Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-12-23
Break With Buchanan.

Shortly after the telegraphic an
nouncement of the death of Col
John W. Forney the HERALD con.
tained an editorial giving the par.
ticulars of the arrangement Of
those two old friends, For.
ney and Buchanan. We stated
that we had derived our facts from
personal sources. Yesterday we
received a copy of the Sunday
Globe, OF Pittsburgh, dated Decem.
Der 11th, which gives in slightly
more detail the facts we had hint.
ed at. The gentleman named be-
low was the father Of the editor OF
the HERALD, and we had heard,
while hoy, substantially the
same story from his lips:
The death of the veteran Journal
let and politician, John w. For.
ney, during the week, Is very gen.
orally regretted by all shades OF po-
litical opinion and by the profess
sion of which he was such con-
spicuous ornament. 1t will be re-.
membered that Forney was an en-
thuslastic admirer of Hancock dur
ing the last Presidential campaign
and wrote and spoke eloouently in
his favor. During the campaign
he spoke in Old City Hall at big
ratification meeting, but be was
not in good voice and seemed to
disappoint the audience, which
shouted vigorously for old &c C,ck.
eye" Butler. Forney was vscillat-
ing as q politician but was in Gull
ture and literary ability far beyond
the average latter day Estates
man"
IT feel as though I had twenty
years OF life before me YETI said
Colonel John w.. Forney to a re-
portOrial friend a few weeks ago.
But man proposes and God dis.
poses. Overwork and neglect of a
bad cold did the work.
His break with Buchanan, after
contributing so much to his cleo
tiOn, was one of the most dramatic
episodes Of that stirring period.
Pennsylvania was considered close,
and everybody thought much was
dlfe to Forney for his exertions in
carrying it in October. Novemb Der
brought the official aunouncemen ent
that Buchanan was to be the Pres
ident, and then the struggle COM
menced. Major David Lynch, of
Pittsburg, an old friend OF Buchan-
an's, went to Lancaster and stage ed
with Buchanan for several weeks.
1t was during Lynch's visit to Bu-
chanan that the Forney trouble
began. When Forney went up to
Lancaster the first time after the
November election, Mr.. Buchanan
said to him: "Well, now, Mr.. For
ney, the election is over, and sup
pose you have settled in your own
mind what l can do for you"
"Sir," said FOrney, "there is just
one thing 1 want, and that Is to be
the editor of the organ" (then the
National Intelligencer).
Buchanan eeemed embarrassed
for q few seconds, and replied:
"Forney, L cannot give you that;
have'already made up my mind to
give it to Mr.. Appleton" Apple.
ton had been Mr.. Buchanan's Sec
retary. The refusal OF Buchanan
to let him have the paper of
course struck Forney with aston
ishment. "WelI, then, Mr.. Presi-
dent" said Forney, II don't want
anything"
"Mr. Forney," said Buchanan,
II had and have my mind made
up to Offer you the best paying po-
sition within my gift, viz, Consul
to Liverpool"
II do not want it," said Forney.
II do not want to be buried alive I"
Nevertheless the offer had fattered
him somewhat. The salary of the
Liverpool Consulship was made
up by the fees of the office, amount
ing to some $25, 1000 per annum,
aud it had generally been given by
the Presidents to their closest
friends.
"Go," said Mr.. Buchanan, "and
consider the matter, and come
back In o week and tell me what
you think of it," Forney went
back to Philadelphia and at the
appoi nted time again appeared at
Lancaster. BY this time Buchan-
an was getting a little uneasy at
the situation. He honestly wanted
to serve Forney, but found from
the moment of his election great
difficulty in ieconclling other
friends to his proposed advance
ment of Forney. The South had
sent up protest after protest
against him. fo0mbs aud Howell
Cobb were bitter on Forney, and
they had persuaded Benpett 10
open the columns of tie New
York Herald on him.
Major Eynch was still at Wheat
land when FOrney came out, aud
at the request VI Mr.. Buchanan
stayed to witness the interview,
"fOr," said the President, "I am
afraid We will have trouble with
him." Forney came, and said he
wanted either the organ or to go into
the Ca binet as Postm aster-General.
Mr.. Buchanan said he could not
appoint him in his Cabinet nor
give him the organ, aud Forney
returned to Philadelphia. BY this
time the trouble had got noised up,
and friends began to interfere. The
Legislature was Democratic by
two majority, aud it was proposed
that the whole force Of the new ad.
ministration should be exsrted on
behalf OF Forney to succeed Cam
eron. About Christmas time For
ney again went to Lancaster, and
1t was arranged that Mr.. Buohan-
an was to write o strong letter fa-
voring the election of Forney to
the United States Senate. The let
ter was written and put In the
hands Of Major Lynch, who went
to Harrisburg to work the matter
up. 1t failed. Cameron retained
his seat In the Senate through the
votes of three Democrats. whom it
was declared he had purch Rsed.
But Forney kept quiet. A purse