New-York tribune., 1867-01-05
NEW PUBLTCA TTONS.


- 60, tl c,,,po.iiion Of this valuable historical
,,'o, IT, ,,iod of more than thirty-nve years.
A. ~. IT,, nm active part in almost every measure
., hlc interest; has been on terms OF persona" lnI-
macy with many Of the prominent men 10 Whoih ne
,vas onnoeed on questions OF national pohcS anu
aurinc so long an experience has preserved l''Il'
and accurate record of the events thdt at dsJ C'u
mated in snguinary civil war. HIS D0oK' although
q hetravs hand more conyersant WITH pOhucl
movements than with literary Workmanship pIeSchs
a store of important information, throwing iIood OF
HVht-peThaps no, in al instances so fresh as Is sup
posed bv the author-yet char and satisfactory Oh
the iptripues and maneuvers which enter mo the
se9et history of the late Rebellion Hlt makes 10
pretensions 10 felicity of arrangement or gIaceS Oh
atyle the pregnant facts which 1t so mprcSsVey ue-
lineates present strong claim upon the interest OI
the reader, and challenge an attcnlEt PcIGs'u' -:
According TO Mr.. Bolts, the dOcuHc "l C',Sl"lI %
had few adhercnts in the south prior 10 !Ile Nff'I
1872 If there were any VINO Ioheu upon !, t Nl'n d
favorable eye they cherished thtf sthtiIIiehls III
secreSv and did moi dare 20 give them pubhc utter
ance. The most eminent statesmen dehoqhced SucI %
or,nions az trcason The ablest and most powerful
members of the Democratic party agreed Wlth MI
jefferson. Mr. Madison. and MI. lltcile. thdt no
State had q right To Withdraw from the UnlOn, WIN,
out the consent of the majority OF states th9t l9neu
the Union. The same power which framed the Union
was necessary TO dissolve II; 90 ,.
The first time that the doctrine OF Secession was
pubfcly avowed was by John C. Calhoun IN thc year
iS2 Disappointedn in hlScravmgS Tor the prtSld3uTH
that ambitious and subtle politician conceived the
idea of establishing an independent government iOr
south Carolina In the control of that State he had
10 rival No less sangtine III hls hopes than aiua-
ciOus his plans he reckoned ON the support oi the
other Southern States IN case the Federal Govern
nent should attempt 10 SustamltS authority Dy loice
preteXt for his claim found in the protective |
system of which he had formerly been the champion
Hut this movement uppcd IN the bud 10y the en-
ergetic measures of President Jackson Ihc arrest
and execution Of Mr.. Calhoun were prevented by Ihe
celebrated compromise bill oI Henry Clay. ms
served as q lOOphOo for the retreat 0i Mr. Cah0nn
and thus the question was temporarily settled. Bnt
from that time the State of South Carolina became
sOnsciOus of hnmiliaton she was Stung To madness
by q of injury; and never ceased 10 disturb Inc
public peace 10y her expressions Of suen, aud often
volt az the South would and her IN the stTug-
gle and protect her against the enforcement OF law
by the Federal Government Her political leaders |
were bnsily engaged IN sowing the seeds OF DIS,
sensiOn The tariff was abandoned as pTeeXt, and |
the Slavery question taken mp III It's place.
