The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-09-18

he superior III i-Cs NdIloANi IL
Blue coats, who in the earlier battles of the
war invariably killed a number of our men
before we could get near enough to use our
''Springfields.'
CHIEF.
President Bucharon at this period pre-
sented a strange and unseemly spectacle.
He seemed the embodiment Of indecision,
irresolution, vacillation and unreliability-
one of those characters John Bunyan would
love to draw Under the name of Mr..
Hating -Between-Tw Opinions. or "Old
Mr.. Facing-Both-W Ways" with a gang of
friends plucking at each sleeve, and pouring
a torrent of distractiLs advice, complaint
and remonstrance into each ear.
Had he taken a decided stand, either with
or against the South, there might have been
a way out of the National Snarl. But his
hcsitating, non-committal attitude, blown
about by every wind Ct doctrine, clutching
each day of the week at some new expedi-
ent, only to abandon all on Sunday, mystity-
ing both friends and foes in turn, could not
have done more to hurry forward war had
he purposely set about coddling and pro-
voklng 1t. Yet, apparently his only we'll
fixed purpose was to :stave off the con
f1lct until the expiration Of his " term
leaving to his abolition successors the task
of settling the storm they themselves had
aroused. 1t may be that this policy was not
entirely based in %selfshness. | am disposed
to think Mr.. Buchanan at that period loved
both the Union, and the South, among
whose people were his warmest friends; and
hoped by temporizing to gain time for some
sort of compromise. Thousands of the
wi 3est patriots fancied secession was a mere
spasm, and if the actual clash of arms could
be avertcd for a few months there would
come a revulsiOn of sentiment, North and
South, which would enable the constitution
to be amended, and the breach restored
How mistaken was any such idea IS proven
by a thousand facts of after history. In
stead OF thinking of concessions, or constitu-
tlonal guarantees. to allay the fears of the
South, the abolitionists were %squabbling
over the distribution Of public offices. 1t
will be remembered, on the day before South
Carolina seeded, the Republican commit
tees II Congress rejected Mr.. Crittenden's
compromise resolutions; and three months
later, when seven States were out of the
Union, fully organized as a new COnfederacy,
with a government, and an army at its back,
and the whole South IN sympathy, the abo-
lltlOn President jestingly assured the cOun-
there was no cause for alarm. it was merely
a tempest in a teapot, and Nobody hurt
However, a sudden end was brought to
MI. Buchanon's weak endeavors to carry
water on both shoulders, by the announce
ment of Maj: Anderson's escapade at
Charleston. A stormy Cabinet meeting en-
vided on the question of ordering back the
troops to Fort Moultrie; the President non
committal as usual. Secretary Floyd, whose
loosely drawn instructions left a loophole
for Anderson's action, insisted upon either
an instant restoration of the status at
Charleston In accordance with the agreement
made with the citizens, or the total evacua-
ton of the harbor. The latter he thought
would be in all respects preferable, as Mai.
Anderson handful OF men served simply as
a menace, and a source of irritation, without
answering any good purpose whatsoever.
This was a sensible view; and there is rea-
was opposed by parties at Washington sole
~ In hope that the South Carolinians could
be provoked to fire upon them. To the
same effect, said Senator Robert Tombs, Ito
a TREND who related 1t to me- on the day
after Georgia seeded, Yes. we are ont.
but whether we shall stay out will depend
on the calibre of Abraham Lincoln's mind.
1t he be farsighted enough 10 withdraw the
troops from Sumpter and Piokens, there all
Oe no UdT, and In SIX months We shall be
back IN the mon, under some sort of Guar
antee." Jefferson Davis, and others, per-
sonally urged Mr.. Buchanon to act at once
and allay the excitement by either ordering
Anderson,s return, or withdrawing him alto
gether. Senator Clingman, who was then
in Washington, says: ''Anderson's seizure
OF Sumpter involved the President suddenly
In great perplexity and distress. He admit
ted the Obligation Ito preserve the %status)
but was afraid to comply. Keitt said to
We urge him, the old fellow al
most cries, and says if he does it they will
burn his house in Wheatland. : : When
the Southern members left the cabinet he
found a partial relief by leaning further
towards the North"
This [ take to be correct. During the
three or four days Of Mr.. Buchanon's hest
tation the Northern newspapers poured in
with delighted editorials lauding to the
skies the Fort Moultrie comp de moin,"-
the sharp trick played on the secession
lists, and the vigorous attitude" as
S11n1nn hy fhA :"