New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-29

same end he pointed out to Congress tna'
existing laws gave him no power 10 use
troops for the suppression OF reDeiiion
and asked for powers which were never
granted. He took care to fortify himself with
detailed opinion by the Attorney-Genera as 10 the
extent of his power but Congress would give MN
no further authority. In repeated messages no De-
soneht Congress either to conciliate or to prepare
for he suppression of rebellion, but Congress would
do neither Still he stroye to hold back from seces
sion "a MANY States as he could and did keep Dack
more than half the South until Mr. Lincoln nad
been inaugurated. He was anxious and ready 10
succor Major Anderson in Fort Sumter. but nothing
was done because Major Anderson did not report
his need of aid until it too late. He nevertne-
less deserved high honor for having placed the
Government on the only safe and constitutions
ground for resistance to rebellion, position wnlch
Mr. Lincoln afterward held until the outbreak Oh
actual war, and he thus saved the States from u.s.
struction OF their autonomy in the clash OF arms
When war came he was for the Union without COM
promise or hesitation, and by voice and pen,
and literally from tho remains of his shattered
fortune. he aided the Union cause though
hunted in his old age with unmerited oboquy.
One can hardly read the private letters
written during the war, of which Mr.. Curtis quotes
many, without some sympathy for the lonely old
man who was trusted neither by Unionist nor rebel,
but who daily prayed to God for the success OF the
Union and gave not with niggard hand to succor
distress while keeping back what he conceived to
be complete vIndicatiOn of his course because its
publication might embarrass the Government.
But Talleyrand was right. There are bunders
that are worse than crimes. Mr.. Buchanan meant
to save his country and his party But so far as IN
him lay, he wrecked both. The impartial pen OF
history has already recorded the fact that James
Buchanan cost his country countless lives and I'M
told treasure because he tried to save not only his
country. but his country his party, and the system
of slavery.
The root of his difficulty was that he had justihed
resistance in case of the election of Republican
President as early as 1856. In his inaugural adj
dress he had said that agitation of the
question of slavery should be suppressed
by every Union-oving man, and predicted
that the bred Scott decision would . speed
iiy and finally settle" the question as to
the right OF slavery in the Territories. Thence
forward he seemed to hold any dissent from the
dogma of the Supreme Court a species OF treason
more odious than any other. In speech just before
Mr. Lncoln's election he had said " The people
of the South can never abandon this great principle
without self-degradation" and that II slave prop
erty be not so protected in the Territories, the
holders of it are degraded before the world" What
more could he have done to produce at the South
what Mr.. Curtis himself calls ian exaggerated
feeling of the political importance of this supposed
night" and can uncomfortable apprehension OF
dangerT Yet be went still further In his message
OF December, 1860, he held this astonishing
language: The Supreme Court has solemnly
decided that owners of slaves have right to
take them into the Territories aud yet territorial
L. 20 nj
rights OF property -" States have passed laws to
defeat the fugitive slave act therefore let them
repeal their unconstitutional and obnoxious
enactments. Unless this be done. without I'M
necessary delay, IT. is impossible for any
human power to save the Union" As II
this were not enough, he declared in this same
message that if these constitutional rights should
still be violated, 1.-THE injured States would be JUS
titled in revolutionary resistance to the Government
Of the Union"
Mr. Buchanan was q trained diplomat, skilled in
the use of words IT is possible to believe that
he did not know the effect of such Goals OF lire upon
the inAammable Southern temper. His e1traordi-
nary sayings can be reconciled with love for the
Union in one wav only. He fully believed that par
tal secession would bring the North TO surrender.
Nearly all the politicians of the South were with
him in that belief Hence he necessarily and pas
sonately insisted upon measures OF "conciliation,
and in the same message of December. 1890 he pro-
posed with all gravity constitutional amendment,
embracing ~ recognition of the right of property
in slaves; ~ a recognition of the duty to protect
shareholders in the exercise of that right in all tho
Territories so long as they remain Territories; and
(3) a declaration that all laws impsiring de-
frating the fugitive slave law are null and void.
This constitutional amendment would save the
Union; il would disgrace and destroy the Republi-
can party and it would make slavery National If
II be thought utterly incredible that any could
have expected the adoption of such an amendment
by the Northern people, in their hour of triumph,
and under threats of disunion, then for what con-
ceivabl. reason did Mr. Buchanan again and again
passionately appeal TO Congress to pass this
called measure of Cancellation "
To make the threats of dlsuuion mora potent Mr..
Buchanan set forth in the same message that the
President was entirely powerless to put down re-
bellion. Fortified with an opinion from Attorney
General Black, which a President who meant to re-
sist rebellion at all would never have made public.
he held that there were no Federal officers through
whom laws could be enforced in South Carolina /;
that the army and navy could not he used in aid Of
civil authority where mo judicial authority ex-
lists TO issue process; aud that the Constitution
has not delegated TO CongrAss the power to
coerce State INTO submission" 1t is not true that
Mr. Buchanan at any time appealed to Congress for
larger power; he only said Congress alone has
power to decide whether he laws can DO amended
SO as to carry effectuay the objects of
the Constitution" In his belief it was not OBJ
ject of the Constitution to State into sub
mission, nor, he added, If possessed the power.
would it be wise TO exercise 1t. War would not
only destroy the Union, but Danish all hope of its
peaceful reconstruction" Mr.. Buchanan did ap-
peal to Congress for one thing only-an abect
surrender by the North With his amendment in
one hand, and declaration that secession ir-
resistlble in the other Mr. Buchanan tried to save