The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-10-07
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.
How the Late Lewis cass Solved the Mason and
siideii Difaeuity.
n.trnif Post and Tribune.

Detroit Post and Tribune.
The editorial ehich was published In Tues
day mornings Post and Tribune, relating
some incidents connected with the resigna-
ton of Lewis Cass from Buchanan's Cabi-
net. has called out another "reminiscences
which has never, so far as known, been pub
lshed, and which recalls very forcibly the
troublesome days OF the opening Of the re-
bellion. IL was outlined ~ representative
of the PoSt and Tribune 10y gentleman VINO
knew Governor Cass very we'll, aud who said
that Mr.. George w. BaIch could ieliit better
than he could. The Post and Tribune rep
resentatiye called on Mr.. Balch aud asked
him TO relate the circumstance, which he ala
In the following interesting manner:
IL was In 1861, at the time when the war
excitement was beginning TO be intense /; Ma
son and Slidell had just been seized, and the
question as TO whether they should be re-
turned TO the British government was being
discussed In Washington. Late one Sunday
evening Mr.. K. A. Brush came TO my house
on Lafayette avenue, and wanted me to send
a long telegram to Washington. 1 was the
MANAGER of the Western Union telegraph
company here. lie said that he had been
laborinp with Governor Cass all the alter
noon TO get him 10 send an expression OF
opinion 10 the Cabinet as to whether Mason
and Slidell should be surrendered; that Gov.
Cass had refused At first to do so, but that ne
had finally induced him TO. lie had toidthe
Governor that an expression of opinion rom
him would be regarded as representative
expression of opinion from the Northern
Democrats. since he, Governor Cass, was un-
,ui, cbed by the suspicious which hung
around some members of Buchanan's Cabi-
ma, told Mr.. Brush that it.would be al
most impossible to get the telegram Though.
There were no Monday morning papers here
then, and the war excitement had not pro-
crossed far enough to warrant keeping The
lines omen Sunday, but told him would DO
the best could. The only wires which were
open then were the railroad wires. l hap
pened 10 know that there was probably abne
open by way of PIttsburg and Cincinnati 70
the army In Kentucky and from there 10
Washington. We went down TO the ofhce
and tried for hours 10 ''eet a hole through,
rs the telegraphic phrase Is, before lsuccoed-
ed. Finally, about three O'Clock In the
morning, "got " an operator at Cleveland
and. by,way Of Pittsburg and Philadelphia
get wire to Washington. The message
from Governor Cass was a long one aud ar
gued the whole question In mastery man
ner. IL was delivered 10 the Cabinet, still
in session at Washington, al four O'Clock In
the morning, and favored most positively the
giving up Of the two men TO the British gov
eminent. The next morning IL was an
nounced taat they were to be delivered over
and there was a general feeling Of relief.
When Mr.. Seward was in Detroit, on his
trip around the world, he said that dispatch
from Governor Cass did more than almos
any other one thing TO settle the question
Operations had been quietly going on 'or thu
strengthening Of the frontier defenses on thu
lakes. An order had been sent from Wash
ington 10 seize all the vessels in Detroit TO
the transportation of troops 20 Mackinac
The next day this was countermanded. Mr.
Brush was always very proud Of his worl
that Sunday afternoon, and used to say tina
It saved war with England. Peihaps did
who knows? The original Of that dispatcl
IA lost, wish knew where II was.
wouldbe very valuable as an interesting reli
Of events which, though they occurred onl.
twenty years ago, are fast being forgotten.