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

on this subject l said that there had
never been period in the history OF the
English nation when any Minister could
propose to give up to an enemy OF his
Government military post which was
capable OF being defended without being
brought to the block. Mr.. Buchanan
thought the expression harsh one, but
didn't deny that it was true. He had no
thought Of yielding TO Mr.. Davis's solic
itations. Flovd would have done it at
that time-that is to say, after he was
notified that he must resign from the
Cabinet for other reasons or be removed.
Thompson might have been persuaded
by his State after it went out to do 1t but
never to my knowledge asserted that 1t
wou be right in us. No Northern
member of the Cabinet would have tol-
Grated the thought for moment.
After the Lincoln Administration came
in the question was submitted to the new
Cabinet, and all but one voted to give it
up. Lincoln vaCillated and finally de
cided, after long delay wells says for
political reasons to send reinforcements.
Seward had previously promised that the
fort should be given up, and after the
President had determined not to do 30
Mr.. Seward did his best to thwart the
execution Of the order. The whole
thing connected with that fort was mis-
erably managed from beginning to end
Mr.. Davis SAYS that it was what Talley
rand describes as something worse than
a crime-a blunder. There was crime
and blunder enough, to be sure, but Mr..
Davis and the party he led had the big.
gest share in both."
The necessity for reference to some pa
pers bearing unon the important matters
which Judge Black was discussing trans
ferred the conversation from the porch
to the ample library.room, covering
great portion of the most attractive part
OF the house. The bookcases surround
ing the room overhowed with rare lit.
rsry works and valuable law books. The
walls were neatly and tastefully decorAt
ed with choice engr wings and paintings.
In the bay window which overlooks the
lovely scene have spoken Of, sets the
table VIII re Judge Black recently wrote
his memorable paper of reply to Mr.
Ingersoll upon tie Christian religion aud
where he does all his work. The talk
which followed while we sat in the liora
ry covered most of the memorable events
ranspiring between the meeting OF Con-
gress in 1860 to the 4th of March 1861,
when the Republican party assumed
control OF the Government.
BOTTOM FACTS FROM THE RECORD.
Now that these grave matters are pass
ing under review it is NEE that some CT
the facts which have never yet been
fairly sta ed, shall be given from the one
man in Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet who,the
evidence have presented in the letter
to General Scott and shall hereafter pro
duce clearly demonstrates, was stub
bornly opposed to yielding a jot or title
to the seCessiohists and ardently in favor
doing everything to sustain the Govern
ment against their nefarious designs. 1t
seens strange, indeed, while reviewing
the facts and the overwhelming evidence
from which shall draw the statements
yet to be made, to find that Judge Black,
the man who has for twenty years been
employing his greatest talents of tongue
and pen defending every one Selse but
himself, prescribed and maligned, sat
with the evidence i / his hand to show
that he was really the bold leader OF the
Union force in Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet
during the whole Of the critical period
preceding the 4th of March, 1861,
How many people know that Judge
Black drove Floyd out of the Cabinet
and brought Stanton into it as Attorney
General when he accepted the State De
paltment, and with great difficulty got
Holt into the War Department that his
hands might be strengthened in his
f hit against the seCessionists ? Or, until
l speak it from his own lips, that he re.
fused to abandon the cause when Gen.
Cars went out and begged him to go also
because he thought 1t his duty both to
the country and to his life long friend to
stay at his post and savs what he could ?
W tn his own hand Judge Black wrote
that portion of Mr.. Buchanan's message
Of the 9Th Of January, 1861, flom which
the following quotation is made: II GER.
tainly had no right to make aggressive
war upon any State, and l am perfectly
satisfied that the Constitution has wisely
withheld that power even from Congress.
But the right and the duty to use military
force defensively against those who re.
sist the Federal officers in the execution
of their legal functions and against those
who assault tle property Of the Federal
Government is clear and undeniable."
These views, 80 emphstically express.
ed, were emphasized by the struggle oil
a month preceding their utteranGe to re.
inforCe and defend to the last extremity
the public defenses In the South. But
Judge Blacks opinion as to the right Of
the Government to reduce a revolution
of any magnitude is best illustrated by
the following quotations from the memo
randum given to President b chanan
early in December, $780,
THE Union is necessarily perpetual.
No State can lawfully withdraw or be X.
PEELED from it. The Federal Constitution
is as much part Of the Constitution Of
every State as if it had been textually
therein. The Feueral Government is
sovereign within Its own spoere and acts
directly upon the individual citizens Of
every State. Within these limits its
coercive power is ample to defend itself,
it's laws, and It's property. 1t can sup
press insurreCtion, fight battles, conquer
armies, disperse hostile combinations
and punish any or all Of its enemies. 1t
can meet, repel and subdue all those who
rise against it. But 1t cannot obliterate
a single commonwealth from the map of