Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-18
EyERy EVENING TELEPHONES
Buchanan 10 the Fore.


In the United States Senate. on Friday
last. Senator John Walter Smith OF
MARYLAND started a determined fight
for the passage Of tho bill granting per
mission to place IN Meridian Park, Wash
ington, n memorial statue 10 James
buchanan, president Of the United
States from 1857 to 1861 The bill was
passed by the House several weeks ago,
after contest marked by bitter and
acrimonious discussion.
There is opposition in the Senate, also,
led by Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts
The division. however, will rot be alto
cether on partisan lines, as Senator Smith
is supported by his colleague, Senator
France. while Senator Knox of Pennsyl-
wanna. Buchanan state. also favors the
measure But Il i probable tile dis
cussion IL Tie senate, IS IN the House,
will he quite bitter Also. It may result
in bringing to public Wow some interesting
political history
No other President filed such an I'M
pleasant and disturbing term a. Buchanan
His entire four wears Of service were
marked by turmoil the tight over ihr
admission Of Kansas and continual out
bursts over the slavery question: Mud
then. after the election Of Lincoln. IN
November. 1860 came The secession
movement. which continued, slowly but
certainly. ~ 80 the end q Buchanan
term
For ms policy OF inaction. for hIs refusal
to interposc armed opposition "a the
secession OF the Southern States and their
numerous acts OF aggression, President
Buchanan has been severely condemned
to this day Scant justice is done him
IN any written history and the impression
has been permitted to prevail generally
that he was cowardy and traitoIouS.
where lac should have been hold ard
aggressive
Careful reading Of he history q 'hcse
exciting times. however, proves that IBIS
impression Is erroneous While President
Buchanan NAV have been weak and
vacillating he was an old man then
he was not in any sense traltoroDs tic
was bound by the conventions Of con
stitutional construction OF that day,
and by the sacred tenets OF state : rights,
one of the foundations Of the Democratic
party. Nor was there any evidence OF
public sentiment that would have justified
him in employing armed forces III Opposl-
ton TO secession Furthermore. le had
but a small army al his command, and
most of that small army WAS scattered over
a wide stretch Of country, with not sufii-
Gent force to adequately protect the
western frontier against Indians. Nor
did he believe he had uthority under the
Constitution to resort TO severe represslye
measures
The most convincing proof of The
propriety OF President Buchanan's course
during those trying Gays between fovem-
Der, 1860 and March I 1861 was the
fact that President Lincoln, after his
Inauguration, followed precisely the same
course he continued Buchanan policy
OF non-interference until the great overt
act-of open rebellion and defiance to
the authority of he nitcd states govern
ment by the firing upon Fort Sumter
was committed This was slX weeks after
his inauguration Armed rebellion having
thus been precipitated by the South,
President Lincoln Immediately entered
upon the great task Of preserving the
integrity Of the Federal mon and beating
down rebellion, with results that now form
the most important chapter Of our nations
history.
The Buchanan monument is 10 be
erected from fund for the purpose left
by his niece, Harriet Lane, later Mrs.
Harriet Lane Johnston, who presided over
the White House during his administra-
ton, Buchanan being a bachelor. This
funds now amounts TO about 100000.
1t is believed the bill will pass the Senate,
despite the virulent opposition, and the
Buchanan monument be allowed a site
within the limits of the National Capital
There is no reason why this privilege
should not be granted