The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-17
ounds Of prudence. and that il bis head.
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party as enemies Of the Union, be shoult
aid In precipitatiug a dissolution Of th'
government before the Republicans coult
enter upon lis administration. He thu
became in large degree responsible for tn
unsound position and the dangerous teach
inga Of Mr.. Buchanan. In truth, some o
the worst doctrines embodied in the Presi
dents evil metange came directly from NJ
opinion given by Judge Black az Attorney
General, and made Mr.. Buchanan atil
more odious and more dangerous by the
quotation Of q part and not the wholo.
1t was soon manifest, however, 10 Judge
Black that be was playing with fire, and
that, while he .waa himself DESTROYS only OIL
arouslng the country to the dangers Of anti
slavery agitation, Mr.. Buchanan's admins.
tratlon was every day elIectually aiding the
Southern conspiracy for the destruction oil
tho Union. This light dawned on Judge
Black suddenly and itresistibly. He was
personally intimate with General CaSs, and
when that venerable Statesman retired
from the Cabinet 10 preserve his record OF
loyalty 10 the Union, Judge Black realizsd
that he was himself confronted by IN issue
which threatened his political destruction.
Gould he afford, as Secretary Of State, 10
follow q policy which General Cass be.
lieved would destroy bis own fame? Gem
eral GAGS was nearly four score years
Of age, with bis public career ended,
bis work done. Judge Black waH but
flty, and he had before him posi-
bly, The most valuable and the most ambl.
tloua period OF his lie. He saw at a glance
that II General Oass could no. DO sustained
IN the Northwest, he could not be sus.
tanned In Pennsylvania. He possessed the
moral courage to stand firm to the end In
defiance Of opposition and regardesa OF
obloquy, II be could be sure no was right.
But he had begun to doubt and doubt led
him to review with care the position Of
MIR. Buchanan and TO examine its ineyita.
BILE tendencies. lie did 1t with conscience
and with courage. He had none Of that
subserylency to Southern men which had
injured 80 many Northern Democrats.
Until be entered the Cabinet in 1857 he
had never come into personal association
with men from the slaye.holding States,
and his keen observation could not fail to
discern the inferiority to himself Of the
Tour Southern members Of the Cabinet.
ENEMIES TO THE UNION.
Judge Black entered upon hia duties as |
Secretary Of State on the 18th OF December
tho day on which the Disuuion Conven-
ton Of South Carolina assembled. He |
found the malign influence OF Mr.. Buc-
hanan's message fully at work throughout |
the South. Under lis encouragement only
three days were required by tho Conven.
ton at Charleston TO pass the ordinance OF |
secession, and four days later Governor
Plckena Issued proclamation declaring
South Carolina aseparate, sovereign, free, |
and independent State, with the right to !
levy war, conclude peace, and negotiate
treaties" From that moment judge
Blacks position towards the Southern lead. |
ers was radically changed. They were no |
longer fellow Democrats. They were the |
enemies Of the Union to which ho WAS de-.
voted; they we're conspirators against the |
Government to which he had taken a |
solemn oath Of fidelity and loyalty.
Judge Blacks change. however import.
ant to his own fame, would provo COM
paratively iruitless unless he could influ.
ence Mr.. Buchanan to break with the men
who had been artfully using the power Of
bis administration to destroy the Union.
The opportunity. and the test came prompt.
ly. The new 'sovereigu, free and indie.
pendent" government Of South Carolina
sent commissioners to Washington to ne.
gotiate for the surrender OF the national
forts and the transfer OF the national prop.
erty within her limits. Nj. Buchanan prs-
pared an answer to their reques. which was
compromising to the honor Of the execu.
tive and perllous to the integrity OF the
Union. Judge Black took decided and
irrevocable Stand against the Presidents
position. He advised Mr.. Buchanan that
upon the basis ofthat fatal concession to
the disunion leaders hs could not remain
in his cabinet. It was sharp issue, but
was soon adjusted. Mr.. Buchanan gave
way, and permitted Judge Black and his
associates, Holt and Stanton, to frame g
reply for the Administration. 5g-
Jefferson Davis, Mr.. Toombs, Mr.. Benja.
min, Mr.. Slidell, who had been Nh. Bu.
chanan's Intimate and confidential sd.
visers, and who had led him to the brink
Of ruin, found themselves suddenly SUD.
planted, and new power installed at the
White House. Fooled, and no longer ayIe
to USE tho National Administration as m
instrumentality to destroy the national life,
the secession leaders in Congress turned
upon the President with angry reproaches,
In their rage they Loaf all sense Of the re.
spect due, to the Chief Magistrate Of the
nation and asaaulted Mr.. Buchanan with
coarsenees as well aa violence. Senator
Benjamin spoke Of him as "a senie exec
utive under the sinister influence OF insane
counsele." This exhibition OF malignity
toward the misguided President afforded to
the North the most convincing and yatis-
factory proof that there had been a change
for the better in the plans and purposes Of
the Administration. They realizad that II
must be deep sense Of impending danger
which could separate Mr.. Buchanan from
his political associations with the South.
and they recognized in his position q sig.
niGcaut proof Of the desperate determine
ton to which the enemies of the Union
had come.
Tue stand taken by Judge Black and his
loyal associates was in the last days Of d.
cember, 1860. The reorganization Of the
Cabinet came as matter OF necessity. Mr.,
John B. Floyd resigned from tho War De-
partment, making loud proclamation TINT
bis action was based on the Presidents re.
fnaal to surrender the national forts in
Charleston harbor to the secession govern. |
ment Of South Carolina. This nlanifesto
was not necessary to establish Floyd's trea.
sonable intentions toward the government,
but in point Of truth the plea was undoubi.
eddy pretense TO cover reasons Of a more