The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-11

erously and unluithluIiy t the Federal Gov
g. That tho President combined with sGecs
sionisis In the ire asonabir plot To break NJ the
Union, establish an independent Southern
COnfcdnracy. nnd ruusn II ~ be- r"rogniDrd as ~
separate nation hy foreign tcv"rnmrnts.
4. That Ia pursuance of this plot. AMI to
curry IL out the President MT only abandoned
but denied the right Of the Government To pre-
scrvc itself or To maintain its authority or
To execute its laws or To put down reslst1nce Ivy
B, That M n consequence OF thcse and Other
evil deeds, the buchanan AdminiAirati?n be-
came arcurscd ns the cause OF the civil war,
with all ts loss Of blood and treasure.
will not now write an essay on the history ~
that pcriod. or 20 into general explanation OF
the events which took place on tho owe Of tho
war | am wholly on the defensive. and my
present duty is merely To state certain fncta
already we'll known. and which show that your
chnrgcs are fnsc and groundlrss.
Mr.; Bn"hgnan's regular message OF Deem,
The Northern and Southern States were r"nre-
scented, Is an unanswcrable argument against
the right of separation. and the most powerful
appeal Tor union and harmOnious obedience To
law that ever WIS made To- the American people,
excepting, perhaps. ashington's Far we'll Ad-
dress and Jackson's Prcc9mati9n, No one IAN
read 1t now without feeling that II his wise
counscls had been needed. the unity OF the re-
publ ic would hive been preserved in the bonds
Only those who know. OF thoir own know-
edge. what relations actually existed between
the Administration and the lending advocates
OF separation, cnn see how prcpostcrous IL the
charge OF ouspiracy between them. For many
Southern gentlemen tn. President, no doubt.
had "A warm affection which II was not easy to
tear from his heart; and their attachment to
him had been long and faithful. But the mo-
nent he assumed his public attitude Of opposi-
ton To thcir movement. they fell AWAY from
him In n body. and became his unanimous enc
mics rs far ms they could be- SO consistently with
their respect for his acknowledged personal
virtues. Even the Southern members OF his
Cabinet could not reconcile II with their prn-
cip,es TO hold Office under HIM. The great
gull soon to TOO filed with blood and fire. was
already opened The Administration was on
2le side of IT and gil secessonists on the other.
Docs that look like a combination to effect
common purpose by concert OF actonY
ISLANDER REFUTED.
Not less ahsurdly false Is the charge that tho
Administration denied the power OF the Federal
Government 10 maintain its Just supremacy by
force.
We held not only that no right Of separation
existed and as a logical consequence. that all
tics. but we claimed for the Government OF the
Union the right to save its. perfect integrity by
the use Of all the physical force which might be
found necessary. This power was given by the
Constitution itself. according to our exposition
Of IL. thus
To take or rctake and keep possession of all
forts. arscnals. dock yards. Custom Houses. Post
nnl.es land. and other public properiy Of the
United States ; to- collect the duties imposts. and
taxes wherever due: to execute the laws by on.
forcing the judgments OF the Federal courts and
the legal orders Of all Federal officers. and to do
this by military power wherever the civil au-
thority IL not strong enough thes" are tle cO-
crcive powers bestowed on the general Govern
instead Of being abandoned 10y the Buchanan
Admin stratiun. were most distinctly assorted.
What we did deny WAS. the right of the United
States ~ max" war upon a state as a state. de-
clare all the Inhabitants beyond the protection
of law and put them all to the sword rs public
a few IT them in the form Of void ordinances.
We thought ~ Washington. Madison. and Jack
son thought and said on similar. occasions. TINT
the force which supported the law ought to be
directed against tho individuals who opposed il.
and not against innocent persons who happened
to live in the same State.
