The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-24


Ex-President Buchanans book in defence OF
bis feeble and disastrous administration Is
attracting some attention from the press and
considerable applause from his admirers and
Northern disciples Of the copperhead school.
They parade it before their readers as a COM
plete vindication Of his course in sitting still,
with folded hands, whining and whimpering,
when the capital and the government were
menaced by Boosting conspirators. His vindi-
cation Is, at best but clubbing apology for
his lack Of earnest patriotism, his lack Of
moral courage and his secession proclivities.
He would have the world believe that accord
ing to the constitution, he did all 1t was posi-
BILE for him to do to prevent the rebellion.
What could he do in the way Of repressive
measures when Congress was in session
Could he assume the powers which belonged
to Congress, and in the presence of Congress!
He says no, and that he could only urge upon
Congress the repressive measures which he
deemed necessary; that he did this over and
over again, but that Congress would do moth
with the Congress Of 1S60-6l.
This is his main defence The Congress to
which he refers was q democratic Congress.
The Southern leaders Of that Congress were
the contrvers Of the rebellion in conjunction
with the Southern members of Mr.. Buchanan's
Cabinet He still held fast to those members
as his advisers after their reasonable tenden-
cies had become notorious; he still cast the
responsibility of action upon Congress, after
he had seen enough to satisfy any man that
from that Congress he could expect nothing in
defence of the government against the league
therein of Southern conspirators
But according to Mr.. Buchanan, next after
the responsibility Of Congress, in permitting
the Southern conspiracy to get such Roadway
that nothing could stop it short of bloody
war, comes the responsibility Of General Scott
and of President Lincoln. General Scott, we
presume, will take care of himself; and as for
President Lincoln, it is sufficient for his defence
that when he entered the White House, in
March, 1861, a Southern confederacy was in
full blast, with JEFF. Davis as its Provisional
President, at Montgomery, Alabama. All this
had been done while Mr.. Buchanan was play
ing niue duu beth UcIWc6u q uiSIOydl OuUIuot
and Congress bound hand and foot by saucy
secession conspirators.
Old Hickory, with proclamation and few
simple orders to General Scott, managed the
notification rebellion Of South Carolina very
neatly in his day; and had Mr.. Buchanan pos
sessed 1.-THE Of Jackson's pluck and patriot
ism he could have done the same thing with
South Carolina secession thirty years later.
But the simple truth is that both Pierce and
Buchanan were the convenient tools of JEFF
Davis, Mason, Slidell, and all that tribe of
Southern rights men and Southern confederacy
plotters. Pierce, to this day, is rather proud
than otherwise 10 parade his secession SYM
pathies on every occasion that offers; and as
for Mr.. Buchanan, his labored apology will not
avail him. 1t will only serve the future his
torian to place in q stronger light the secession
affiliations of his administration, his vacilla-
tons, his imbecility, his lack Of hearty Union
ism, and the deplorable consequences of his
weakness and folly.