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

On the same day, the last OF the year
when mems hearts commonly turn TO peace
and fraternal feelings, the House OF hepre-
sentatives by a vote of 9S Qnclualng man
Democrats to 80 rejected Roger A: Pryors
resolution denying the right Of holding any
State in the Union, by bayonets, and De
claring it would be destructive or hpert! %
so hold her.
On the same day. the Senate committee
reported that it could not agree on any piah
to adjust the National troubles.
FUCHASoN A NEW LEAF.
The first day of 1861 was the gloomiest
ever seen in Washington. 1t ought to have
been. Every hour brought fresh symptoms
OF sectional madness. Several OF the N0rtn-
ern Governors refused to endorse the fresl-
dents call for a day of National humlllatlon
aud prayer. Gov. Banks, of MASSACHUSETTS,
declared there should be no peaceable seces-
sion. Gov. Blair, of Michigan, sald-"oe
cession cannot be allowed self preservation.
IT no Other reason, will compel us to resist
which was candid in the Mlchlgander' at
all events. The Territorial Legislature OF
Nebraska passed (over the Governor s veto
a bill excluding shareholders from the terri
tory thus verifying assertions of the Dem
ocrats that if the question of slavery IN the
territories were left to the "squatters,, ac-
cording to Mr.. Douglass plan, the latter
,odId exclude Southern men Whose nights
to the National domain were cO-equal with
the Northerners 81 whenever they. saw ut.
Pennsylvania, and several other Legislatures,
passed resolutions endorsing Anderson S
change of base, and declaring the Union
must be preserved at all cost.
Stimulated by these occurrences, and stun
| ened in backbone by his new Secretary OF
War, 10 Holt, of execrable memory, MIR.
Buchanan resolved to turn the leaf OF the
new year with a change of policy. shaking
| off his Southern advisers, and making fresh
bids for Northern favor. Early on the End
he authorized the stoppage OF a number OF
| guns which had reached Plttsburg en- route
for Federal Forts on the lower Mississippi:
The kilograms reported great rejolclngs
mated VIM. McKibben, of Pennsylvania, as
L. S. Collector at Charleston. This APP
pointment was, of course, a %nullity, but it
served to offend the South Carolinians, who,
having just declared themselves independent
Of the Union, were naturally irritated at
this futile attempt to exercise jurisdiction
over them. Next day he dismissed the
South Carolina Commissioners, men of high
character, in a very discourteous manner.
The same evening a body of troops were
sent to occupy Fort Washington.
A SILLY SCHEME FOOLIsHLY FAILS.
The 4th of January, a day set apart by
his own proclamation for Fasting and
Prayer for Peuce," was spent with Holt,
Scott and others, in arranging a secret expe-
dition which he could but know must re-
kindle a war-like fever throughout the land.
On the following night the steamer Star of
the Vest, sailed from New York with clear
ance papers for -Ne1r Orleans. Outside the
harbor she was joined by another vessel
having a cargo of stores and munitions of
war, together with $50 artillerists from the
batteries on Governors Island. These train
ed gunners, with the ship load of supplies,
would have manned Fort Sumpter beyond
any probability Of capture though the idea
was sent abroad that only a few provisions
tor a starving garrison" were on board the
vessel, and few of the Northern people
know otherwise to this day.
However, the Charlestonians were not
caught mapping: The Star Of the Vest was
and sent skurrying back outside the bar.
She returned to New York at once, and dis
embarked the troops at the forts.
Thus failed a silly scheme, whose peridv
deserved no better success, and from which
no person could have expected any other re-
suit than the intensifying of excitement and
evaporation both North and South. Such
IN fact were the consequences.
As soon as the sailing of the vessel be-
came known, Secretary Thompson, the last
Southerner in the cabinet, resigned in great
dudgeon, charging Buchanan with breach of
faith not only with South Carolina but with
himself, whose continuation in the cabinet
had been due to assurances that he should
have due knowledge of all important trans
actions. Both parties have since published
lengthy statements.
A OF EVENTS.
Pending these events the march of seces-
sion had q%uickened to a gallop. Governor
Brown seIzed the Georgia forts; Governor
Moore, those in Alabama. On the 18th,
South Carolina Convention adjourned, after
appointing delegates to a Southern Congress-.
On the 9th, ex-President Frank Pierce, of
New Hampshire, wrote to Jefferson Davis.
saying:
without discussing the question of right. of ab-
"stract power to secede, 1 have never believed actual
disruption of the Union can occur without blood: and
IF through the madness of Northern AbolitionisIn that