The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-08-18

to the Federal Cover nment in the State
Of South Carolina. They notified the
President of the object OF their mitsion
but insolently threatened to suspend all
discussion until Major Anderson's reno.
val from Fort Moultrie to Sumpter since
they had left home should be fully ex.
planned to them. Major Anderson's &C.
tion, which met the hearty approval and
Judge Black, who had been the instru.
ment Of so framing the orders that An
derson might leave the defenseless and
take the strongest position in the harbor
of Charleston whenever he thought
proper, was severely criticised by sever.
al members of the Cabinet.
The Cabinet then consisted of Judge
]. y. Black, Secretary Of State; Edwin M
Stanton, Attorney General Philip +,
Thomas, Secretary of the Treasury;Jaco
Thompson, Secretary of War, and Mr..
Toucey, Secretary Of the Navy. 1t is
needless to say that Mr.. Floyd, Mr..
Thompson and Mr.. Thomas bitterly op.
posed Major Anderson's action, and the
President even was careful about APPROX.
ing it. Major Anderson's action, ow.
ever, formed the least part of the i'm.
portant controversy which took place
during hose four eventful days. Satur.
day evening, December 30, an incident
occurred which came near driving Judge
B a k from the Cabinet. Mr.. Buchanan
laid before his advisers a paper in the
form of his answer to the proposition of
the 30 o'Called Commissioner from the
S ate of South Carolina. 1t was sur.
prise to the whole Cabinet, and only
Mr. TouCey, who always agreed with the
President, approved it. Thompson and |
lh mas opposed it because they regard.
ed it as tho hostile to South Carolina,and |
Floyd's opinion had no weight. Judge
Black, Mr.. Stanton and Mr.. Holt oppos.
cd it for the Ieason that it conceded too
much to the belligerent State. There was
not much discussion of the paper in the
Cabinet meeting, for it seemed to all its
members evident that Mr.. BuChanan's
mind had been fixed upon the points he
mad made, and the meeting adjou, ned
with the indications that this document
had exploded the Cabinet. The next
day Judge Black notified Mr.. Toucey and
also NJ. Stanton and Mr.. Holt that he
should leave tie Cabinet. His purpose
was reported to Mr.. Buchanan and he
sent for him. He went with great re.
uCtanCe, for he knew the appeal that
would be made to the warm friendship
which had existed between Buchanan
and himself through 30 many years. He
mad some indications of what he would
,ay in the arguments he used to induce
lim to accept the State Department
against his inClinations when General
Cas, resigned. He went, however, at
lis solicitation and demonstrated to Mr..
Buchanan the indefensible attitude in
which he would place himself did he
end the answer to the gentlemen from
south Carolina he had prepared, and
low impossible it would be for him to
emain in the Cabinet an hour were such
IN answer returned. The impressive in.
erview ended by Mr.. Buchanan band.
ng the paper he had prepared as his an.
wer to the insolent demand and propo-
ition Of the South Carolina ambassadors
With request that he modify it to suit
lis own views and return it to him i'm.
nediately. Judge Black took it, went to
he Attorney Generals Office, and in the
'resenCe of Mr.. Stanton wrote the fol-
OWino paper: