The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-27

to me seems extremely ridiculous under the
circumstances as they existed in South Caro-
lima"
Continuing Judge Black said: I'm the
case of 1894, alluded to by Davis, there was
an organized resistance to the laws of the
United States so violent that the United
States marshal was unable to execute the
process of the court The United States at
torney requested Judge Wilson to certify
that fact to the government, which for pc
riod of several months he refused TO do, CIV
ing as his reason for refusal that he did not
know of his own personal knowledge that
the officers of the court were powerless to
e1 ecute its decree. When the Judge became
possessed of that knowledge he certified the
facts to the government and President
Washington issued his proclamation requlr-
ing the opposers of law to desist, and requl-
sition was made upon the Governors OF
Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Delaware and
Maryland for force of militia sufficiently
large to dispense the insurgents The OBJ
ject in calling for so strong force of troops
was for the purpose of oVerawlng them into
submission to the laws without being Obliged
to sacrifice single life"
Judge Black here diverged from his subject
in order to say a word about Alexander
Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury under
Washington. at was in this case" he said,
that that rascally fellow Hamilton showed
his true character Washington's plan, as
just stated, was to compel obedience to law
by overawing the insurgents with great
force of militia. He desired that no military
arrests should be made; that no man should
be taken from his home or family, and,
above all, that no trial should take place, as
1t was with that understanding that Judge
Wilson certified the facts to the federal gov
eminent at Washington. Hamilton accom-
panied the troops in person, professedly to
carry out the Presidents wishes in the mat
ter, after giving Judge Wilson that assur-
ance; but, true to his instincts, Alexander
Hamilton directed the arrest of three per-
sons, who were taken to Philadelphia aud
confined in prison. If my memory is not at
fault one was sent home without trial, the
grand jury ignored the Indictment against
the second, and the third was tried, convict
ed and Immediately pardoned."
"And what censure did Washington place
upon Hamilton?' was asked.
Judge Black replied: "Censure does not
appear, as such, upon the record, but Hamil-
ton ceased to be Secretary of the Treasury
soon after. lie resigned two years before
the expiration of Washington's last term of
office"
Apparently feeling that something more
was due Mr. Davis's reminder that the
Governor of South Carolina had not invoked
the aid of the federal government Judge
Black again reverted to it, saying substan-
TALLY:
lISledu VI OOYGIuOI lCkHllS INVOKING Cll6
aid Of the government he was doing all that
he could to provoke the federal government
by officially informing the President, even
before the South Carolina ordinance of
secession was adopted that unless Fort Sum
ter was delivered into his hands he would
not be answerabe for the consequences
That demand of Pickens was made several
days before Major Anderson removed his
| force from Moultre to Sumter, and as the
demand of Pickens was made prior TO the
removal of Major Anderson to Fort Sumter
it weakens that part of his defence wherein
Davis says that it will be remembered that
| the Governor of South Carolina had COM
municated to the President that the State
would regard an attempt to send reinforce
ments TO Fort Sumter as a declaration of
war; What folly in Davis to try to make it
appear that South Carolina would not have
| been provoked into hestilites had Mr.
Buchanan not supported Major Anderson
in transferring his force from Moultrie to
Sumter.
'Mr. Davis earnestly labors to impress
upon the public mind the belief that South
Carolina was endeavoring to pursue a pacific
policy during the three months preceding
the 4th of March, 1861 but the cold facts of
official history bear testimony that he is not
only In error, but that the hot-headed seces-
sionists of South Carolina were determined
to begin the fray. They had made up their
minds for fight and nothing would satisfy
them but blood. Before New Years of 1861
the authorities of South Carolina had taken
possession of two forts in Charleston Harbor
belonging to the United States; they had
raised their palmetto flag over the custom
house and postotfice in Charleston; had taken
possession of the Charleston arsenal, with all
its munitions of war, belonging to the feder-
al government, and, through the executive
of the State, had insolently demanded the
surrender to him of the only remaining fort
held by the United States in the harbor, ac-
sompanying the demand with threat that
he Governor Pickens) would not be respon-
sible for what occurred if Sumter was not
surrendered"
Your correspondent remarked: "The i'm
preston is general among Republicans-and
the belief has served to make and keep a
large percentage of American-born citizens
faithful to the principles of the Republican
party-that Mr.. Buchanan erred in permit
ting the secessionists of South Carolina to
take possession of the forts in Charleston
harbor and the other property of the United
States-the custom-houSe and arsenal, with
its equipments for war"
To this Judge Black made the following
deliberate and brief and significant reply:
mr.. Buchanan made the same grievous mis-
take in dealing with the secessionists of
South Carolina that Andrew Jooiiiiir ;s1::. aid n
dealing with the Aboltionsts of the North.
They both committed the fatal blunder of
temporizing with bad men," And this was
all he said respecting what Mr.. Buchanan
should have done when he beheld the States
of the South "tumbling out as fast as they
could formulate their ordinances of seces-
sion"
Possibly Judge Black, had he lived to reply
over his signature to Davis would not have
made that statement respecting Mr. Blu
chanan. Those who knew him well can
testify to his frankness in conversation. 1
believe hc wanted that expression to be
deeply impressed upon my mind, for it was
the only sentence he repeated, and then, as
if to excuse Mr.. Buchanan for publicly de-
claring that he was utterly opposed to the co.
ercion of State, the Judge said that when
Abraham Lincoln was in Congress. away back
in 1916, he believed he made speech in
which he took the ground that if the major