DEAR SIR: FROM GENERAL DIX.1 NEW YORK 24 April 1861. As Chairman of a Committee of citizens having the war in charge, every moment of my time is engrossed; and I have only time to thank you for your kind and important letter. It reached me just as I was going to the great meeting on Saturday. I enclose a paper giving my remarks. You will see the use I have made of your letter. I had no time to correct, add, or abridge, as my remarks were in type before I left the stand, and, indeed, were in circulation in the streets. There was one passage in your letter I was very anxious to read to the meeting. I have never taken a liberty with a private letter, though I was never so strongly tempted. The sentence I allude to is this: "The present administration had no alternative but to accept the war initiated by South Carolina or the Southern Confederacy. The North will sustain the administration almost to a man; and it ought to be sustained at all hazards." May I use the foregoing, if I think it proper & a fit occasion presents itself? Many of our political friends express great gratification at the statement your letter enabled me to make. I will write more fully in a few days, and am, with sincere respect & regard, Your friend, JOHN A. DIX. HON. JAMES BUCHANAN. P. S. The Republicans here have behaved very well. They placed me at the head of the Committee on Resolutions, and gave a majority of the Committee to us. The Resolutions, with one exception, were drawn by me. TO GENERAL DIX.2 WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, April 25, 1861. MY DEAR GENERAL: I have just received your favor of yesterday, with the New York Times containing your remarks as president of the great Union meeting. They were excellent and appropriate, and I am 1 Buchanan Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Curtis's Buchanan, II. 543. 2 Curtis's Buchanan, II. 544. much indebted to you for them. I had read them before in the Sunday Herald. Since the day and hour that I delivered my message, on the 3d December last, I have never departed from it for a single. moment. The argument which it contained against secession, and the determination it expressed to collect the revenue and protect the property of the United States, produced an instantaneous alienation of the Southern Senators. After my difficulties with the South Carolina commissioners, this became a violent and settled hostility, and I was openly denounced by them on the floor of the Senate. Supposing that Fort Sumter would then be attacked, the expedition of the Star of the West was organized and prepared by General Scott. Before it sailed, however, information was received from Major Anderson and some other sources, I do not recollect what, which, in the opinion of the Secretaries of War and of the Navy and General Scott, rendered it unnecessary. was then countermanded by General Scott; but the countermand did not reach New York until after it had sailed. But you know all this. It I have no doubt of the loyalty and good faith of Major Anderson. His forbearance must be attributed to his desire of preserving peace and avoiding a hostile collision. When the Major, in a firm and patriotic manner, refused to surrender the fort to Beauregard, it seems he informed him that his provisions would last but a few days. What an outrage it was, after this information, to fire on the fort! I remain, most truly, Your friend, JAMES BUCHANAN. P. S. In regard to the sentences in my letter, it might have been well, and I think it would have been, to read them. It is now probably too late, unless another good opportunity would seem to justify. MY DEAR SIR/ TO MR. BAKER.1 WHEATLAND 26 April 1861. What on earth has become of my friends in Philadelphia? It is some time since I have heard from any of them. But almost every day I receive violent, insulting, & threatening anonymous letters from that City. Now I am not easily moved; but I should like to know whether I am in danger of a personal attack from there, so that I may be prepared to meet it. They know not what they would do; because when my record is presented to the world, all will be clear as light. In Lancaster there was at first considerable feeling against me; but that has subsided very fast. My old friends seem to be faithful & true. The speech of General Dix at New York threw some light upon the subject & had a happy effect here. This, united with General Twiggs' threatening letter, at once arrested the tide. Has the speech of General Dix been published in any of the Philadelphia papers? My old friend, James M. Hopkins, has not been near me since my return, & I am told he is very bitter. The officers, &, I may add, the men of the two Ohio Regiments here have the most friendly dispositions. Great numbers of them have visited me. I receive the kindest letters from New York. Is there any danger of disturbances to the public peace in Philadelphia? What has become of Judge Black? I know not where he is. He may be still in Somerset. I wrote to him there at his own. request some time ago; but have received no answer. The attack on Fort Sumter was an outrageous act. The authorities at Charleston were several times warned by my administration that such an attack would be civil war & would be treated as such. If it had been made in my time, it should have been treated as such. From your friend as ever JAMES BUCHANAN. JOSEPH B. BAKER, ESQUIRE. 'Buchanan Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Curtis's Buchanan, II. 545. TO MRS. GWIN.1 WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, May 4, 1861. MY DEAR MADAM: I have received your favor of the 26th ult., after having been many days on the way, and most sincerely and deeply sympathize with you. Still, I believe your imagination has magnified the difficulties of your situation, and you will not be exposed to the dangers you apprehend. You have had a checkered life, and I still trust your last days may be peaceful and happy. The assault upon Fort Sumter has made us unanimous throughout the North. I often predicted that such would be the effect of so mad and reckless an enterprise. The spirit of the North has been thoroughly aroused, and they will go ahead until secession shall be suppressed and the Union restored. I am truly sorry that your son has joined the Confederate Army. California was his State, and even upon the principles of false honor, which have actuated so many, he might therefore have remained at West Point. We live here very much in retirement. All social visiting is at an end. Men, women, and children are all engaged in warlike pursuits. Miss Lane seems to be quite contented, and has changed her mode of life with remarkable facility. desires me to convey her love to you and say she has received letter and will answer it soon. your She Why have you changed your purpose of returning to California? It appears to me that this was and would be your natural course. You do not like to pass through Virginia, and I do not wonder at this. I shall ever feel the deepest interest in your prosperity and happiness. We may never meet again, but I shall ever remember with heartfelt pleasure the many happy hours we have passed together in other and better days. With sentiments of sincere regard I remain, always your friend, MRS. M. E. GWIN. JAMES BUCHANAN. 'Henry's Messages of Buchanan, 304-306. MY DEAR SIR/ TO MR. STANTON.1 WHEATLAND, 6 May, 1861. The last two letters which I received from you are both dated on the 12th April & were acknowledged by me on the 17th. I have heard nothing either from yourself or Mr. Holt since the assault upon Fort Sumter. That you have written I entertain not a doubt, because you were to keep me advised of anything of interest which might transpire at Washington. The mails have been very irregular. Whether our friend Holt is in Washington or in Kentucky or whereabout is unknown to this deponent. Black is somewhere, as quiet as a mouse. The first gun fired by Beauregard aroused the indignant spirit of the North as nothing else could have done, & made us a unanimous people. I had repeatedly warned them that this would be the result. I had supposed & believed that it would be the policy of Mr. Lincoln's administration to yield to the popular impulse & banish, at least for the present, all party distinctions. In this I have been most probably mistaken. I judge from the answer of Mr. Seward, Junr., to an inquiry propounded to him about some arrangement with the enemy, in which he goes out of his way to say that the days for such things had passed away since the 4th of March. I suppose he alludes to the arrangement made not to land the forces but merely the supplies at Fort Pickens whilst the Peace Convention were in session unless the revolutionists should manifest a disposition to assail it. I have not got in my possession copies of the orders issued by Messrs. Holt & Toucey on that occasion, with the full approbation of Gen. Scott. If Mr. Holt be in Washington, I would thank you to obtain from him a copy of this military order. I shall write to Mr. Toucey to-day for a copy of the naval order. Upon re-examination of the whole course of my administration from the 6th November, 1860, I can find nothing to regret. I shall at all times be prepared to defend it. The Southern Senators became cold after my message of the 3d December & 1 Buchanan Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Curtis's Buchanan, II. 545. |