Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-17
The Patriotic Buchanan Cabinet.

THE people of the United States cannot
too soon nor too seriously reflect upon GER
tain facts, which show the character and
real tendency of the parties which will
contest the Presidency in 1872. On the
4th of December, 1860, Mr.. Buchanan
sent his annual message to Congress, in
which he said that he had arrived at the
conclusion that Congress had no "power
to coerce into submission a State which is
attempting to withdraw, or has actually
Withdrawn, from the confederacy." That
Is to say, the Union has no constitutional
right to prevent its own dissolution. The
AttOrney-G General at that time was Mr..
jeremiah s. Black; and in an opinion
dated on the Goth of November, 1860 he
sustained the Presidents position, and Sig
n1hcantly asked, "Is any portion of the
people bound to contribute their money or
their blood to carry on contest like
that ?" On the 18th of December, Lewis
Cass, Secretary of State, resigned, and Mr..
jeremiah S. Black was appointed to the
State Department in his place.
Mr.. jeremiah S. Black and the New
York World are laboriously endeavoring
to establish what the World calls the in
fanny :" Of Secretary Stanton. The World
also claims to be of advanced Democratic
principles, and occasionally urges its party
" dCCNpt luO SlludllOu. lulS Is Jle way
in which the World speaks of Mr. Black
and the Buchanan Cabinet before the
changes:
fidelity to the Union, the constitution, and the
true interests of the country, we have never had
uoupt. We thihk, ana no uouDt ne thlhks, tnht ne
made terrible mistake when he obtruded, caused
to be appointed,' Messrs. Stanton and Holt into
MIR. Buchanan's disturbed, but, before that, homo
geneous and honest Cabinet. We perfectly
understand why, having done so, and tasted or
seen others taste its bitter fruits he may feel that
sort of self-reproach which generous temper,
even in merlted disappointment acknowledges" !"
Mr.. Blacks fidelity to the Union is re-
corded in Mr. Buchanan's message, and in
his own opinion. His devotion to the true
interests of the country is illustrated in
his willingness to surrender absolutely to
the rebellion of slavery against the gov
ernment. The World thinks that he
made "a terrible mistake in favoring the
appointment of Mr.. Holt and Mr.. Stanton,
who, with General Dix, were the only loyal
members of the Cabinet.
Itwas undoubtedly terrible mistake +"
in the interests of treason and rebellion to
introduce loyal men into the nest of
traitors, the Buchanan Cabinet, but in no
other view. This cabinet which the World
eXtols as homogeneous and honest, and
which it thinks a generous temper would
De S6H'ItpTOdcneu IOr having disturbed Dy
patriotic additions, was m4de up of Mr..
jeremiah S. Black, the author of the
opinion; of Howell Cobb, whose financial
conduct while plotting the rebellion is
familiar; of John B. Floyd and Jacob
Thompson and Isaac Toucey, all of them
chief conspirators and abettOrs of rebel
lion. If Mr.. Black was faithful to the
Union, the constitution, and the true in
terests of the country, so were they; and
the World has "never had doubt" of
his patriotic devotion.
These are the deliberate convictions of
those who hope to obtain control of the
Government of the United States. What
ever their professions, these are their
principles. They are not inferred-they
are declared; and we repeat that they are
worthy the thoughtful consideration OF
every truly conservative citizen.-H Harper'S
WeeklV