Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-04-03
Blaine on Buchanan

- buchanan Henry In NeS York World.
" the historical accurancy OF Mr..
Biaines statements of the chspters yet
to be given to the public ia not more
manifest than in the one just published
the forthcoming work will have TO be
classed with fiction rather than history,
or consigned to the domain Of cam.
paign literature. There is not q word
OF truth in Mr.. Bisine's statement that
Ar. Buchanan prepared an answer TO
the South Corolna commissioners that
was Compromising to the honor Of the
executives and perilous to the integrity
OF the Union" and that "Judge Black
took decided and irrevoc-ble stand
against the Presidents decision"
II ls boih disingenuous and unmAnly
for Mr.. Blaine to make such vague and
general Sverments without stating
what those fatal concessions were and
enabling hr. Buchsnan's friends to
meet the charge. lie shelters himself
behind an i'll defend and intangible al.
legation. which mad be UNDERWOOD 10
mean anything which 10 the prejudice
Of the reader may be pleasing. His
words certainly suggest aud insinuate q
very serions charge such, for example as
that the president "As in his answer
about &c acknowledge the principle or
right OF secession. or TO abandon the
public property OF the United States to
the state OF South Corolins, or to order
Major Anderson back to the unten.
able for which he bad just evacuated.
To use the language 'perilous TO the in
tegriiy Of the Union" could be justified
by nothing less grave. The insinua
ton is simply AslHnder upon = dead
statement, and there il not one scin
;illa Of evidence to support it.
The whole and sole foundation for
this malevolcnt tissue Of insiuustiou Is
this When the president replied
10 the sudacious demand OF South Caro-
lima com missioners, he made use OF
come phrAseology which Judge Black,
bis legal advisor. thought might he sub.
isc, TO miscou.truction on the part ~
the Seccssionists, and be asked that il
might be modified as to those phrases,
so A. to clearly express what the presi
dent and the cabinet intended because
there was not the least disagreement lie.
tween them upon the grea, vital eonsii.
tutionAl questions involved. The presi.
dent handed tie draft TO Judge Black
10 be worded unmistakably. This is
the whole story, and Judge Black never
told the president that he would re.
sign or expressed any threat TO him.
Judge Black WAS not = man threaten.
or Mr. Buchanan 10 be threatened, what
ever partisan enemies may say OF them.
Under crushing difficulties and embAr.
rassments, surrounded by treason and
thwartcd by partisan malice in congress
the president and his loyal cabinet were
unitedly striving TO save the country
from its deadly peril, and they had no
substantial difference between them on
any Of the great questions Of the hour,
have within my reach letter writ.
ten by Judge Black to Mr.. Buchanan
shortly after the close Of the admiuistrs.
ton, offering to write the lstters bio.
graphy. Its 20 ardent in its out spoken
admiration Of his late chiefs course all
through the trials and perils which
they had encountered together, and
90 commendAtory of the wisdom and
patriotism OF his whole course, that the
friends OF Mr.. Buchanan would be jus.
tilted in disbelieving Mr.. Blaine's word
il be should even say that the charge
had emanated from Judge Black him.
self, aud would be right in consider.
ing it . cruel libel upon his memory.
Mr.. Blaine has been pleased to speak
Approvingly OF President Buchansn's
moral and social worth. The latter's
friends will cheerfully dispense with
any tribute Of this kind from the hero
Of the Mulligan episode.
An Enthusiastic Endorsement.