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officers in the execution of their legal functions, and against those who assail the property of the
Federal Government;” yet he refused to support these brave words by corresponding dutiful action, and cast the whole responsibility of meeting the great peril upon Congress, at the same time suggesting to it the propriety of yielding to the demands of the disloyal Oligarchy, by adopting, substantially, the
Crittenden Compromise.
Mr. Buchanan seemed determined to get through with the remainder of his term of office as quietly as possible, and as innocent of all offense toward the conspirators as “a decent respect for the opinions of mankind” would allow.
1 In his efforts to please his “Southern friends,” he sometimes omitted to be just.
While the country was ringing with plaudits for
Major Anderson, because of his gallant and useful conduct at
Fort Sumter, and
Lieutenant-General Scott asked the
President to show his regard for the faithful soldier, and act as “the interpreter of the wish of millions” by nominating
Anderson for the rank of lieutenant-colonel by brevet, for his “wise and heroic transfer of the garrison of
Fort Moultrie to
Fort Sumter;” also by nominating him for the rank of colonel by brevet, “for his gallant maintenance of the latter fort, under severe hardships, with but a handful of men, against the threats and summons of a formidable army,”
2 the
President, who might, in that act, have won back much of the lost respect of his countrymen, refused, saying in substance :--“I leave that for my successor to do.”
And with a seeming desire to maintain his inoffensive position toward the conspirators, he pursued a timorous and vacillating policy, which greatly embarrassed his loyal counselors, and paralyzed their efforts to strengthen the ship of State, so as to meet safely the shock of the impending tempest.
Notwithstanding his efforts to please his “Southern friends,” they would not allow the current of the
President's official life to flow smoothly on, after
Holt and.
Dix, loyal Democrats, became his counselors.
They would not trust him with such advisers at his ear. It has been said that he “preached like a patriot, but practised like a traitor.”
His preaching offended and alarmed them, especially the
South Carolina politicians, for its burden was against the dignity of their “Sovereign nation.”
While
Sumter was in possession of National troops, they felt that
South Carolina was insulted and her sovereignty and independence were denied.
So, on the 11th of January, two days after the attack on the
Star of the West,
Governor Pickens, as we have observed,
3 sent
A. G. Magrath and
D. F. Jamison, of his Executive Council, to demand its surrender to the authorities of the
State.
Major Anderson refused to give it up, and referred the matter to the
President; whereupon
Pickens sent
Isaac W. Hayne, the
Attorney-General of the
State, in company with
Lieutenant Hall, of
Anderson's command, to
Washington City, to present the same demand to the
National Executive.
Hayne bore a letter from the
Governor to the
President, in which the former declared, that the demand for surrender was suggested because of his “earnest desire to avoid the bloodshed which a persistence in the attempt to retain possession ”