New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
LANES BuCHANAN,s SHANE.

General U = A. svo. pY. KILL, 4s6. Charles L.
General Crawford, who was one of Major An
aerson's command at Fort Sumter, has told with
valuable particularly not only the story Of the
memorable defence and bombardmcnt, but the
remarkable train Of political negotiations respect
ing Charleston harbor which dragged through
many months before the shock of actual war. lie
has had access to many sources Conformation, es-
peciay the letters and private papers OF Governor
Hclxens OF South Carolina, and he has diligently
consulted other Confederate materials which, If
not entirely fresh, are little known by our hsto-
rians Here is an interesting letter which Jefer-
son Davis then in his seat as United States Sena-
tor from Mississippi, addressed to the Governor
in response to q request for counsel:
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. January 10, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR: serious and sudden attack of
neural gia has prevented me from fulfilling my
promise to communicate more fully by mail than
could safely be done by telegraph. need hardly
say to you that request for conference on
questions of defence had to me the force Of COM
mand; it, however, found me under PROPOSITION aS
commissioner to Virginia, and another to employ
me in the organization Of the State militia. But
more than all, was endeavoring to secure the
defeat of the nomination of foreign collector for
che Port of Charleston, and at that time 1t was
deemed possible that in the Senate we could arrest
all hostile legislation such as might be designed
either for the immediate future coercion of the
South. II now appears that we shall Lack one or
two votes to effect the legislative object Just
mentioned and it decided last evening, in
conference which l was not able to attend, that
the Senators of the seeded States should prompt
~ withdraw upon the Geographic information al
ready received.
to be up again, and at as early day as practlca-
BILE to see you / cannot place any confidence In
the adherence of the Administration to fixed line
of policy. The general tendency is to hostile
measures, and against these it is needful for you
to prepare. / take 1t for granted that the time
allowed TO the garrison of Fort Sumter has been
diligently employed by yourselves, so that before
you could be driven out Of your earthworks you
will be able to capture the Fort which commands
them. have not sufficiently learned your policy
in relation to the garrison at Fort sumter 70
understand whether the expectation is to compel
them to capitulate for want OF supplies, or
whether it is only to prevent the TRANSMISSION OF
reports and the receipt of orders. To shut them
up with a view to starve them into SUBMISSION
would create a sympathetic action much greaer
than any which could be obtained on the present
issue. doubt very much the loyalty OF the gar
rison and it has occurred to me that II they
could receive no reinforcements- l suppose
you sufficiently command the en' fSere
the g garrison and the city: We have to,
day news Of the approach Of q mixed commission
from Fort Sumter and Charleston, but nothing
further than the bare fact. We are probably
soon to be involved in that fiercest OF human
strifcs rivil war. The temper OF the Black
Remblicans is not to give our rights in the
iYt"n or allow ms TO 90 peaceably out of it. If
we had no other cause. this would ne eh0ueh 10
iustifv secession, at whatever hazard. When
am better / will write again, If do not soon see
you Very sincerely yours,
Probably no wellmatured judgments will be
serjously disturbed by General Crawford's reve-
lations: but he has brought to the surface some
very strange and interesting details Writing in
che most temperate vein, he nevertheless makes
most damaging exhibition of the imbecity OF
Mr. Buchanan and the treachery of Secretaries
FLOYD and Thompson, and it is impossible to read
of the shifts and tremors of that petuioGghs Au-
Ministration without shame that The uoNerh-
nent of the United States should ever have fallen
so low 1t is an old story; but it is well to nave
il revived THE failure upon the part OF 'hc
President" he says, " to reinforce the Southcrh
forts or any Of them, in accordance WIN the re-
peated suggestions Of Northumberland Scout
and the urgent recommendations OF his secretary
of State, Judge Black, and others, had produced
It's legitimate results"
No restraint had been placed upon such hos
tile measures those i'll control III the secedeo
States had seen fit To inaugurate ana 10 pefiect,
and it was now in the judgment OF those Deso
fitted to decide the important question, 700 ia'c
10 attempt such relief without pfecpatinS
conflict become in the very nature OF the si'ua
ton inevitable Had such rehet peeh promptly
cent when Anderson, from Fort Moultrie, clearly
defining his position and his necessi'ies, haa
urged with an earnestness carried 10 tIe Nersc "a
military propriety that they should De senu ~
h;,n ,yhcn two of the most distinguished mem
hers of his Cabinet, who from tne pe9ihnlis "a
the difficulties had rendered to him put one au,
vice and bcsought him to act when no otate h,u
vol atterDted to secede from the Cnlon-tne slt-
nation might have been different. 1t is true that
the organized force legitmately uhder ms co ..
tol as reported by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 'oco U'
was small but it was at the time, at least, sum,
Gent to show the purpose Of the Ooyerihen. an. y.
TO hold Fort Sumter until Congress could conI ~
the rescue of the country But the Ireslue,,
did nothing His fear that by his own act ne
might Inauguratc hcstties and so BRING on cis o
war sustained by his political convictions 'I Ia
the Union could not be preserved by war Dc
tween the States: his overwhelming desirs t JOE
peace and his hope TO keep the b9rder c or"i
rated him for action" Launched INTO politics IN
Pennsylvania by an abandonment OF his previous
political principles he had throughout lo,ig pup
Iic career remained the nol'tician. and had raiciV
risen TO The the level Of practical statesmahsnip'
Mr. Buchanan knew that the war was coming
he saw it in every feature OF those VINO u" Io
preached him. he heard it in then very tone. III
add;tion he was up to the moment when Andcr-
son moved the command of Fort Moultrle 10 orr OF.
Sumter largely influenced by Southern sentiment
and controlled by Southern men. AS FAR as his
constitutional obligations pcnnitten nc fIelucu "
the pressure so constantly brought 10 pear upo n
him. and accorded to them their every dcmana.
They were his constant associates. In bis Cabl-
net they were, to an almost exclusive extent, ms
advisers and they ruled him with an lnlieXlble
nmrpose. lie had agreed with them that the status
then existing should not be disturbed and uhtll
Anders0ns movement. it was not ulstufpe4, nor
then by his consent or even with his kn9weuge'
His policy was to protract, not to meet the issue,
which, in the face Of the country was prccimtatedi
by his officer in command at Charleston. ne na9
until then eve, failed t. realize the real nature and
extent of the re, oluton. accustomed as be was 10
use State politics merely as counters ID the game
for Federal power' he recognized the present pop
ular excitement as nothing more than another OF
the many agtations by which men had come mo
Mwcr and rccx1ncd that, Ike the Others II wonid
run its course and be followed by reaction and
peace His public life as Presden, had not won ION
ways of action. wary and full Of statecraft with
a cynical estimate Of men from party experience;
Mr. buchanan had utterly misunderstood the real
nature of the crisis and had compromised great
position by feeble acts" and when at last he dld