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


and this insured its defeat Mr. Buchsnans
position as a Pennsylvania, and yet as a member
of the Administration that had brought FORWARD
the tariff of 1916 was untenable. He received only
| rs votes in Convention and his party was beaten
by Taylor. A third time he was q candidate IN
1852 and received l03 votes, but after forty-eght
ballots saw Mr.. Pierce nominated.
! Here we touch the secret of Mr.. Buchanans
nolitcal history. 1t became necessity for him TO
devote himself to some new issue by means Oh
which the tariff question could be pushed aside,
and his position a leader of his party could be
restored He could not go unreservedly with the
minority OF his party the tariff without Destroy
ing himself in his own State. Mr.. Buchanan there
upon became conspicuous as a pro-slavery Union
saver From his early days. he had leaned strongly
| to the Southern side. One Of his most elaborate
spesches was delivered in 1885, in behalf OF bill
TO prohibit the sending of Sincendiary publica-
tions" through the mails, aud any pamphlet,
newspaper handful, or other printed or pictorial
representation touching the subject of slavery the
circulation of which any State. Territory or District
had seen fit to prohibit. was included as an incen-
diary publication. He had gone with the South IN
regard to Texas annexation and the Mexican war.
| He had been prominent III his own State in defeat
| ing the Wilmot proviso, and from that defeat
| sprang the Compromise measures of 1850. and the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and the troubles
in Kansas. Opposition to Abolitionism, and Union
saving by concessions to the South. naturally
| to him. 1t was easy for him to feel, as MIR. Curtis
says, that the anti-slavery agitation was an ex-
| ternal end unjusti6able intermeddling with
matter that did not concern those who internied-
died" 1t became easy tor him to make in the Os-
| tend manifesto a strong and successful bid for
Southern favor. Therein 1t was seriously declared
| that If Spain should refuse to sell Cnba, 1t might
be the right and duty of tho United Staten to wrest
the island from her as a means of defending the in
| stitution OF slavery.
| All this would have done little HARM If Mr..
Buchanan, in his anxiety to secure an election to
the Presidency had not taught that dissolution OF
the Union would follow and DO justified by the.
election of Republican. 1t is essential to an un
| derstandmg of his subsequent conduct that his
language in 1856 on this subject should be remem-
bered. In letter, for example, he says that all
other questions are Of little Importance compared
with tue grand and appalling issue of Union or dis
union" and that. should Fremont be elected. and
the outlawry proclaimed by the Republican Con-
vention at philadelphia against fifteen Southern
States" DO ratified, the consequence will be
| immediate and lney itablen The "outlawry' con-
sisted In tho nomination of candidates on platform
| proposing tho non-extonsion of slavery. In an
other lettor he says of some persons They arc all
for Fremont and dissolution of the Union" In
another lie asserts that lie is IN daily receipt OF let
tiers from the South which say explicitly that the
election OF Fremont nvol-es the dissolution Of the
Union. and that Immediately. These evil
dences Of public determination came first from the
| extreme Soutn but now the Same calm and de-
termlned spirit appears 10 pervade Virginia" ms,
be it RENE mbsred, from a candidate for the Presi-
dency whose duty 1t would be, IL elected. TO uphold
the laws against disunion in every form. This,
| moreover not after the bred Scott decision which
| he subsequently made pretoxt for much accusa-
ton against tho Northern people, but months be-
fore ii was rendered. Is IL conceivable that any
rat pnal public man could have been ignorant that
be was doing much to bring about rebellion by
such language
Mr. Buchanan went further. He fed the Game OF
sectoualism at the South by his inaugural address
in which, as if aware of the schemes of the pro-
slavery propagandists, he clearly anticipated the
bred Scott decision Wholly disregarding the accu-
cumulated proof that the Lecompton party had
carried the so-caled election in Kansas only by the
| most shameless frauds he urged the admission OF
| the State under the LecOmpton Constitution. Ills
own chosen Governors and agents became disgusted
at the measures used to set aside the will OF The
| PEOPLE but he refused to hear their protests. lie
used Official influence argument and patronage, and
| permitted the use of money derived from various
Jobs in order to defeat the will of the majority. It
is natural that having joined those who fought Mr..
| Douglas to the death, Mr. Buchanan should have
sought at a later period to throw the blame for all
troubles in the party and the country upon
those who repealed the Missouri Compromise, and
vet with singular lack Of be ignored the fact
that his own Interpretation of the bred Scott dsoi
sion would have made the Missouri Compromise
| null and void Had Mr.. Buchanan honestly put down
violence aud fraud in Kansas. or had he TesOlutely
crushed the first beginnings Of rebellion at the
South, bo might not have avertod all
disaster. for the irrepr. ssibe conflict had
come at last. But he would have kept his own rep
utatiop from STAN, deserved the name Of states
man. and saved millions in treasure and many
precious lives for his country.
The main object of Mr. Curtis has been to defend
the course of Mr.. Buchanan during the four months
which followed the election of Mr. Lincoln. In his
preface he insists that great injustice has been done
Mr. Buchanan as to the events Of that trying time.
and about go pages are devoted to them. Evil
IDENTIFY Mr. Curtis himself would consider his work
a failure if IL should not influence public opinion as
to this part of Mr.. Buchanans career But we cam
not perceive that it warrants any essential m0df-
cation OF opnIons hitherto entertained by intelligent
and loyal men. Undoubtedly the array of facts
will help to clear away some misundcrstandngs
Especial stress is laid the alleged removal of
arms to Southern arsenas by Secretary Floyd. But
most of the space given to this topic is wasted The
story told by The Mobile advertiser dur
ing the war, and cwbalmed as history
by Mr.. Pollard. was long ago dis
proved by the Investigations of Congressional
committee, and 1t is known to intelligent persons
that Mr.. Floyd secured not many weapons of good
quality for the Confederate service. In spite of the
manifest atons of rebel gratitude there is not much
room to doubt that the Misrepresentation once prev
alent was mainly due to a blunder by that prince
of blunderers General Scott His controversy with
Mr. Buchanan is rehearsed by Mr.. Curtis at ludi-
crous length but it affects no essential point in the
history of the period Floyd's conduct, be it more