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17]
Conspiracy was not confined to
South Carolina or the
Cotton States; unfortunately, it had established itself in the highest official circles of the national administration.
Three members of
President Buchanan's cabinet-Cobb of
Georgia,
Secretary of the Treasury,
Floyd of
Virginia,
Secretary of War, and
Thompson of
Mississippi,
Secretary of the Interiorhad become ardent and active disunionists.
Grouped about these three principal traitors were a number of subordinate and yet influential functionaries, all forming together a central secession cabal, working, in daily and flagrant violation of their official oaths, to promote the success of the
Southern conspiracy.
After the meeting of Congress, on the first Monday of December, the
Senators and Representatives from the
Cotton States were in
Washington to counsel, prompt, and assist this cabinet cabal, and the
President was subjected to the double influence of insidious suggestion from within, and personal pressure from without his administration, acting in regulated concert.
No taint of disloyal purpose or thought appears to attach to
President Buchanan; but his condition of mind predisposed him in a remarkable degree to fall under the controlling influence of his disloyal counsellors.
He possessed the opposing qualities of feeble will and stubborn prejudice; advancing years and decreasing vigor added to his irresolution
