Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion

by James Buchanan

Overview

Throughout his administration, Buchanan was constantly plagued with the issues of slavery. This book details the rising conflict within the nation as Southern slave holding states argued with Northern abolitionists and Anti-Slavery societies as to whether or not slavery should continue in the United States. The following historical narrative of the events preceding the late rebellion was prepared soon after its outbreak, substantially in the present form.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582181790
Publisher:	Digital Scanning, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/01/2000
Pages:	300
Sales rank:	460,594
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

Table of Contents

Chapter I.9
	The rise and progress of Anti-Slavery agitation
	The Higher Law
	Anti-Slavery Societies
	Their formation and proceedings
	Their effect destructive of State Emancipation
	The case in Virginia
	Employment of the Post Office to circulate incendiary publications and pictures among the slaves
	Message of General Jackson to prohibit this by law
	His recommendation defeated
	The Pulpit, the Press, and other agencies
	Abolition Petitions
	The rise of an extreme Southern Pro-Slavery party
	The Fugitive Slave Law of 1793, and the case of Prigg vs. Pennsylvania, and its pernicious effects
	The South threaten Secession
	The course of Mr. Buchanan as Senator
	The Wilmot Proviso and its consequences
	The Union in serious danger at the meeting of Congress in December, 1849
Chapter II.21
	Meeting of Congress in December, 1849
	The five Acts constituting the Compromise of September, 1850
	Elect of the Compromise in allaying excitement
	Whig and Democratic Platforms indorse it
	President Pierce's happy reference to it in his Message of December, 1853
	The repeal of the Missouri Compromise reopens the slavery agitation
	Its passage in March, 1820, and character
	Its recognition by Congress in 1845, on the Annexation of Texas
	The history of its repeal
	This repeal gives rise to the Kansas troubles
	Their nature and history
	The Lecompton Constitution and proceedings of Congress upon it
	The Republican party greatly strengthened
	Decision of the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case
	Repudiated by the Republican party and by the Douglas Democracy
	Sustained by the old Democracy
	The Kansas and Nebraska Act
	The policy and practice of Congress toward the Territories
	Abuse of President Buchanan for pot adhering to the Cincinnati Platform without foundation
Chapter III.57
	Senator Seward
	The "Irrepressible Conflict"
	Helper's "Impending Crisis"
	The John Brown Raid
	The nature of Fanaticism
	The Democratic National Convention at Charleston
	Its proceedings and adjournment to Baltimore
	Reassembling at Baltimore and proceedings there
	Its breaking up and division into the Douglas and the Breckinridge Conventions
	Proceedings of each
	Review of the whole and the effect on the South
Chapter IV.86
	The heresy of Secession
	Originated in New England
	Maintained by Josiah Quincy and the Hartford Convention, by Mr. Rawle and Mr. John Quincy Adams, but opposed by the South
	Southern Secession dates from South Carolina Nullification
	Its character and history
	The Compromise Tariff of 1833
	The Nullifiers agitate for Secession
	Mr. Calhoun
	Mr. Cobb against it
	Warnings of the Democratic party
	They are treated with contempt
	Secession encouraged by the Republicans
	The Cotton States led to believe they would be allowed to depart in peace
	President Buchanan warned them against this delusion
Chapter V.99
	General Scott's "Views" and the encouragement they afforded to the cotton States to secede
	Their publication by him in the "National Intelligencer"
	His recommendation in favor of four distinct Confederacies
	His recommendation to reenforce nine of the Southern forts, and the inadequacy of the troops
	The reason of this inadequacy
	The whole army required on the frontiers
	The refusal of Congress to increase it
	Our fortifications necessarily left without sufficient garrisons for want of troops
	The President's duty to refrain from any hostile act against the cotton States, and smooth the way to a compromise
	The rights of those States in no danger from Mr. Lincoln's election
	Their true policy was to cling to the Union
Chapter VI.108
	Mr. Lincoln's election to the Presidency
	Its danger to the Union
	Warnings of the President and his trying position
	His policy in the emergency, and the reasons for it
	His supreme object the preservation of the Union
	Meeting of Congress, and the hostility of the two parties toward each other
	The wrongs of the South
	How rash and causeless would be rebellion in the cotton States
	The right of secession discussed and denied in the Message
	The President's position defined
	Question of the power to coerce a State
	Distinction between the power to wage war against a State, and the power to execute the laws against individuals
	Views of Senator (now President) Johnson, of Tennessee
	President Buchanan's solemn appeal in favor of the Union
	His estrangement from the secession leaders
	Cessation of all friendly intercourse between him and them
Chapter VII.134
	Refusal of Congress to act either with a view to conciliation or defence
