Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-08-25
Black on Buchanan.

In the course of an interview publish.
ed in the Philadelphia Press of last Satur
day, Judge Jere Black says: 10 charge
Buchanan with unfaithtulness to the
Unionists is the foulest slander that
was ever uttered. To say that he was
influenced by any feeling akin TO per.
sonal fear or that he ever acted or fore
bore to act without the sanction OF his
conscience is an outrage upon truth too
gross to be endured. lie had faults,
but what may not be forgiven to man
of great ability and pure integrity, who
spent the best years of his life, IN the
public service He was as honest
patriot as ever lived, and no man ever
sat in the presidential chair who knew
better than he did how to enforce the
respect due to himself and his office.
Perhaps no calumny that was uttered
against him hurt his feelings or injured
his character more than that by which
he was represented rs being bullied and
dragooned by Stanton and others. Stan.
ton never but once ventured beyond the
line of mere obsequiousness and then
was driven back to his place, covering
under the lash of the presidents reprl-
mand. Buchanan did not reinforce the
forts in Charleston harbor, and | have
a right to condemn that IA an error.
because said it was wrong at the time
and acted accordingly all through. But
does it lie in the mouth of his political
enemies to find fault with him for that
or any other omission to place the
country in a better state OF defense
against the secessionists? When he
told Congress the true state the Union
was in and that the means at the dis.
posal of the executive were altogether
Inadequate to check the rising revolu.
ton, they sat silent and unmoved.
When he called upon them for help.
which they alone could give, they an.
swered him with insult and vituperation.
They admitted that the exposition of
the law and definition Of his powers
which he made were perfectly correct,
but the needed legislation TO enlarge
them was not passed. On the contrary,
all bills looking TO the increase Of the
force at his command were either voted
down or smothered in committee.
When he nominated the collector OF
the port of Charleston he rendered
them a practical issue which the Senate
eyaded by letting the nomination lie on
the table until Mr.. Lincoln came in and
withdrew it. Mr. Lincoln himself on
the way to the capitol let it be distinct
Iy understood that he was az much
averse TO war as Buchanan was. In
his inaugural address he declared that
he would not only forbear all hostile
actions, but that he would not even ex.
ecute the laws or attempt to retake any
of the public property which the seces-
sionists had already unlawfully appro.
priated, but il they would let him he
would carry the mails for them. lie
invited the negotiations which Buchan.
an had repelled and he temporized and
vacillated about the surrender of Fort
Sumter. His cabinet voted six to one
in favor Of the surrender, and his sec.
retary OF state pledged his faith 10 give
it up. When Mr.. Lincoln at last re.
fused to execute this pledge, Seward in
an underhaud way did all that he could
to prevent the success Of the relieving
expedition. These facts being perfectly
we'll known, what are we TO think OF
the men who charge Buchanan Of
treachery or timidity, and in the same
breath laud Lincoln and his administra.
tion as faithful and firm 2"