Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-10
..Secession Secrets. >,

some months ago hon. JtIellldu -
Black. of Pennsylvania, who was
Buchanan's Attorney General, in an arti-
Gle entitled secession Secrets" took
Hon. jefferson Davis to task for ayowlng
his belief that had Fort Sumter been given
up. no other Southern State would nave
followed South Carolina out Of the Union.
Judge Black argued that such an act oil
concession would have been an acknowl-
edgment Of the right Of SECESSION which
the South would have been prompt 10
profit BY. He urged further that
Mr.. Davis and his associates were cum
pinglv working to this end, and that 1t
was through his Black's) persuasion
that Buchanan refused to surrender sum-
fer and other Southern forts.
In the Philadelphia Times of Wednes-
dav Mr.. Davis replies TO Judge Black in
three column article. setting forth the
correctness of his charge that timidity
prevented Buchanan from complying
with the request of South Carolina
for the evacuation of Sumter, TO
which ne was strongly inclined,
since. as Mr.. Davis argues, from the
south Carolina statute granting sites for
Notifications by reason of the States right
of eminent domain the ground donated
reverted to the commonwealth when the
forts ceased to be operated for its defense.
Mr.. Davis cites in support of this view the
statutes of other States, and particularly
that of Massachusetts, enacted in 1880.
Mr.. Davis argues that inasmuch as
sumter. occupied by Federal
force. was a menace to South
/ Carolina, the act donating its site
was no longer operative, and as the State
/ Of south Carolina offered to guarantee the
value of Federal property her demand for
/ its evacuation was Just and legal. Mr..
| Davis cites Buchanan's statement to the
/ South Carolina Commissioners to the
/ effect that his first prOmptings, when
/ Major Anderson left Fort MOultrie and
! proceeded to Sumter. were to order that
I officer to return to the former, and there
/ await such orders as might be given him.
Mr.. Davis then goes on to argue that,
had the request of South Carolina been
complied with, a peaceful settlement
would have been had. To show the alb
surditv that there was anything sinister in
the demand for evacuation, Mr.. Davis
quotes from the remarks of senator
I Douglas. on March II, 1861, in support of
such policy as follows:
we certainly cannot justify the holding Of
I forts there. much less the recaptUrng of those
/ which have been taken, unless we intend TO
/ reduce those states themselves INTO subsection.
] take it for granted. no man viii deny the
Z proposition, that whoever permanently holds
| Charleston and south Carolina Is entitled TO
/ the possession of Fort sumter.
I'VE cannot deny that there Is a Southern
I COnfederacy 3e fJct0 IN existence. with lts
{ capital at Montgomery. We may regret 1T.
Z regret 10 most profoundly: but ! cannot deny
T the truth OF the fact. painful and Notifying
a. tits proclaim boldly the policy
I OF those with whom act. We are for peace
Furthermore General Scott and Major
Anderson, the hero OF sumter, favored
evacuation. Mr.. Davis shows that, as
Buchanan admitted the Constitution gave
no power to coerce, and limited the man.
ner Of assisting in the defense of state.
There were no Federal officers in South
Carolina to enforce the laws Of the United
states. and they were practically inoper-
ative. The force policy which Black
claims to have primarily promoted, was
! i'm direct cOntraventiOn of the Constitution
and the laws.
Mr.. Davis meets Judge Black on his
own ground Of ridicule and invective and
likens him to Artemus Ward as a patriot.
/ The grim humOrist was Willing TO sacTi-
ice his wife's relations for the good of his
country while the doughty Judge was
I willing to incur civil war, but was care
full not to expose himself. Mr.. Davis con-
+ cludes his reply as follows:
when it shall no longer be popular to have
I war against the southern states; when the
+ sober second thought of the people shall have
Z taken an account Of the wasted treasury, Of
I sacrificed lives. of Il land saddened 10y the
( wall Of the widow and the orphan. and last,
/ but not least. the Subversion Of those sound
| principles Of free government for which the
/ country fought the war of the Revolution, and
I 10 perpetuate which the Union was formed,
[ then when consent Il the foundation
Z and fraternity the cement of our political
I structure. the desires of President Buchanan
I towards peaceful solution Of the questions
/ presented by south Carolina may receive the
! reward due To the wisdom and patriotism of
his c0nciliatOrv policy. To that better day /
I refer the judgment which may be rendered
upon the opposite policy of his bellicose adj
[ wiser. whose military laurcls were gathered
So far from the field a. 10 be unstained by
! either the blood or the smoke of battle