Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-04
TIE MEMORABLE AGREEMENT.

with whom did the President have that
und-rs andiDg"
the members OF Congress from South
Carolins, think, first approached the eIecu-
tive, requesting that the forts should not be
r.iniorc-d, and stating that if they were not
there would be no hostilities. The Presi-
dent, ] believe, requested that the S,aIe
authorities should pledge themselves that
ihe7 would keep The peace. l think that
Inc msmb-Is of Congress from South Caro-
lin. procured the pledge Of the State author
ities Thar they would not commit an overt |
act. l think that the understanding also |
implied that 10 case there should be any &C. |
currence that either parry regarded as
m>nsce, due notice WAS TO be gwen to the |
other b. fore bosiilities were 10 begin. think,
although l am not SURF, that L sa" aoou
that lime 4 letter rom GlE. PickeDs giving
these assurances. l an not certain about
This pha of the matter, however"
"Was The Cabinet consulted ABOUT this un-
der-: audiug?'
Mo. l think the President considered it,
aud perhaps the parties on the other SIDE
also, IS an entirely priva'e mstter. Nv in
preston ia that the President did not Eel
himself in tilted in making the matter the
suit ct OF discussion in the Cabinet"
How did you stand with the rest OF the
Cabinet in relation to giving up the fer'sr
81 was opposed 10 surrendering hem.
was for keeping everything as nearly as pos
sibe as il was, in the hope that there might
be some peacea lie adjustment OF the d fhcul
lies l never took any part in the confer
| euces Of The Southern mt mbers, and never
| permitted them TO make me the vehicle OF
communicating their desires and opinions to
| The President. From the 81 art l saw that il
| Mississippi went out of the Uuion, should
| be Obliged 10 go with her, but / hoped fe the
last tha, war might be prevented. told MIR.
Buchanan that | would stay with him until
some hostile act on one eide or the other
made 1t apparent that war was inevitable:
| After the Star OF the West sailed 1 resigned"
81 see that Judge Holt charges that you
| revealed the secrets of the Cabinet, in rela-
ton to sending the Sar of the West 10 rein
force Sumter, to the secessionisIs oil South
Carolina"
"There is not word of truth in it. The
fsct is that during nay last few months in
Mr.. Buchsnsn's Cabinet l never permitted
myself 10 take any part whatever In politics
outside of my duties as Cabinet minister.
The truth about the Star OF the West Is:
| Judge Lougstreet, a citizen OF my home In
Misssissip private gentleman, tele-
graphed TO me to know If the government
had sent reinforcements TO Sumter. l sat
down at my desk in the department and
wrote an answer, which, as nearly as l can
recollect, read: The newspapers of this
morning =tste that the Star of the West has
| sailed
Gust as had finished writing it Judge
Black came in, and I showed him the tele-
grams. He read them and then in q friendly
way asked me not to send my reply. argued
| with him that Judge Lnngstreet was a Der.
sopsl friend, private ctiz-n from my native
town, aud / felt compelled to make some
response. l could not say l did not know,
when it was in the public prints. He still
said he hoped would not send il, but
could see no objections. therefore called
10 sseDger and sent my reply 10 the telegraph
Office.
"From the moment that the sectional divis.
ions began that fually led TO war l deter.
mined 10 do no act tn at could ever be construed
, | as disloy al to the President or 10 the govern
meut while rem aimed with it. l was much
perplexed during those days, as almost every
member of the Cabinet was. Black had .
great deal of trouble. His relations with
the President were peculiar. They had
been close friends many years. They wer'
I from the ga me State, and until the dInerence'
came between them on the eve OF war, they
had probably never earnestly differed. Aitel
; il did come they were very often seriously a
variance, and frequently Black would b
. upon the verge OF resignation. Although
, he was very strongly opposed to th'
e position taken by the Southern mem
esrs of the Cabinet, we all admired hin
( very much. There was a great differeuc,
: between him and Gen. Cass. Cas- was on.
, Of the bsst old fellows that ever lived, bu
q be loved his ease and hated 10 differ witt
any one. / recall an Interesting incident
when he reriesed. Tue next motuIng he SEM
, a r.oars, fb1t I sbou d call and see him.
went and found The old general good dsal
dist urhed in mind. He sad TO me:
"'Thompson, l want you to see abe Presi
dent for me. l want TO recall my resignation
believe I ought to ptay with the admins
lra'ion and SEE it through its trouble
az am 81 I'd to hear it. l sgree with you
, exsciiy. You should stand by the President,
1 repti d
"'W-II, you go and see him in the morning
unless you should hear from me in the mea n
time ne said.
