The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-21
MR.. BUCHANAN'S CABINET
Hon. Joseph Holt Gives Some Inside
History of It's Last Days.
Jacob Thompson's Recent Interview Replied
To in Tart Terms-An Unfavorable
Estimate of Gen. Lewis Cass.

Washington Evening Star.
The recent publication of an interview III
which ex-secretary Thompson, of President
Buchanans cabinet, bitterly assailed Judge
Holt, who was Buchanan's POstmaster-general,
has impelled that gentleman, who is living in
quiet retirement in this city, to express his
opinion of Mr.. Thompson in plain and forciole
language. In the interview referred to, Mr..
Thompson is reported as saying:
"Holts reason for being Union man can
easily give you. He and are now the only liv-
ing members of Buehanan's cabinet. II was
Holt who tried to blacken me by the foulest
SANDER ever uttered. he came TO De my bitter
est enemy, when to me alone was due Ms power
to harm me. Holt went TO Washington from
Mississippi. He hung about the courts Tor
months and months, bretiess lawyer. Twas
disposed to do something for him, and one day L
told him wanted Commissioner of Patents,
and thought he could fill the position with salts
faction, and add6d that If he would say he want
ed the place, would try and get it for him. He
said he was doing nothing and would be glad TO
get the position. ! talked with the PRESIDENT
about 1t, and found he had selected friend from
Pennsylvania, but pressed Holt strongly upon
MIN BY sheer persistency the Presidents
after about three weeks and Holt was
appointed. He did not disappont me- and,
though often reviewed his decisions, he was on
the whole correct and palnstaking. At Cabinet
meeting time afterward, President Blu
ohanan said he felt that in appointing the sue
cessor of Postmast er-gen eral Brown he must Sc
Iect man altogether differentin his disposition.
Brown was good 0ff1ceP, ne SAID, nut ne Was
too good man. The department had suffered
account of his kindhearJedness and we must
find man who has no heart Several OF the
members suggested names, and finally said:
'DIr. President, have man who exactly fills
your description. He has not friend in the
wide world that know Of and he has no heart,
no soul. mean my Commissioner of Patents,
Holt There a general laugh, and ex-
planned that 1 had no desire whatever to push
the Presidents idea of what the new Postmaster
general should be The appointment
finally nai the he President said to me that he
believed my man, Holt, would make the
best POstmaster-general after all, 90 ne was APP
pointed. After this Holt voted with me, and We
got along very well together until one day he
asked me what thought would be the result OF
an interstate L was in the act of slipping
out of the door, and remembering Hollis money
was all invested i'll Missouri bonds, jOculary re-
marked that OF one result was quite certain
State bonds would be drug on the market.
From that moment Holt became my bitterest
foe. He it was who bribed witnesses to testify
that was the instisator OF the plot to assassin
ate Lincoln"
"Have you any proof upon which to base so
serious a charger
~ have this: the fellow who so testified after
ward confessed he had sworn to a lie, and was
put on trial for perjury During this trial it was
proven tnat large sums of money had been given
The peTjurer by Hot, my enemy"
This aroused Judge Holt, who said:
81 am astounded Mt the mOnstrOus audacity OF
the man. Why, there is not shadow Of founda-
ton for his assertions, The man he refers to as
perjnTed witness came 10 me pretending to
have TO be able TO get important testimony.
had no other relations with him than "a court has
with a witness. When discovered that he had
committed perjury had him prosecute ed, and he
was sent TO the penitentiary from which Andrew
johnson pardoned him. The only money paid
MIN was such as is customary for department
to pay for the collection of evidence. lhOmp-
sons other statements were equally false. / was
a brietess lawyer in Washing ton. When
came here had retired from practlce, and at
the time was appointed Commissioners of Pat
ents was living on an income sufficient to sup
port me. | was broken in health, and had ahan-
doued the practice for that reason.
81 never in my life,' continued the General, In
solemn earnestuess, Sought office. 1 never
asked for office. Those L have held came I'M
solicited by me- The truth is, a friend of mine
In the Senate first suggested me for Commits.
slOner of Patents, and Thompson appointed me
upon his recommendation and that of other
friends"
"Thompson's other assertions are silly to
pueIility The idea that any man would become
the bitter foe OF another because of an opinion
expressed that the war would depreclate State
bonds is absurd. His statement as to the Prrsi-
dents reason for appointing me Postmaster
general Is equally absurd, AID false as the
rest of the silly stuff President would hardly
appoint Postmaster.general because he had
no heart. Besides. if that had been u quality
sought for, I had not been in a position
TO develop heartlessness. The Patent Commits
sioner merely decides by legal points, and
has nothing to 10 with duties that would test
his heart. President Buchanan appointed me
Postmaster-general as SELECTION of his own
upon his knowledge of me, and for reasons that
know but Will not speak of. 1 nelieve [ had
discharged the duties of Patent Commissioners
SATISFACTORILY, ana L nAu anSaSL6O some mat
tiers for the President, not official, which had
brought us into som ewhat close relations. 1t
was President Buchanan who selected me for
She head of the Postofhee Department and [
don't believe Thompson had anything TO say on
the subjet, or was even consulted about it.
II can explain Thompson's malignant hatred
of me- The cause is matter of record. When
ne went South, after leaving the cabinet, he
made speech, in which he said that Fort Sum-
Ter was reinforced through n trick of Hollis and
General Scouts. That word trick was used with
all the dishonesty and unscrupulOusness it i'm
nj Ioa FAh fhaaR rFi..
addressed to Thompson 1 fastened u,on
him the charge of having been unfaithful, as
well as dislOyal, to his government. 1t was upOn
information furnished by him that the people OF
Charleston learned of the mission of the Star of
the West. But for that information the rein
T0rcements would have reached Fort sumter as
the government intended they shoud, before
those in rebellion were aware OF it. Thompson,
member of The cabinet, and bound in honor
while he remained in it to preserve its secrets
sent the Information which led the firing uuOn
the Star of the West. In a scathing letter I
liked that charge upon him, and he has hated
me ever since My letter published in the
Washington Intelligencer on the very day Mr.
Buchanan left Washington for his home in Penn
sylvania accompanied him 10 the depot for
throughout, my relations with him were of the
most friendly character. He said TO ME, sneak |
Ing OF the letter TO Thompson: Holt, you have
been severe, but just
''That was President Buchanan's opinion of
1t. In bidding me goOd-by, he took my hand |
and, grasping 1t firmly, SAID: Holt. you have |
been trne.'
ST replied, MIR. President, have tried to dis |
charge my duty never saw him again."
In regard TO the assertions against President |
Buchanan's loyalty to the Union. Judge Holt |
said; "His heart never beat except with loyalty |
to the Union. knew him well and l know that |
he was thoroughly LOYAL In my intercourse |
with the President during the last days of MS |
administration. always spoke freely and posi- |
lively upon the one great subject then engross- |
ing all attention. | put the subjects relating |
TO the Union and its preservation in the strong
eat possible manner, and never received a re-
buke OF criticism from him for my warmth and |
oarnestness. 1t is singular that with the writ |
ten evidences of Bnchanan's loyalty existing
bis devotion TO the UniOn should be permitted |
TO be questioned for SO many years. IL was not
until the recent publication of Curtiss work on
Tue life OF Buchanan that the evidences were
made pablo and his loyalty placed beyond
doubt. L cannot understand why 1t was per-
nIlted TO remain so long nnder q clondn