The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-20

permit tennessee troops " ,t-1, ~
frontier " Did "our understanding, then'
simply mean BucknerS voluntary Ploni-
Use? Either the rumOr OF the cohIeeu,e,ra,e
advance was a false one OF ntSS'. ~ -,
protest had the desired effect. TOT no IN
vas1on then ofcmTeL Buchner ~"
swer. II one was made, Is not iouiD4
among tho official archives. o,
Subsequent events attached 10 tnlS ,ii i-
cinnat meeting OF Buckner and McCleliah
an unexpected interest ana Importance.
4, is evident that the hentuckian was
acting in good faith IN the belief that ne
had a solemn agreement with the Union
General that the States neutrality was
70 be respected. At a later meeting OF
tho two at Cairo. Ill, he gave McClel.
han the substance OF an interview he had
at er.rphs with Pillow regarding the sub
ject OF neutrality. II IS certain that he
visltN Pillow, and IL was generally I'M
derstcOd that through BuckneFs repre-
sensations an immediate advance by the
Southern forces into Kentucky was pre-
vented.
II would seem to be improbable on tho
face OF II that Buckner volunteered his
word OF honor as representative OF
MagOhin and the rampant secesslonists
OF Kentucky. 10 keep out PILLOWS Ten
nesseeans without receiving from the
Union commander some pledge IN retsrn
10 carry back 20 them. some correspond
ing accession. That Mcclellan fully I'M
derstood Buckner TO be clothed with the
necessary power or influence 20 prevent
Pillows advance IS admitted IN his pro-
test OF June nth which IN some sort
also confirms the probability OF mutual
agreement wherein IL alludes to our
understanding. although. OF course,
there may have been a jug handle ar
rangement in which Buckner promised
everything and Mcclellan nothing. Buck
ner being confident meanwhile that under
existing conditions the federals would
commit no overt act, anyhow. But, IN
asmuch az there was then and for long
afterwards no advance OF the Union
troops, McCltllans quick am curt pro-
test at n threatened infringement OF "our
understanding By the other SIDE GER
tainly warrants tho belief. ASIDE from
Buokners statemtnt that some COM
iorcing assurances were given nm.
Bucknef, 10 is clear could have no OBJ
Jet in deludlng his party.
What gave the Cincinnati Interview pc
culiar significance was the appearance IN
the public press n few weeks later or
ing that he had entered into specluc
agreement with Mcclellan az the Cincn-
natl conference that Kentucky neutrali-
~ was 20 be maintained by both sides.
Hence that Buclner. who Mcclellan him
self states. was the soul Of honor be-
lieved there was such an understand
ing Is beyond the shadow OF doubt Ihat
there was a very general understand
ing that such stipulations existed Is also
certain. There is I'm fact no dispute that
there was on the part of the Federal
auhoftea. or its Western commanders,
az least a tacit recognition Of kentuckVs
neutrality. lasting through several months.
However. its expediency may have been
viewed IN the beginning II soon became
palpable that the continuance OF Ken
tucky's attitude OF neutrality would esiop
n not prove entirely fatal 10 Onion de-
signs for the suppression OF the war.
This neutral zone. n maintaine1 inyiol-
ablr raised an impossible barrier be-
tween the North AMI the most vulnerable
points OF the new Confederacy, absolutely
closed up the most available routes OF
Invasion. j, was q most absurd arrange
ment. II carried beyond mere make
shit 20 sOOthe the people or Kentucky.
All the advantages or such an arrange
mont accrued 10 the South. which merely
asked 10 be let alone the Confederates
hal no purpose % ir-ade the North.
Buckner's penetrating mind OWNED this
and no doubt that IS why he entered the
field Of diplomacy and sought the CON
ference with Mcclellan. II he really
made q deal with the Union General, he
clearly had the best Of the bargain
Mcclellan positively denied the exist
cree Of any pledge on his part 70 re-
spect tho neutrality OF Kentucky The
publication of Buckner's letter 10 Ma
coffin threw him into great neat. and
his utterances display anxiety. because II
was clear that 10 had taken n false step.
which must DO condemned by the North
ern public In his personal mem)lrs IS
sued I'm 1857. he takes pains 10 explain
I'm detail his version of the Buckner in
teryiew. He says:
1.-THE object Of the interview was sim
ply that we a. old friends should com.
pare views and see n We could do any
| good; thus | understood it. Buckner S
| main purpose seemed 20 Doe 10 ascertain
what / should 10 I'm the event that Ken
| tucky should be- invaded hy the secession
| forces, then collecting under Gen. Pillow.
| Buckner was very anxious that rho Fed
oral forces should respect tho neutrality
( OF Kentucky. and stated that he would
| DO his best 10 preserve 10. and drive Pill
| low out should he cross the boundary
! llne / could assent % this only 10 the
| extent that I should be satisfied II the
! kontuckiaus would Immediately drive out
any Confederate force that iniirht Invade
| Kentucky. and continued. almost IN these
| very words. You had better be very
| quick about n, simon for n / learn that
the Confederates are In Kentucky. / Will.
with or without orders drive them out
without delay ] expressly told Buckrer
| that ! had no power TO guarantee tho
| neutrality or kentucky, and that. al
though my command ala not extend ever
H. would not tolerate the pres q
southern troops IN that state Not many
days afterward 1 met Buckner acain nj
cairo, and had a conversation with him
I'm presence OF John NJ. Douglass. Of
Chicago. Buckner had just then rerured
from q visit TO Pillow, and no clearly
showed by his conversation that he un.
derstooi my determination AZ the first
interview, Just as have related 10 al eve.
Buckner's letter 10 Gov. Ma rofin.
subsequently, published. stating that I'm
our first interview / had agr I'D 10 re-
spoct the neutrality Of Kentu,6y. c0se
an Incorrect account or the case, wn ch
was as have stated g."
ms IS certainly explicit and oiear
enough. and undoubtedly recites the facts
as Mcclellan remembered them. hut az
A. was written twenty-SiX years after the
event, 10 IS possible he may have forgot
ten some OF the details OF his CONVEX.
siSi0n with Buckner.
McClellal's Correspondence at this n
Rod makes II probable that he was cali, 4
% book by Gen Scott or President Lin
coin about This matter. though 10 let.
ter or telegram on the subject from
the Washington end Of the line - found.
Bur on June 18th after he had entered
uDon his West Virginia campaign, Nc
Clellan sent a long telegram 20 ScO.,
from Grafton. IN which he shows great
anxiety 10 explain satisfactorily &c ils
superior his relations with Brckner.
This transaction" said Mcclellan. has
SURPRISED me beyond expression. Nv
chief fear has been that you. whom /
regard as my strongest friend In Wash
guilty or the extreme Of folly" This tele.
gram was supplemented by a letter on
tho same Day, embOdying tho substance
or both. ana covering the whole case
rms contemporaneOus letter IL entitled
- great consideration I'm summing up
the Misunderstanding Of these two old
rrienif, both truthful men. concerning
"olr understanding az Cincinnati one
thing is made clear by it-McClellan's
policy az The time Buckner visited him
was. and had been. policy OF strict nem'
trdllty toward Kentucky II 90 10, 49,,