War of the Rebellion; Or, Scylla and Charybdis: Consisting of Observations ... - Henry Stuart Foote - Google Knjige

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garded as needlessly endangering the Union.-Fierce Opposition to the

Compromise Measures on the Part both of Extremists of the North and

Extremists of the South.-Terrible Struggle over the Omnibus Bill in

the Senate, which is finally broken into Fragments mainly by the In-

discretion of its own Friends, but the integral Portions of which finally

pass both Houses.-The Country quieted under the Influence of this

Measure.-Sage and firm Conduct of President Fillmore in causing the

Compromise Enactments to be every where faithfully executed.-Cel-

ebrated Rescue Case in Massachusetts, and interesting Proceedings in

Congress in Connection therewith.....

Country completely restored to Quiet under the Compromise Measures,

except in several of the Southern States.-Exciting Contest in Georgia

and Mississippi in 1850, '1, upon the Disunion Issue, in both of which

States the Union Cause is finally triumphant.-South Carolina, failing

to obtain co-operative Aid, at last subsides into a State of Quietude.—

The Election of Mr. Pierce to the Presidency as an avowed Supporter

of the Finality Principle, who calls Mr. Davis to the Department of

War, and the Slavery Agitation is at once renewed. Mr. Pierce's

gross Infidelity to his Pledges, by whose Indiscretion and Misconduct

the Conflict of sectional Factions is again revived.—Mr. Douglas un-

fortunately yields to the Counsels addressed to him from various Quar-

ters, and introduces the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Sectional Excitement

greatly increased and intensified by that Measure. - Notice of the De-

cease of Mr. Clay and Mr. Webster, and of their commanding intellect-

ual Powers and interesting Traits of Character.......
.... 169

Excited Struggle in Congress over the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Manly

but ineffectual Opposition to that Bill in Congress.-Regret expressed

at the Disappearance from the public Scene of Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster,

and Mr. Calhoun.-Confident Opinion expressed as to what would have

been Mr. Calhoun's Course had he survived up to our Times.-Fearful

awakening of sectional Excitement both in the South and in the North

under the Influence of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Multiplied Scenes

of Blood and Violence in the Territory of Kansas.-Mr. Pierce and his

Cabinet lose the Confidence of all Men of true Nationality of Sentiment.

-Mr. Pierce defeated in the Cincinnati Democratic Convention by Mr.

Buchanan, who is afterward elected to the Presidency by a plurality

Vote over Fremont and Fillmore.-Mr. Buchanan delivers an Inaugu-

ral Address as President, replete with national Sentiment, which at-

tracts to him the Support of the American Party, and his Administra-

tion grows overwhelmingly popular.-He afterward treacherously vio-

lates all his Promises to the Country under the Threats of Southern Se-

cession Leaders, and his Administration suddenly becomes both odious

and contemptible.-The Democratic Party of the North completely

crushed and broken down by the fatal Lecompton Issue, and the way

surely paved for the Election of a Republican President in 1860.-Re-

view of the State of Parties at that Period.-Some Notice of the Amer-

ican Party and its particular Tenets.-Great Mistake of the Southern

People in not yielding their Support to Mr. Fillmore in 1856.-Some

Notice of the Republican Candidates for President and Vice-President

in 1856, and of certain curious Scenes which took place during the

short period of General Fremont's official Connection with that Body.

-Sketch of General Baker, one of the earliest Victims of the War, and a

recital of certain romantic Occurrences connected with his Residence

in California and Oregon.-Signal Triumph of his extraordinary ora-

torical Powers over popular Excitement and Prejudice.................... Page 192

Some farther Notice of the "Irrepressible Conflict" Theory.—Analysis

of the Condition of Parties at the Time of Mr. Buchanan's Inaugura-

tion.-Statement of the Election Results during the first Year of his

Administration. Historic Recital of some important Facts which

occurred during the Summer of 1857, anterior to Mr. Buchanan's suc-

cumbing to the Dictation of the Secession Leaders.-Efforts to reani-

mate his Courage made at that Period, all of which signally failed.—

Recital of Particulars connected with the Lecompton Struggle in Con-

gress. Some Scenes, both amusing and painful, which at that time had

their progress in Washington.-Remarkable banqueting Scene, in which

Mr. Seward bore the principal Part.—Last Interview between Mr. Bu-

chanan and the Author, in which some startling Revelations were

Conspiracy of certain Senators to defeat the "Little Giant of the West"

