The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-10-30
HISTORICAL CORRESPONDENCE.

The North An1eG'acd71 ReUielU for
November contains startling chapter
OF our secret political history, in the
shape OF letters written by Edwin NJ.
Stanton to ex-President James Buch-
anan during the early months of Lin
coins administration. The letters were
found among Buchanan's private pa
pers after his death. At the time they
were written Stanton was bitterly OPP
posed to Lincolns administration, al
though few months later, in January,
1862, he became Lincolns Secretary of
War. A few extracts from these letters
will show their tendency.
On March IA Mr.. Stanton writes to
the ex-President:
There is no doubt of Sumter being eyacuat-
ed; report says the order is gone, but that
think is doubtful You will have noticed the
resolution introduced yesterday by Mr.. Doug
las in the Senate That looks like a compre-
hensive platform for relinquishing everything
IN the seeded States, and even those who sym
pathize with them. To me it seems like the
first steps toward strictly Northern non
slave-holding confederacy
On April 3 he writes:
The first month of the administration seems
to have furnished an ample vindication of your
policy, and to have rendered all occasion of
other defense needless.
On April IL he writes:
We have the war upon us. The impression
here is held by many: l. That the effort to
reinforce will be a failure. g That in less than
twenty four hours Anderson. will have surren-
dered. 3. That in less than thirty days Davis
will be 10 possession of Washington
Again, Under date of May IL, Mr..
Stanton writes:
The negotiations carried on by Mr.. Seward
with the Confederate Commissi ners through
Judge Campbell and Judge Nelson will somo
day, perhaps, be brought to light, and if they
were as has been represented to me, Mr. Sew
ard and the Lincoln administration will not be
IN position to make sne ering observations re-
specting any negotiations during your admiGis-
tratlon. 1t WAS in reference to these that JEFF
ferson Davis, III his message, spoke with so
much severity. You no doubt observed his
allusion to Informal negotiations through a
person holding high station IN the Govern
ment of the United States, and which were
participated i'll by other persons holding sta
tons equally high. I have understood that
Judge Campbell Was the person alluded to-
and that Judge Nelson and perhaps CAtron
were the other persons cogniZaut Of Mr. Sew
ards ass frances respecting the evacuation of
Fort Sumter.
Abiding to these negotiations Mr..
Stanton writes on May 49,
MI. Stewards silence will rot relieve him
from the imputation Of deceit and double
dealing in the minds of many, although / do
rot believe it can justly be imputed to him
[ have no doubt he believed that Sumter would
be evacuated, as he stated it would be. But
the war party overruled him with Lincoln, and
he was forced to give up, but could not give
up his Office That is sacrifice no Repub-
lican will be apt to make But this CORE
spondence shows that Mr. Frederick Seward
was not in the line Of truth when he said that
negotiations ceased on the 18th of March Moth
ing new has TRANSFERRED here since my first let
ter. I am perfectly Convinced that an attack
will be made and battle fought for this city
before long.
On June s he writes:
I have not written to you for some time, be-
cause there was nothing to communicate that
would cheer or crafty you. While every
patriot has rejoiced st the enthusiastic spirit
with which the nation has aroused to maintain
its existence and honor, the peculation and
fraud that immedlat ely spring up, to prey upon
the volunteers and grasp the public money as
plumber and spoil, have created a strong feel
ing of loathing and disgust. And no sooner
had the appearance of imminent danger passed
away, and the administration recovered from
it's panic, than deter nination became mani
fest to give strict party direction, as far as
possible, to the great national movement At
ter few Democratic appointments as Butler
and Dix, everything else has been exclusively
devoted to black-Republlcan interests. This
has already excited a strong reactlOnary feeling
not only in New York, but in the Western
States. Gen. Dix informs me that he has been
SO badly treated by Cameron, and SO disguised
by the general course of the administration,
that he intends Immediately to resign This
will be followed by a withdrawal of financial
confidence and support to very great extent
Indeed, the course Of Things for the last four
weeks mas been such as to excite distrust in
every department of the Government. The
military movements, or rather inaction, also
excite great apprehension. 1t is believed that
Davis and Beauregard are both in the vicinity
one at Harper's Ferry, the other at Manassas
Gap-and that they can concentrate $1,000
troops. Our whole force does not exceed IS,
600. 1t is also reported that discord exists be-
tween the Cabiner and Gen. Scott in respect to
important points of strategy
Our condition, therefore, seems to be one of
even greater danger than at any former period,
for the consequence of success by the seces-
sioniaGs would be far more extensive and ir-
remediable than if the Capitol had been seized
weeks ago. Ould is reported as having gone
off and Joined the secesslOnlsts. Harvey, the
new Minister to Spain, it is discovered, was q
correspondent with the seceesionists, and COM
municated the designs and operations OF the
Government to Judge McGrAth. It is supposed
he will be recalled. Cassius Clay has been
playing the fool in London by writing letters to
the Times, which that paper treats with ridi-
cule and contempt. The impression here is
that the decided and active countenance and
support of the British Government will be Civ
en- to the Southern Confederacy.
Again, on July Is ne writes:
Speaking OF the order to the Brooklyn not to
disembark the forces sent to Pickens, unless
that fort were attacked, you mention it as hay
ing been made with the entire unanimity of
your Cabinet and the approval of Gen. Scott.
That he approved it is clearly shown by Mr..
Hollis note to you; but our recollection is that
in the Cabinet it was opposed by Judge Black,
Gen. Dix and myself. [ &c not know that there
is now any reason to question the wisdom of
the measure 1t may have saved P .ckens from
Immediate attack at that time; and have I'M
derstood that Gen. Scott says that Picbens
could not have been successfully defended if
it had then been attacked, and That he speaks
of this as blunder of the Confederates. In
this view, the wisdom of the measure is fully
indicated, and at the time it was supported by
the Secretary of War and Secretary or the Ma
Wy, to whose departments the subject apper