	The Senate Committee of Thirteen and its proceedings
	Mr. Crittenden submits his Compromise to the Committe
	Its nature
	The Committee unable to agree
	Testimony of Messrs. Douglas and Toombs that the Crittenden Compromise would have arrested secession in the cotton States
	Mr. Crittenden proposes to refer his amendment to the people of the several States by an act of ordinary legislation
	His remarks in its favor
	Proceedings thereon
	Expression of public opinion in its favor
	President Buchanan recommends it
	Recommendation disregarded and proposition defeated by the Clark amendment
	Observations thereon
	Peace Convention proposed by Virginia
	Its meeting and proceedings
	Amendment to the Constitution reported by Mr. Guthrie, chairman of the committee
	Its modification on motion of Mr. Franklin, and final adoption by the Convention
	Virginia and North Carolina vote with Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont against it
	Its rejection by the United States Senate
	The House of Representatives refuse even to receive it
	Every Republican member in both branches of Congress opposed to it
Chapter VIII.153
	Congress passes no measures to enable the President to execute the laws or defend the Government
	They decline to revive the authority of the Federal Judiciary in South Carolina, suspended by the resignation of all the judicial officers
	They refuse authority to call forth the militia or accept volunteers, to suppress insurrections against the United States, and it was never proposed to grant an appropriation for this purpose
	The Senate declines throughout the entire session to act upon the nomination of a Collector of the Port of Charleston
	Congress refuses to grant to the President the authority long since expired, which had been granted to General Jackson for the collection of the revenue
	The 36th Congress expires, leaving the law just as they found it
	General observations
Chapter IX.162
	The forts in Charleston harbor
	Conduct toward them and the reasons for it
	To guard against surprise reenforcements ready
	Instructions to Major Anderson
	Interview with South Carolina members
	General Scott again recommends the garrisoning of all the forts
	Reasons against it
	The compromise measures still depending
	Want of troops
	Observations on General Scott's report to President Lincoln
	His letter to Secretary Seward, and the manner in which it, with the report, was brought to light and published
	Mr. Buchanan's reply to the report
	General Scott's statement of the interview with President Buchanan on 15th December, and observations thereupon
	The example of General Jackson in 1833, and why it was inapplicable
Chapter X.180
	South Carolina adopts an ordinance of secession, and appoints Commissioners to treat with the General Government
	Their arrival in Washington
	Major Anderson's removal from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter
	The President's interview with the Commissioners, who demand a surrender of all the forts
	His answer to this demand
	Their insolent reply, and its return to them
	Its presentation to the Senate by Mr. Davis
	Secretary Floyd requested to resign
	He resigns and becomes a secessionist
	Fort Sumter threatened
	The Brooklyn ordered to carry reenforcements to the fort
	The Star of the West substituted at General Scott's instance
	She is fired upon
	Major Anderson demands of Governor Pickens a disavowal of the act
	The Governor demands the surrender of the fort
	The Major proposes to refer the question to Washington
	The Governor accepts
	The truce
	Colonel Hayne and Lieutenant Hall arrive in Washington on the 13th January
	Letter from Governor Pickens not delivered to the President until the 31st January
	The answer to it
	Colonel Hayne's insulting reply
	It is returned to him
	Virginia sends Mr. Tyler to the President with a view to avoid hostilities
	His arrival in Washington and his proposals
	Message of the President
Chapter XI.209
	Fort Sumter again
	An expedition prepared to relieve it
	The expedition abandoned on account of a despatch from Major Anderson
	Mr. Holt's letter to President Lincoln
	Fort Pickens in Florida
	Its danger from the rebels
	The Brooklyn ordered to its relief
	The means by which it was saved from capture approved by General Scott and Messrs. Holt and Toucey, with the rest of the Cabinet
	Refutation of the charge that arms had been stolen
	Report of the Committee on Military Affairs and other documentary evidence
	The Southern and Southwestern States received less than their quota of arms
	The Pittsburg cannon
	General Scott's unfounded claim to the credit of preventing their shipment to the South
	Removal of old muskets
	Their value
	Opinion of Mr. Holt in regard to the manner in which President Buchanan conducted the administration
Chapter XII.231
	The reduction of the expenses of the Government under Mr. Buchanan's administration
	The Expedition to Utah
	The Covode Committee
Chapter XIII.258
	The successful foreign policy of the administration with Spain, Great Britain, China, and Paraguay
	Condition of the Mexican Republic; and the recommendations to Congress thereupon not regarded, and the effect
	The treaty with Mexico not ratified by the Senate, and the consequences
	The origin, history, and nature of the "Monroe Doctrine."