The first step for the production OF public excite
meut the denial Of the night of petition IN Con-
eress on the subject of Slavery The effect OF TINS,
A. had been auticpated was To raise the popular |
nind 10 fever heat I furnished the cornerstone for
the establishment Of the Abolition party. by uniting
tie SOuth and dividing the North, II strengthened
the hands OF the Democracy and prepared the way
for the fatal issue. This was followed by the annex
alton OF Texas and then 10y the repeal Of the Missouri
CompromiSe, with similar intent -.,
a Previously to the presidential election of lh)6 ~
Tis ta6 piTfOSe ~ the southern politicians 70 DIS
solve the Union i'm of the failure Of the Demo
cratic party TO carry their candidate. The people III
general could not be made 10 believe it. They re-
rarded the threat merely as an attempt TO frGhteB
Tie wCak-mnded and timid in the exercise OF their
convictions. But the plot was well matured and had
The election of Cen Fremont taken place instead ol
Mr.. Buchanan. an attempt would doubtless have been
made to carry il into effect. The South was eXhOrted
60 present an undivided front II was hoped TO make
The highlands between the Ohio and the lakes the
dividing line of the new confedeTacy. The enterprise
was suggested OF marching 10 Washington on the
fourth of March. and seiZmg the archives and the
treasury of the National Government. The prospect
of danger the timdity of weak men, and the pTOili-
4tQ neU1Ifn a
Mr. Buchanan, and thus STAYED OFF the revolution for
another tour years; But the handwriting was on the
wall lt was clearly fOreSeen that this was the last
expiring effort Of the Democracy The agitation was
Y,,, .. no brought to crisis. From that time TO the
tazng forth o. the Repeii ire country was A''
IN vOnstapt state 9! turmoil ana cem3"u"o
= Immediately after the nomination Of MIR Lincoln,
the summons 10 war was sounded The platform on
Whch he was presented TO the country was not only
iguoTed, but denied II was proclImea eEGIHwneles
the South. Men were thrown into frenzy by the be-
lief that their safety and their honor alike depended
on the overthrow Of the National Government OIlg-
naly il had been the plan OF the secession leaders
SO break up the Union and establish Southern Con
fcderacy But their aspirations now took higher |
am With large proportion of the Cabinet hostile
H. the Government which they had sworn TO defend,
with the President himself unwilling 10 take any
steps 10 check the movement, the conspfators re-
solved TO take possession of the Capital and assume
She control of the Government.
S-On after the Inauguration 0t Mr.. Lincoln, and
dnrng the session of the Virginia Convention, Mr..
Bolts had q memorable conversation Wllh the ITeSi-
winged 20 The public We give the account OF 1t IN
Mr. BOttss own words:
About this time Mr. Lincoln sent messenger to Rich
oId inviting distinguished member of the Union party
10 cone Immediately TO Washington and if he could not
hmsof 10 send some other prominent Union man,
The gentleman Tins addressed. Mr. SIMMER did not 90,
but sent noiherMr. }. Baldwin who had distinguished
be by bis zeal in the Union duIir The session
oi the Convention; but this gentleman was slow IN getting
Washington, and did not reach there for something
lke week after the une nc was expected ne reached
Washington Friday the 9Th OF Apn, and, on cdln gOn
Nj rLnt0ln the following conversation in substance took
place az learned from Mr. Lincoln himself After cx
pressing regret that he had not come sooner, Mr.
Lincoln said, Ny object IN desiring the presence Of Mr.
Summers. some other influential and leading member
Of tue Union party m your Convention was 10 submit
proposition by which think the peace Of the country
be preserved but fearyO almost too late How
''This afternoon" said he, feet is 10 sail from the
barbor OF NewYOrk for Charleston; your Convention
been u ss ION for nearly two months and yOu have done
nothing but hold and shake the rod my head You
have ist taken vote, by which appears you have
majority OF Two TO one against secession Now, so great
NY desire 10 preserve the peace Of the country, aud 10
save ue Border states TO the Union that If You gentle
ordinance OF secession will telegraph AT TO New
sieuiiy Of EyAcUATING FoRT SUMTER" The proposition
was Declined ON the following SUNDAY night was with
h1 LneSln s iSalSd The above facts 10 me- I inquired
"Oh sad he throwing mp his hands he wondnt listen
to al all scarcely treated me with cvity; asked nae
SSt % c S g an of ec%rs dd a M Lincoln NJ an ao9S
want You to adjourn and after Ihave evacuated the fort
meet again TO adopt an ordinance of secession" then
sid, Nh Lincoln, will you authorize me to make that
proposition !fOr VIII start tomorrow morning and have
meeting Of the Union men tomorrow night, who, have
doubt viii gladly accept IT," To which he replied t
too late the fleet sailed on Friday evening" He
then said me- Bolts have always been Odliue
Heuy lay Whig. and il you Southern people viii let
alone, VIII administer this Government nearly upon
The principles that he would have administered IL as IL s
possible for one TO follow in the path Of another
all OF which believed then. and believe now he wOuld
have ,.pne lie said, moreover We have seventy odd
men ~ Fort sumter who short OF provisions l
not and VIII not let them suffer for food they
much oeei 50 much pork potatoes, etc, but their tred
viii not last longer than "Wednesday and have sent
messenger TO Gov Pckens TO say that have dis