New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-09-16
thing your power preserve and vindicatc our happy

AS throughout the seventy days that had charge OF tc
War Department, Gen. Scott GenerainC OF the
Army Of the United States had from constant ana
frank communications with each other, perfect kLowi.
edge of all my views and wishes in regard TO sumter
and the other prominent military interests OF the cou
try his strong language in commentator OF my ehtlre
conduct WILL trust. be accepted as suincien rGutd
ton of Mr.. Blairs calumnous imputation w MIC az,
the plans urged for the purpose by patriotic oceis ap
could not of course be attempted, 1t Is never
theess certain that Gen. Scott and myself were per
cctly agreed alike in our anNletes ana III our ,ooIs
effect the reen Increment of Sumter and, as the re-
suit proved we were only finally prevented from Going
by the firing into the Star of the West through IN
formation treacherousy conveyed to oe heDei aIlnOri
ties nj Charleston by jacob Ihoinpsoh ihelhDef vi
Mr. Bnchanans Cabinet. .
AS the specific ayerments OF nv letter 10 Gen Scott,
in regard TO these matters were within his knowledge
and are not controverted by him, his reply must he
taken as an admission of their truhfulness. With this
fun End warm approval of my whole conduct by this
criticisms OF Mr.. Blair the other submit the qucs
ton between TO the people, who have lived through
these events and do so without any uneasinesS as to
the issue.
But Mr.. Blair further says of ne;
Simultaneously with his Refusal 10 permit succors 10 sum
ter and his ansce with the Rebel Secretary he rced his
sanction BIZ introduced into NE Senate ~ Nv Preston
hing 10 authorize the Union the South 10 or0Gnire them
ssl,e unde, ire authority Of me United States refusing thus
al0ur them 10 Getend hemselrcs."
Having no remembrance whatever Of the subject mat
ter of this charge, addressed note TO the Hon. Mr..
King asking what had been my action in regard to it,
to Which he replied as follows:
NKw YORK, September 4, 1865
Hon Jc,eph Holt.
Blair drafted bill which he desired should be considered in
the Senate deemed your opinion respecting ITS
we conyersed respecting H. You did think well OF the
bill, and did nothing further respecting IT.
Yours. respectfully fRtsros MING
II would seem from this reply TO my inquiry that it
was not Mr.. Kings, but Mr.. Blair's bill that 'op
posed"-a fact which may hepto explain the condemna
ton under which have fallen. Amid the nuItlphci!
of cares which then occupied my mind. and the vast
variety Of suggestions looking TO the public defense
then made and discussed by patriotic statesmen ana
citizens, il is not at all surprising that TINS particular
measure should have escaped my recollection. 40
not however hesitate TO accept the statement OF MI
Blair that the bill proposed TO authorize the Union
in the South 10 organize themselves under the a
thority of the United States; and the statement OF
Mr. King that after conference with him, dld not
think well Of the bill" II may be remarked In passing
that Mr. King himself fails to state that ne Thought
well Of the bill really desired It TO be considered by
the Senate. His declaration is that Mr. Blair desired
that it shond be considered by the Senate and mas
much as after the bill had been read and discussed De
tween US he did nothing further respecting It, Is II
not fair TO infer that he acquiesced in the views that
preseutedf
1t is to be supposed that statesman Of his reputation
for courage and LOYALTY would have renowned meas
ure whlch he deemed wise and demanded by the puDc
safety merely because the temporary head OF the war
Department did not think wei" Of III such propo'
stion is past belief and II may safely be claimed there
fore that Mr.. King himself should have been embraced
in this indictment against me- as an offender who had
not the sagacy or patriotism TO think wen OF Air
/
eminent nor the people Of the loyal states believed That
the time had arrived fol- organizing the militia Win
view 10 resisting the then threatened Rebellion Inc
hope still cherished that the calamity OF civil war
would be avoided; and this hope, though growing
fainter every day. continued until the bomDardment OF
Sumter The organizing of the Union men OF the south
conto mpated by Mr.. Blair, implied OF course, that
thew should be furnished with by the United states
Government. Now, it is notorious that before ana
about that time the forts and arsenals OF the lnted
States throughout the South violently and law
lessv seized by the people themselves and the arms
turned against the Governments and no doubt can be
entertained that if had been voluntarily furnished
TO the Union men OF the SOUTH, the same use "ouiu
have been made Of them. .
