National Republican., 1888-02-02
"TuE GENESIS OF TIE CIVIL
WAR;,
A Triumphant vindication of the Ad-
mjDjstratiou OF President Buchanan.
ny noRATio KING,
EN-rosTNASTER GENERAL.


After all that has been written on the
fubject OF Fort Sumter, the failure to send
re.ebforcements to Maj. Anderson, in com
mand Of the forts in Charleston harbor, and
the charges brought against President
Buchanan's administration on that account,
II seems almost supernuous to attempt any
further answer to such charges. Any one
who will read Mr.. Buchanan's own account
OF the matter, as related in his book, en-
titled "Mr. Buchanan's Administration on
the Eve OF the Rebellion" (lSG6), followed
IN 1883 by Curtis's clear exposition in his
"Life OF James Buchanan" need require
any more evidence to convince him that
what was done, or left undone, in respect to
re.enforcements or supplies to those forts,
affords no good ground of complaint
against President Buchanan. Unfortu-
Dately, however, those books are beyond
the reach OF the general public; hence, 1t is
no uncommon thing to hear him severely
censured because OF his failure to order re.en.
forcements sent and OF the unfounded
charge that he entered into an agreement
or understanding" with the South Caro-.
linisn authorities to withhold re-enforce.
ments 60 long as no attacks should be made
on the forts.
One among the latest arraignments Of
President Buchanan, mainly on this subject,
comes from Samuel Wylle Crawford, "brevet
major general, U. S. A., A. NJ, VI. d., LL.
D.,nin his work, entitled "The Genesis of
the Civil War" Although the above titles
appear after the name Of the author on the
title page, we learn from him, In the la t
chapter Of his book, that he was assistant
surgeon on the medical staff OF Maj Auder-
SOD, and that 1t was not until the
return Of the command from
Fort Sumter to New York that he
was appointed major In the 18th United
States Infantry, from which position, by
gallant and mertorious services In various
battles, he rose to his present rank. His
book OF 400 octave pages relates almost
exclusively to the action OF the South
Carolina authorities, of the government at
Washington, and OF Maj Anderson, touch
ing Fort Sumter and the other forts and
United States arsenal at Charleston. Who
ever shall read this book will, think, be
surprised at two things at least4-the first is
that he has given such prominence to the
acts and sayings OF leading secessionists,
notably the narrative OF WIN. II. Ire cot,n
who was assistant Secretary Of State under
Buchanan, serving, according to his own
statement, until the 18th of December,
three days only before the passage OF the
secession ordinance OF South Carolina. For
weeks before severing his official connec.
tion with the Department OF State lie had,
according TO his own admission and from
letters now published, been acting as con-
fidential agent OF "the leaders OF the (se-
cession) movement in his own state" and
Immediately thereafter "he became. the
agent Of his state at Washington until his
return toSouth Carolina In February, 1861"
when she made record of his impressions
Of the events which have been the subject
Of so mr. b controversy, and the truth
about v IN is OF essential importance to
the fut e history Of the country. A record
thus ur.de (Gen. Crawford continues) may
well be considered valuable contribution
to the materials Of that future history. 1t
is from this manuscript the writer has
drawn largely, and oftentimes the clear
and vigorous narrative has been inserted In
himeelf.n
Surely Gen. Crawford is to be congratu-
lated on being able to bring to his aid SO
astute and valuable an assistant, whose
name, from the amount OF matter furnished
by him, might not have been out Of place
On the title page OF this remarkable Seen
esis Of the Civil War;" In matter relat.
ing to secession and the rebellion, such q
witness in the case Of q gallant Union
Officer and historian striving to convict
the President Of the United States OF a
tlop, TO have been considered more credible
and Of znuch ssss.nsssyeight than any testi-
mony Of the President himself, or that OF
an, member Of his Cabinet. The latter is
not less explicit and abundant than the
former, and was ready at his hand.
BY way of parenthesis, may remark
that the private secretaries to Presi-
dent Lincoln, in their one sided, part
isan "history,n have resorted to this same
"narrative" OF Mr.. Trescot, as well as to the
testimony Of other distinguished secession
iste, with view to present President Bu-
chanan in an unfavorable light, II not ac-
tually as traitor, before the country. 1t
would he interesting to know whether or
not this sort OF aid Oh the part Of Mr.. Tres.
ing motive which led Mr.. Blaine, when
Secretary OF State, to select him for one or
more important diplomatic appointments.
One other thing that must strike toe
reader Of Gen. Crawford's work is the con-
iiictlDg estimates which he, unwlttingly
perhaps, places on the character, II not the
motives, of President Buchanan.
After narratiDg what he holds the Presi-
dent had done, or left undone, In regard to
South Carolina, he goes on to say;
'2he failure on the part OF the President to
refntOrce tile southern forts or any OF them,
M -sssad produced u.s. legitimate re-,
far different. a II Is true that the or.
Ssnized force hiesi%aey under his
but il was at the time at least suficient e
show the purpose Of the government and and
hSla saad Eors to sumter bs rosGn Sn
country. But the President did nothing. His
fear that by his own act he might inaugurate
anS bring on Sy
could not be preserved by war between the
states. his overwhelming desire for peace, and
his hope e keep the border states, amoIn.ed
for action. = When history shall come
10 pen the record OF the close OF mis- career il
viii Judge himnot from what he did but what
fibilities, he utterly tailed to do.'
Now, before turning back to his previou:
record. let 1t he observed that Gen. Craw-
ford gives the sentiment he quotes against
President Buchanan-"Wholly incapacl
tated him for action''-as his own; but ht
came. We might infer from bis introduc
tiop that 1t was from his principal witness
although Martin j. Crawford, one OF th,
confederate commissioners from Mont
Iomery, is credited by the author will
having employed similar language 10 speak
ing Of the President. Mr.. Crawford hat
resigned his seat as member OF Congress
from Georgia, and coming on the 81 oi
March fresh from the new lledged conted
crate government, he probably ilatteret
hinself that he might induce the Presi
dent to take some action by which they
could avail themselves to their al
vantage 10. their proceedings witt
the incoming administration. Find
ing, IS he wrote home, that he had
become "fully satisfied that It would
not be wise to approach Mr.. Buchanan will
any hope Of his doing anything which
would result advantageously to our icon
federate) government In his ch,Grin, h,
added that he found him "wholly dsquali
fed for his present position" Therefore
''he would not attempt to open negotiation
with the outgoing administration
Our authoris entitled to as much of tht
testimony of his peculiarly qualified wi,