For poor. >hitlt>s. ttehie Pierce was not
half - bad a. the imheci!e and blund.rins
buchanan. Ia P,erce's Cabinet jeff Davis
ru!csi : but IN Buchanans Cabinet Flovl.
Cobb. and Thompson payed out boldly the
game ot rebellion and armed treason al the
expense Of the country. To these rusues
and traitors Buchanan always gave way. and
louct, and The other protcs>cdlv lova mem
bers Of the Cabinet We're as weak and as
thoroughly d!utIc rs the President himself
Ii buchanan had possessed particle OF
>agaclfN, common sense, or power, the
schemes Of FLOYD, Cobb, and Thompson
Wo9d have been detected and defeated Or
even i! hucilinan had been honestly hum
bugged rp to the time OF the secession of
South Carolina ne could then have nipped
rebellion in the bad, ana settled the whole
Matter in five weeks, il he had been endow-
ed with hi, of pluck. capacity, or courage.
Had TIE Hlo'fs advice, TO call out seventy
five thousand men and kick uut the en,ir.
Cabinet, been followed IN December, 1860
W. should never have heard of treason in
tbs country aIan.
But. through th" frvhIenrss Of poor Pierce
an, tne cowalliy imbcciIity OF blundcrius
Buchanan, the country has been brought to
il present crisis. For either of them 10 at
tempt to prove himself patriot now is t,
outrage AL history and all reason In not
doing II gh' these men were guilty of doing
wrong: tnr their criminal weakness, was tn,
strength OF The rebellion.