in his supposed presidential Aspirations.-Signal Triumph of this Gen-

tleman as a Debater over all Opposition.-Opening of the senatorial

Contest between Mr. Douglas and Mr. Lincoln, of Illinois.-Extraordi-

nary Efforts of Mr. Buchanan and other Individuals of the Democratic

Party to effect Mr. Douglas's Defeat and secure the Election of his Op-

ponent.-Eventual Triumph of Mr. Douglas, who returns to the Senate

to undergo Ostracism at the Hands of Senatorial Democrats in Caucus

under the direction of Mr. Buchanan.-Deep Injury done to the South-

ern Cause by the unjust Course pursued toward Mr. Douglas, which

caused many of this Gentleman's political Supporters in the North to

grow lukewarm in the support of Southern Rights.-Special Causes

which now operated to produce sectional Excitement.—Indecent and

ruffianly Assault upon Mr. Sumner.-Dred Scott Decision.—The South

indiscreetly exultant over it, and the North indignant.—Attempt by

certain Persons in the South to bring about the reopening of the Afri-

can Slave-trade.—Important judicial Contest in Ohio touching the va-

lidity of the Fugitive Slave Law. -Ossawatomie Brown upon a Ram-

page in the Bosom of Virginia as a radical, political, and moral Re-

former, ready to shed Oceans of Blood in defense of universal Free-

dom.-Interesting Debate in the United States Senate on this Subject.

-Impolitic Execution of Brown, by which he was unnecessarily made

a Martyr........

Other Causes of sectional Excitement at this Period.-The Helper Book,

and its unfortunate Discussion in Congress. Resolutions forced

through the Senate, mainly though the Agency of Mr. Davis, of Missis-

sippi, having in View the double Object of destroying Mr. Douglas, and

dragging the Democratic Party into an unnational and aggressive At-

titude.-Movements of William L. Yancey in the Year 1859, and early

in the Year 1860, having in View the breaking up of the Federal Union

in the event of a Republican President being elected.-Efforts in the

South to bring about the Election of Mr. Lincoln, in order to obtain

the desired Object.-Democratic Conventions at Charleston and Balti-

more reviewed.-Leading Incidents of the Presidential Canvass of 1860

and its Results.-Sketch of William L. Yancey

.......................

Movements in the South looking to Secession.-South Carolina takes

the Lead in the Execution of her long-cherished Scheme.-Adoption

of the Ordinance of Secession by that State.-Georgia and the other

Cotton States follow the Lead of South Carolina.-Commendable Ef-

forts in several of the States of the North to moderate Southern Excite-

ment and secure the yielding of reasonable Concessions to the slave-

holding Interests of the South.-Tennessee and the Border States still

remain firm.-Extraordinary Message of Mr. Buchanan to Congress in

the Month of December, 1860, and its unhappy Effect upon public Sen-

timent.-Furious Debate in both Houses of Congress upon the Ques-

tions pending at this Crisis.-All Efforts at Compromise prove abor-

tive.-Unwise and unpatriotic Conduct on the Part of Southern Sena-

tors and Representatives in vacating their Seats in Congress. Page 295

Speculative Views as to the self-defensive Powers of all Governments,

and of the Government of the United States in particular.-View of

the Circumstances existing, so far as the State of Tennessee is con-

cerned, in the Outset of the War, and Vindication of the Conduct of

that State.-View of the Condition of Things existing in Washington

in particular, and of the non-action Policy of Mr. Buchanan.-Notice

of this Gentleman's late Defense of himself.-View of Mr. Lincoln's

moderate and patriotic Conduct after his Election, and Notice of

Speeches made by him at Indianapolis, Pittsburg, and Philadelphia.—

Mr. Lincoln's Inaugural Speech, and commendatory Remarks there-

upon.-Admirably patriotic Speech of Mr. Alexander H. Stephens, of

Georgia, demonstrating the gross Impolicy of Secession.-Some Allu-

sions to the early Movements of the War, and a short Discussion of the

Monroe Doctrine.-Enforcement of that Doctrine the true Means of re-

storing the national Unity and Concord.............
318

Beginning of the War.-Its gross Impolicy.-Mr. Davis and his official

Associates did not comprehend its true Dimensions.-Mr. Davis's sev-

cral exultant Specches after having been made President.-Striking

Declaration made by the Confederate Secretary of War, Leroy Pope

Walker, at Montgomery, Alabama.- Mr. Lincoln's View of the phys-

ical Impracticability of Secession.-Philosophic Views of the Effects of

War in general, and of Civil War in particular.-View of the existing

Condition of Things as the Result of the late War.-Responsible Atti-

tude of President Johnson, and Duty of all good Citizens to sustain

him. Short Explanation of Author's own Attitude in the beginning

of the War.-The Confederate Provisional Congress.-Its extraordi-

nary Harmony and Unanimity, and the Causes thereof.-View of the

permanent Confederate Congress.-Rapid Review of Mr. Davis's Con-

duct as Executive Chief.-Peace Efforts in the Confederate Congress.

-Their signal Failure, and the Causes thereof.-Informal Efforts of

Author, in Connection with many influential Persons of the South, to

make Peace in Spite of Mr. Davis, and, if need be, by a Counter-revo-

lution.-Failure of those Efforts, and probable Causes therefor.-Au-

thor asks Passport across the Ocean, which is granted him.-Close of

the War, and Remarks thereupon......

Observations mainly upon the Facts recited in the preceding Chap-

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