81 promised; bu' before the lime arrived
for me 10 see Mr. Buchanan and request s
withdrawal of the resignation, Judge Black
h I'D been appointed Secretary OF State, and
, Gen. C4ss sent me word that be would let il
stand"
1, would take volume instead Of few
columns 10 record the many interesting rem
iniscrnces that Mr.. Thompson gave as trans.
piripg in Mr.. Buchanan Cabiuet on the
eve Of war, and am obliged TO omit 10 any
|
story OF the coming of the S .uth Carolina
Commissioners, and of the disagreement be.
tween Judge Black and the President, which
came near exploding the Cabinet, which the
Fress has heretofore given to the public ~
eItenso. The most important testimony he
furnishes to the history OF that time Is to b;
| found in what he says about the President:
understanding with South Carolina. Thii
agreement has often been limited at bu
never before stated with the authori
" of personal knowledge. Alter what Mr.
Thompson says there can be no longer dis
, pute that Mr.. Buchanan had confidential re
, iations with the South Carolina secessionistl
which he aid not confde 10 his Cabinet min
: listers, and gave them assurances that h'
, knew many of them would not approve.
4 MAKING WAR.
81 1t was easy in a long and friendly cha
5 | with Mr.. Thompson TO shift the conversation
/ from the shadows OF war into the night o
! strife, and it naturally dr1fted upon hi
services for the Confederzcy in Canada
Early in 1864 he was called by Mr.. Dsvi
} to go to the North and establish not only
diplomatic, but civil aud military station
0 on the borders Of the United States. Hi
a powers were almost unlimited, and he under
: took 10 do anything that was III accordauc
e with the laws Of war that his judgment die
: tated.
L. 81 ran the blockade" said he, SAINT
b reached Canada in May, 1864, think. Tn
.. fret and, as / thought, most important dut
C that confronted ne wss the organization o
Il he Sons OF Liberty, and conference of o
l. communication with leading men who frs
II suggusted the existence of feeling in tn
= Northwest sgainst The methods of The gov
e ernment, that might be turned to osr &C
a cofiut. I must confess that had great hope
7 he
e and high character OF the men who were a
q lie head. II was thoroughly and syslemati
e calIy organ zed, and was furnished will
It regular muster rolls containing the name
II of nearly 100000 men In the States of Ia
q diana, Illinois and OAio, regularly eu
e rolled into the different societies. The inteu
Il ton was 10 take q vast number of these me
II 10 Chicago at the meeting Of the Democrat
.e National Convention OF 1854, and daring il
o .ittings release the prisoners a. Camp Doug
p lass. Rock Island and the other camps in tn
e Northwest Judge Kinds, OF the Suprem
e Court Of Appeals OF Kentucky, and Co
lie Castlemau, Of Louisville, were my principa
N re representatives. IN Chic%go. 1 furnished tn
At mouey. and it was distributed to the Sons c
rs Liber '. They took il snd went to ChiesgC
j. bat, when there, could not be got up to tn
Sc point of making the ashanti. / was yer
ID much disappointed, for some OF the best me
as 10 the Northeast stood sponsor for Oh
at esrnestness and reliability OF that organic
10 ton.
" az organized another movement, howeye
D. in thai section for the release OF the Couie,
lie crate officers held as prisoners on Johnson
s. Leland III at gave the Federal government I
TO end OF trouble, and hs' it not been for
CT accident would have been eniirely success
NJ fuI. Twas 10 capture the gunhoat Mich
he pan IN at guarded the island Aoonisdera
n soldier BY The name Of Cole was intrus {
I'D wi h the details Of getting the boat out
I'd the way and releasing the prisoners. v
lee had a perfect system of communication wi
nd the prisoners on the island. and they We
he informed OF the day upon which the stlenl
he TO ,est the gunboat away and release the
er would - made. In pursusnce OF this ;
no rsngement the Philo Parsons and the islal
OF Q1een, Two stssnbosts, we're captured
sd onr men, bnts crisical moment lhose y
ION we're 70 do The hsz irdons work veakens
aud Cole was left sbo.,d the Michigan, =
he taken prisoner, and came nsar losins Mis- Tiff
en- Interest 10 this narrative could be kept
ct to great length, but it is to lis import snce
lek setting som. points Of history that 1des
he to call especial attention. They are es
vas cisIly important Il the Press and its reade