Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-09
lailcaster fntelLgencer.
TUESDAY EvENMG. AUGUST Q. 1851
Blacks Letter 10 GEN, Scott.

Blacks Letter 10 Gen. Scott.
Judge Blacks communication to the
reporter Of the Philadelphia Press leaves
as little doubt as to his position that
the forts at Charleston ought to have
been REINFORCED Immediately after Lin
coins election, or certainly as soon as it
became manifest that South Carolina
wanted the possession of them," as that
he did all he could and used all the in
fluence he had in the cabinet to have this
done, when many fervid Republicans
were echoing Gen. Scott's desire to
"let the wayward sisters depart in
peace" Mr.. Buchanan seems to have
had lively appreciation of this neces-
sity too when he instructed Floyd to
have it done and it must ever be re-
gretted that those instructions were not
enforced. That the president was in
formed by Judge Black of the failure to
do this he leaves no doubt nor does he
hesitate to lodge large part of the re-
spOnsibility for this failure with the gen.
eral commanding our military forces,
Scott. What might seem a harsh judg-
ment upon this old soldier by civil Off
Ger is amply vindicated by the letter
written by the secretary of state to
him then, and which is only now
produced because its author has
only lately been able to obtain a COPY of
it. Whatever opinion may exist of the
truth in Gen. Scott's biting sarcasm, in
answer to this letter, that 'had he de-
voted himself to the law in lis early life
he doubtless would have Lccome fitted
to occupy" Judge Black g position, there
was plainly more than he intended in
his avowal, that Lad the then acting
secretary of state been educated
for the military he would lave reached
a position to entitle him 10 almost any
command-certainly lie would have been
better qualified than Gen. Scott to deal
with the emergency which then con-
fronted him. Judge Black presented
the urgent necessity of relief for Major
Anderson and foresaw the consequences
of withholding it. That failure result
ed just as he fOretOld it; and how re-
gardless Black was rs to what political
effect would ensue, from taking or not
taking this step is expressed, in the felic-
itous style characteristic of him in these
memorable passages of his letter
Tho fact that other persons are to have
charge OF the government before the worst
comes to the worst has no influence upon
my mind, and l take it for granted will
not be regarded as a just element in max
ing up your opinion"
"The anxiety which an American
citizen must feel about any future event
which may effect the existence of the
country is not less if he expects it to oc-
cur On the 5th of March than it would be
is he knew it was going to happen on the
3D.
OF the alleged difficulties in relieving
Fort Sumter, Judge Black disposes
very summarily and conclusively, and in
a manner that shows his knowledge of
the other departments Of the government
was such as to entitle him to the presi:
dents greater confidence in his interfer-
ence with them. Certainly neither the
secretary of war, of the navy, nor the
acknowledgement, had his insight into
the ease with which this relief could
have been afforded. His probatum
est was conclusive. For Gen. Scott
to have answered such a letter
at his leisure with jocose satire,
was to invite all the consequences
which followed. For that invitation
Judge Black shows that he was not re-
spOnsible. That he was as bold with his
advice to the civil us the military
powers, and that his counsel was as
patriotic and sagaciOus in one instance
as the other, appears from his memoran-
dunn Oh the treatment of the South
Carolina commissioners" which we will
publish in the concluding portion of the
proSs inf