Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-25

r4nIins in the Suprems Court to any
hands but his. This appointment alone,
,.itbout any Other proof, ought TO satisfy /
any reasoning mind that all l have said of
ATr- StantonS sentiments must be true. 1
No man in his sober senses can believe |
that I would have urged, or that Mr.. l
Buchanan would have made the appoint /
nent FIVE had not both known with per-
faet certainty that he agreed with US en- /
tirelv on those fundamental doctrines OF
constitutional law to which we were COM
mitted. The faiutest suspicion OF the |
contrary would have put the Attorney |
Generals Office as far beyond his reach as
the throne of France. We took HIM Tor /
what he prOfessed to be-a true friend OF
the Union; a devout believer IN the Con-
stitution: a faithful man, who would not /
violate his oath of Office by wilful dlsobe-
dience to the laws. 1 am still convinced |
that he did not deceive US. II ne ADAM
doned those principles in 1862, the change, /
however sudden and unaccOuntable, is /
not satisfactory evidence that he was an |
iDlDostOr and a hYpOcrite IN 1850.
He did not find Mr.. Holt and Gen. Dix |
coDrendipg alone Tor contending at all /
against the President and the rest of the |
administration. Mr.. Holt, on the Sd of !
March, 1861, appended to his letter Of res
iruation a strong expression of his graft
tude for " the firm and generous support .
which Mr., Buchanan constantly extended
70 him and paws a warm tribute to the
..enlightened craftsmanship and unsullied
patriotism of the outgoing President.
Gen. Dix was not there at all when Mr..
stanton came in. He was appointed a
month afterwards, when there was no
disagreement in the Cabinet. He took up
his residence at the Presidents house as
member of his family, and remained there
during the whole time Of his service as
the head of the Treasury Department. lie
performed his duties faithfully, firmly,
and in a way which met universal appro-
baton. 1 do not recollect that he had one
word Of serious controversy either with
the President or with anybody else. If,
therefore, Mr.. Stanton was at any time
/ engaged in dragOOning the President and
I Lectoring his colleagues, he could not
have Mr. Holt and Gen. Dix for his
hackers.
There were disputes and serious differ
sncas ofopinion in the Cabinet during the
~sFiod Of Mr. StantOn's service; but his
l. -~s in them has not been truly stated. L
snN- Triting the history Of those times,
81 . - tbar ,sIOTe l say nothing OF what 9TH
anu "a -. .'~rbere to do, except SO far as
,,,,- ba necessary 10 snow Mr.. stanton
lI. Llas - os,,issiolNS in their true light.
oOf tS,.g,-s tbe eIectiori it was determined
-, ~, forSs in Charleston harbor should
he strengthened 50 as 20 MAKE thehi lIl-
5.,I-,.T,7s Ne The order was given, but the
execution Of it was suHaccCuhLapiy PuI l ClI'
When General Cass asaerta4ned IDsI lns
DELAY was acquiesCed in by 1be re iveh'' .t7l-'
he resigned. Two weeks s.tter|ALu u, "a. Nh',yo -
Anderson. commanding Fort MoSAIIIe'
- snnrebendiuR an attack, threw S's
Garrison into Fort Sumter. SlmulE@
neously came certain commissioners rom
South Carolina demanding the surrender
oftbe latter fort to the State. The ehar-
altar of ths answer that should be given
70 The commissioners and the question
whether Fort Sumter shouIu De De
! furnished with men and provisions were
/ discussed for three days, each day run
ming far into the night.
I on the one side il was Insisted that the
! surrender of the fortress was so utterly
! incompatible with our plaineSt 1uty tnaV
J The demand itself was a gross Insult. 10
! Leave IL in acOndition which would enable
l rebellious citizens TO take II II they
pleased was still worse, for that would oe
! merely another mode OF making the sur
/ rauder. and a worse one. because Il would
be fraudulent and deceptive. Mayor An
derson should, therefore, be Immediately
so reinforced that "his castles strength
I would laugh a siege 10 scorn," ana theH
no attack would be made. This last, IN
/ sfaad of being dangerous. was the only
I measure that gave as a chance OF safely :
/ il would not bring on hOstlHtles, but
! avert them, and, if war must come al ali
| events, the possession of Fort Sumter,
which commanded the other forts, gne
. hzrbor and the city, would be OF incaIcu-
liable value 70 the Government o. the
/ Union.
To this there was absolute no answer,
4 except what consisted lH saying that the
fort could not be relieved without difficult
ty and danger Of successful opposition;
that South Carolina would take 1t as an
I aifront, that 10 was tantamOunt toa threat
of coercion. The replication was easily
made. There was no danger o. even an
attempt at resistance To a ship-Ot-War,
the statements made Of The hostile power
! were mere Drag; II South Carolina took
otfense st our preparation Tor the SAFETY
OF our own men aHa our OVID property
she must already De in temper to make
reconciliation impossible; and, as TO Coz
erl3on, let her take care not 10 coerce Us,
. and she would be sale enough.
Al length the President pronOunc ed his
1 decision in the fOrm.Of az answer TO the
. commissioners. While il was tar from
. satisfactory TO the Southern members, 1t
, dued Gs with CONSERVATION and grief.
Then cnEa the desperate struggle o.
one alone to do what all had failed 10 eff
feat. It was painful in tine extreme, bul
uupxpactsdiy short and decisive. The
President gave up his first ground
) Welded the points on which he had seemed
, l most tenacious; the answer 70 l>oulh Gar
/, olina was essentially changed, and II WA
: erreed that Fort Sumter should have
, men and provisions.
I During these discussions Mr.. Siantoi
was alpavs true, bit the part he tooi
a was by no means a leading one. le sait
Z many times that ho wac there only sLa
: might have two votes instead o
= . one. On no occasion was there IN
!. SLIGHTEST conflict between hin
: and me. lie eNhibited none OF tn
\. coarseneSs which some Of his late
q friends attributed to him. he never sPoX
: without the greatest respect for has col
, leagues and the proiOundest Difference Z
: he President He said no word TO th
r President about resigning. lie told m
,f thar he would resign If did; but whel
certain concessions Wsre made 10 m
wishes he expressed himself perfect.
y satisfied. He did not furnish one Atom .
r tbe influence which brought the Pres
: oeut round on the answer TO South Care
- Inns.
7 Nor did he ever propose TO carry an
.t measure Of his own directly or indirectly
% relating TO the secession troubles, II
.s nuIformly prafesSed 10 be as anxious 10
5 the preservation OF the public peace 9
y any man there.
l. II would be a wrong to the memory
y Mr.. Stanton not 10 add that, So Tar as
= know. he never gave countenance or eI
y couragement 10 those fabulous stories
!, his behavior. .--.,-- .c,r-