The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-20

ukeeolleeuonh Of tho hOrt sumter Aeln
fSFcement DiHcaHSIOn.
The Philadelphia Pres supplements IL
interview with Judge Black with one with
Hon. Philip Francis Thomas, oil Maryland
who was Secretary Of the Treasury durini
the last few months Of Mr.. Buchanan
administrations, The following, from the
interview with Mr.. Thomas, is OF interest
"My service In the cabinet was any
thing but an agreeable part Of my public
life. We were almost continually In Res
sion during the time that was at the
head Of the Treasury, ready 70 meet any
emergency that might arise, and there
were grave responsibilities coming upon VI
every day, While held that this Gov
ernmenE was q compact between the
States, and that each was sovereign, and
therefore having the right Of secession,
was and still am q believer In the doctrine
OF nulliteation As expouEded by MI, Gal
houu, L also believed that an officer oil
the Government had NO right 10 hold hil
position and do any act calculated TO bring
disGEedit upon It's authority, aud Judge
Blacks ciliCism oil JEFF Davis proposition
to surrender the forts In Charleston bar
Dor to South Carolina meets my entire up,
probation. My positIon upon the duty Of
an oificer can be found In the records OIL
the Department, where an officer OF q rev
enue cutter ran his vessel into Charleston
harbor and turned her over TO the South
Carolina authorities and then sent In his
resignation. | ordered that 1t should no.
be accepted, and that dispensed with be
written over HE record In the Department,
and that be be dishonorAbly discharged
from the service"
"Can you call 10 miud the position you
took In relation TO MI BuchauRn's reply
10 the South Carolina commhsouers2
~ cannot very distinctly, ! doubtless
made the point that the paper deulRd the
right OF q State having q grievance against
the government 10 be- heard by the Exec
utive OF the Nation. / never for Q mo.
ment held that State could be treated
with In the same manner as o foreign
power, As near as Gun remember there
was very little said about the phpsr at the
time, as MIR. Buchanan was very posi-.
tive man and by no means easy to intiu'
ence or get along with. II was no unusu'
al thing for him to get into q pet upon the
slightest proyUcalion" N.,..
"Were the cabinet meetings OF those
days harmonious"
"Naturally there was more or ess feel
ing displayed in the discussion OF the
Southern question, Floyd ~ times got
boisterous. I call to mind one occasion
especially when the President cnided both
Black and Stanton for some remarks cal.
culated to provoke heated discussion.
Judge Black had said that there never was
time In the history oil the Fog ish nation
when cabinet officer could propose 10
give up a fort capable Of being defended
without being brought to the block. Floyd
got very much excited al this, and Buch,
anan thought the expression an exceed
ingly harsh one, rather took the Judge to
task for making such positive expressions,
likely to stir up dlssensions. Then turn.
ing 10 Mr.. Stanton he called his attention
to some vigorous rema'ks made
some days before In relation to
Southern affairs, and proceeded to
Of such harsh expressions. Indeed
he spoke very sharply to Stanton, but he
took II without reply. Mr.. Stanton had
very little to say during those days, rather
seeming 10 stand behind Judge Black,
who was bis friend. Its usual thing 10
talk about Mr.. BuChanRns weakness.
When he made up his mind he was very
stubborn man, and At no time wss be .
very easy one TO get along with. He had
good opinion 81 bis own abilities and
judgment, and prided bimseli upon his
stalectait. Judge Black could come nearer
managing him than any man ever knew,
but he could not always do II by any
means. Neither did he take his advice al
all times. OF all the men ID the Cabinet
In those days judge Black was the one
who never loBt his bead. He was the one
positive and conservative force 10 that
Uabinet," Mr.. Thomas added that Judge
Blacks recollection shout the circum.
stances surrounding the OabiAet discus
sion about the reinforcement Of Fort
sumpter entirely agreed with his own.