The United states. being within certain lin
itsl a sovereign Government t. which obcdi-
"ncc was due directly from the people. It took
no notice Of State lines. and could not make
war upon state any more than Stlte could
make war upon q county. The opposite doe
the people and the Federal Govcrnment. was
the doctrine of the sccess ionsts which we re-
je,t'd as unsound and hcretical:
III the Executive had Mt that time opened an
indisrrminnte and aggressive war, II would
not only have been lawless murder. but i
would. ns every one now can see. have ended
in complete disaster. and the cause OF the Mon
must have utterly persisted.
statute book as well as the Constitution. The
President could not. and he said plainly that
h. would not. violate his onth ~ ofirc by usnrp-
INK bowers which the law withheld from him
But Congress could give him all that was necI-
ed. II did not do 50. On the 9th Of January h.
sent IN special message. describing, the dan
gers 10 which the Union was exposed hy tn" in
/ action Of Congress. and showing the made
/ quacy Of his means 10 control the rising revolu
] "A
nor IN any way. strengthen the Executive hand
That thcso views ~ legal and constitutions
duty were true and right Is not open To, tbs
slightest doubt, Except the southern members
who retired. all the Cabinet fully and heartily
/ e9ncurred IN them, Con. Cass. Gen, Dix; Mr.
| were as true to them rs | was. and II cours'
J supported them with much greater ability. w
/ Tered several times with one another nm
with Tn" President. on points ~ policy; hut ~
/ the law we wcrcof one mind and one heart. on
exposition of It was not. 10 my knowledge
] thought or said to be erroneous 10y any mcmh"
| Of that Congress. Our successors. 81 the Lin
/ coin Administration. adopted 1t in all it, Length
and breadth. Tothis day no lawyer Of average
ability mas ever fairly considered il and thor
| cHndidly put in dissent. II is SO manifest
corref-so simply Just and right-that all mel
| agree Ia it.
ONE WAY To EARN FOREIGN MISSION
Such being the truo state ~ the ease. as thu
| record shows, You assai the Buchanan Admin
! istr4tion with nlthy abuse. and charge Nj
| buchanan himself. not only with entertaining
| opinions totally different from those he actual
held aud expressed. but with criminal acts q
Apart from the palpalle falschood of thes
| accusatiors. your attempt to CRITICS" n ma
like Mr.. Blu 'hanqn is unpardonably prc-ump
! tuous. Your judgment upOn his character q
| conduct, even II honestly expressed. II No
worth a straw. Doubtless he had his share ~
! imperfectipns Int how could You tell his fan Il
from his virtues? You believe that the frHudu
lent alteration of election returns to cheat
milton l. the exercise Of wise discretion
you believe the Louisiana returning law IN b
lust and constitutional; you believe il right Z
quote judicial decision for a principle whir
the case does not contain how. then. can nm
moral standard Of yours bc applied to a states
man whose life WIS upright. pure. an
pairiotir2 Your firth in and affrctio
for. tho cHrpct-htg knHNts max
il necessity ~ your ndiur" toNilliV Buchanan
who WIS in all things their opposite. His I'M
tello"tual rs we'll MS hls moral superiority pat
you so widely apart that You can never know
anything whntever about him. | do not wish
oNuggcrutc his magnitude or your littlcncss
aud could not II | would try; for no compar
son Of mine can dos 'rihe the difference hctw'n
You. Hyperion and satyr; the towering ea..
and N" housing owl; the King of the Titan
and the dwarf nj his foot the builder 81 M
solemn temple and the ilv On one of H., column
none ~ these trite SMILES gives an idea of IN
immeasurahlc distance which separates yu
from him. Nobody expects the sourvy polt
clan. who husirs himself fixing up falsr olrotio
returns. to understand the thoughts motive
or nets OF tho ineorruptlho magistrate wi, =
walk Is on the mnunin,n ranges of the law.
Let us look for a moment M your method
supporting the charg you make. and soe ho
worthy i II ot YOU ana your c0rpnt-hag ass
! cintos., In substance, your accusations are th
/ he and his administrnt hning in complio h
with treason. favored the right Of the Sintr~
separate from the Union at pleasure. and.
| the interest of the snroiing States. denied n
power of the general Government tn muintni
its authority by force. The message honest
quoted proves eNntly the reverse. But Va
suppress all that II contains upon those sui
lcots, and quote certain sentences relating tp
totally different mntter. namely the right of n
al -. .uN a.aal