1t cannot be denied that the so.ealled Union men"
laid themselves down like so many PUSHES under lhe
of then sweeping over the Cotton States
Overwhelmed AS they were by numbers ana YET more
by the Satanic fury of the traitors they did not ft
hand or q finger in defense OF the United States aren
ais and forts seized in their presence and had II been
practicable transport arms 10 them. from the neager
and insufficient supply left at the disposal OF inc Sov
eminent they would al once have been wrested rom
them or they themselves would have been Obliged 10
employ them In the Rebel military service III IL pr'
of the sad and humihating history OF the 'mes ,oa'
throughout the war, and IN the blOo1lest OF us
these Union men" forced TO fight and ana hght
anst our flag steadily and as brsyey as tbe most
raneorous Of the Rebels. In view OF the eohulOh "
things then existing the South il would have been
an act not only unwisc but suicidal the part OF the
Government TO have put arms into the hands OF IN
ion mem in the vain hope that they would thereby De
ena hled or induced ito defend themselves" 80,
doubtless thought or at least feared the chhShteheu
patriot aud Mr. King, or he would not nave
so readily abandoned Mr. BlaiTs blu 80
Yet again Mr. Blair says OF me- ne had, while
Postmaster General written and published letter
dated 3Oth OF November, 1860, jastiiying the Rebel
lion and be then makes extracts from this letter with
view of supporting tie Interpretation thus given 10
IT, The subjoued correspondence is submitted Us Gis
f'o''Ns u '''' '''''U' " wAsnIsGTos sep,.s, 1865
DEAR sR The lion. Montgomery Blair in a speech
recently delivered by him At Carksyile, Maryland
whom referring 20 myself used this language; lie
had while General written and Inhed letter
dated 10Th Of Noyemoef 100 Juiiy ,he i1eptio nj
Blrir then make from this Letter, which was a
strictly private and confidential one and wa puol.HIea
wholly without NY authority orkuowIedge. lho' II "s tla
itousy published made known al the time T.
many NY personal friend-youre nave
reason supp0e that this fact was subsequently coiul
Gated by you-hen occupying r. ponn'e po,iton "a NE
PosO flee Departmen-to liz ba.T then fo''mlstei Den
eraL would thank you 70 STATE "h'HI you Hal' t.,
communication TO him. and If So under what cclmsiahces
Very respectfully your o1sa.eI1 c, s iSf
| 10 The Hon. J. Hour: go,
DEAR SIR have disiinc, recollection that on The publ
cation of letter referred to IN your note Of 6 instant
Lsd incidentally conversation with you on the subject IL
" hch you told the letter private one addressed
hshed without your his You at the same time X.
pressed 70 your strong wh tat every pfeHt should be
removed by The people Of the North Tor TIE iebclou' pit
then maniest.ng Itself Southern pohtcihns AFTER
ward when the publication OF that eitcr was mentioned IN
ny presence generally TOOK c,en 20 ste'e whlt Ahe"
about Il and 1t being made the subject OF convention one
day in the ROOM between M par ana
two or three others when was pr sent explained mo ar
Cu.tances o. publication, ana "t therefore ufl-ed Wth
recently observed IN the Clarksvle speech OF M Blair
statement tAst tie letter Published by am
specially. your obedient servant, THos. =. IROTr.
This reply Of Col. Trott certainly leaves Mr.. Blair
without excuse for the declaration that the Litter
was published" by me. 1t is true that il was
written by me but it is also true that it was
strictly confidential, and reached the columns OF
a newspaper as / assured, through a
breach Of faith misapprehension on the part OF
one in whose hands il lad been placed for pcrusa only
/ lis tone was somewhat Respondent, and its language
marked by a freedom and warmth inspired by the IN
innate relations existing between my correspondent
and myself and by the fearful aDpgchension with which
All our hearts were then oppressed. IL was addressed
10 A personal friend an eminent clergyman with whom
! hai boon in OrrespOndenc2 on public aIars. and