The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-21
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so far a. persons are concerned, the
individual who figures most prominently
in President Folks diary. although by
No means the most fsvorahly IL James
Buchanan the Secretary Of state Mr.
Buchanan was a thorn In the side NJ the
President Mr. Polk appreciated his
attainments and the value Of his eIperi-
ence in public aHairs and therefore de-
sired to retain hi- services IN the state
Department. hut the two men were sell
dom in complete accord or sympathy
either in respect to governmental meas
ur.s or pernonally There was constant
friction between them At the meetings
~ the Cabinet Mr. Buchanan Was timid
and vacillating where the President was
decided and aggressive Mr. Polk had
axactsd from each member ~ his Cabinet
when appointed an agreement that he
would not be a candidate for the Pre-i-
dency while he remained in the Cabinet.
but the President felt that Mr. Buchanan
had not kept this agreement on his psrt
Under date ~ january -. isA. IN refer
.nce to a r,Irnor that Mr. Buchanan was
about to resign. he writes The whole
dificulty has been produced by Mr.
Buchanan himself because he cannot
control nv appointments He accepted
his place IN my Cabinet under the written
pledge a. did all the members 81 my
Cabinet. that during his continuance In
II he would not become q candidate Tor
the Presidency. and vet II ~ manifest
that he desired To control my patronage
with that view I have not permitted
this and have made my own appointments
without reference To tho zJiCCcHsIon ]
have done Mr. Buchanan full justice, hut
with this ha 10 not satisfied I cannot
to CRAFTY him prescribe good Demo
Gratis who do not happen tn be his par
ticuiar friSnds or fAvoritss ! am not
a candidate for reelection and will IN far
a. I know IL do Justice to- all sections
81 the Democratic party without refer
,nce To their preferences or psrtialities
for me Another constant cause 81
coolne.- between the President and Mr.
Buchanan grew out 81 the intense desire
of the latter to h. appointed to the bench
Of the supreme Court and the Presidents
reluctance To CRAFTY his ambition in that
respect A. viewed IN the light ~ his
whole career Mr. Buchanans acquire
ments and ability 49, q lawyer hardly
seem TO have been sufficiently conspicuous
tn render the desired appointment one
particularly fit To he made Neverthe-
less IL - entirely clear that Mr. Buchsnan's
failure to obtain this post was one 81 the
great disappointments Of his life
This fact 10 emphasized 10y the repeated
entries in Mr. Folks diary relative to
interviews with MIR Buchanan on the
subject Again and again the Secretary
Of state expresses his wish to he trans-
ferrrd to the judicial branch of the Gov
eminent and the President assents hut
postpones action In one place. in refer
ence To published reports that he had
refused 20 appoint Mr. Buchanan TO
the bench. he expressly declares that he
has never declined 10 do 80: hut when
Ne take into confederation all the various
entries relative ia the matter and the
Presidents account Of the last interview
in which 10 was discussed u il evident
that MIR. Buchanan's friends were right
in asserting that President Folks non
action was equivalent To an absolute
refusal The vacancy on the bench had
occurred in the Pennsylvania Circuit. and
the appointment ~ Pennsylvania lawyer
propriate President Polk finally nomi-
ed George " Woodward 81 that State.
who. however was rejected by IN. senate,
half a dozen Democratic Senators voting
with the Wings. Their action greatly
di-plessed President Polk. who denounces
them severely IN his DIARY for their dis
loyalty. MIR Woodward subsequently
acquired deserved distinction as a Judge
ny many years service on the bench ~ the
supreme Court Of Pennsylvania.
A. early a. August. istj serious DIFF
fsrsncrs ~ opinion arose between Mr..
Buchanan and the President a. 10 the
manner in which th. Oregon boundary
matter should ho dealt with In defer |
ence to what had been done by the pre-
o.dinR Administration the British Mn /
ister was notified that the Urited States |
" ould compromise on the forty-rIrth
parallel II north latitude This offer /
had been CURLY and almost Coptamptu- |
ously rejected hy Mr.. Pak"nham. the +
British Minister ~ Washington. without
ever communicating u to his own Gov /
ernmcnt President Polk then dc terTniped
to withdraw our proposition 90 compro- {
mise at 20 degrees hut MIR. Buchanan IN
sisted that Motto to TINS effect should he !
accom- panied 10y n statement that ary
further proposition which the British |
Minister might submit would 10 dehb- !
considered by the United States
To this IN. President smphAtically oh
jected ard the matter was tn" subject ~ !
very lively discussion in the Cabinet.
Mr. Buchanan IntinatinG that II the |
Presidents Vows IN gard To- the Oregon /
question wsr" carried out We ,
should have war. The President re-
-pond~d that II "" had war ~ would not
~ our fault: and he insisted that the only
course wAs To Withdraw the
original proposition for compTomIse and