Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

For the new president from Secretary of War, Joseph Holt

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A letter to the new president on Major Anderson and Fort Sumter. War Department, March 5, 1861. Sir,–I have the honor to submit for your consideration several letters with inclosures received on yesterday from Major Anderson and Captain Forster of the Corps of Engineers, which are of a most important and unexpected character. Why they [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

A Frank Answer

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Hon. A. G. Jenkins, Member of Congress from Virginia, informed why a Route Agent in his District was removed. Post-office Department, February 22, 1861. Dear Sir,–Your letter of the 20th inst. is received, requesting ” distinct and specific answers” to the following interrogatories,–viz.: 1. What are the grounds of the removal of Thomas J. West, [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Sumter will eventually be taken.—Postmaster General Horatio King on a Cabinet meeting.

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From Horatio King’s diary: February 19.–In Cabinet to-day the principal matter presented was an inquiry from Major Anderson, in charge of Fort Sumter, at Charleston, what he should do in the event of the floating battery understood to have been constructed at Charleston being towed toward the fort with the evident purpose of attack. The [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Removal of Beauregard from command.

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The Presidents reply to Senator Slidell’s query on Major Beauregard being relieved of command at West Point. Washington, January 29, 1861. My Dear Sir,–With every sentiment of personal friendship and regard, I am obliged to say, in answer to your note of Sunday, that I have full confidence in the Secretary of War, and his [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Interesting answer on member of Congress’s postage privilege by acting Postmaster General Horatio King.

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Post-office Department, January 28,1861. Sir,–In answer to your letter of the 24th instant, asking if you have the right, “under existing relations,” to frank and distribute certain public documents, I have the honor to state that the theory of the administration is that the relations of South Carolina to the general Government have been in [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Beauregard relieved of command.—A letter sent to President Buchanan by Beauregard’s brother-in-law, Senator Slidell, to whom he owed his appointment.

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Washington, January 27,1861. MY Dear Sir,—I have seen in the Star, and heard from other parties, that Major Beauregard, who had been ordered to West Point as Superintendent of the Military Academy, and had entered on the discharge of his duties there, had been relieved from his command. May I take the liberty of asking [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Franking question posed to acting Postmaster General Horatio King.

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John Durant Ashmore

Honorable John D. Ashmore, Member of Congress from South Carolina, asks if he has the Right to the Franking Privilege, now that South Carolina has passed an Ordinance of Secession. Anderson, S. C., Jan. 24, 1861. My Dear Sir,–I have in my possession some one thousand to twelve hundred volumes of ” public documents,” being [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

“The transfers in specie have attracted attention and produced a good deal of unpleasant speculation.”—Horatio King, Postmaster General at the end of the Buchanan Administration

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(Confidential.) New York, Jan. 8,1861. My Dear Sir,–Why is money to very large amounts being transferred to Washington? It may be all right, but it is unusual. Nearly a million of dollars has been sent on in specie within the last week. I write you in confidence. Are these transfers made by order of the [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

John A. Dix: “The feeling here is strong and undivided in regard to sustaining the administration in its determination to stand by Major Anderson…,”

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(Private.) New York, Jan. 3, 1861. My Dear Sir,–I have been so pressed with outside business during the last ten days (trying to save the Union) that I have been unable to write to you. The first time we began to breathe freely was when Mr. Holt took Governor Floyd’s place in the War Department. [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

“The plan contemplates forcible opposition to Mr. Lincoln’s inauguration.”

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Thomas Holiday Hicks

Governor Hicks, on the 3d of January, issued an address to the people of Maryland, in which he said:I have been repeatedly warned by persons having the opportunity to know, and who are entitled to the highest confidence, that the secession leaders in Washington have resolved that the Border States, and especially Maryland, shall be [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

“The question now is union or disunion.”—Horatio King (soon to be Postmaster General for the last part of the Buchanan Administration)

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Washington, Dec. 30,1860. My Dear Sir,—I rejoice to learn that the disunionists failed yesterday in their impudent and insulting demand that the administration should remove Major Anderson or otherwise degrade him. It is every day becoming more and more apparent that they are determined, as far as lies in their power, to make use of [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

President James Buchanan.—”No time for resolutions of kindness.”

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(Private.) Washington, 22d December, 1860. My Dear Sir,—I have received your favor of the 20th inst, and rejoice to learn the change of public sentiment in your city. Still secession is far in advance of reaction, and several of the cotton States will be out of the Union before anything can be done to check [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

A Letter from Franklin Pierce

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Concord, N. H., Dec. 6,1860. My Dear Sir,–Your letter of November 30 I found here on my return from Hillsboro yesterday, and also several northern papers containing my letter to Secretary Thompson. Since the action of the Vermont Legislature upon the report of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, declaring the ‘personal liberty [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

The Blackness is Gathering so Fast…

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Letter to Horatio King from an ex-President Andover, Mass., November 28,1860. My Dear Sir,—I have received your kind, earnest letter, and participate strongly in your apprehensions. To my vision the political horizon shuts down close and darkly. It may be that light is to break ‘through somewhere, but I do not discern the quarter whence [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

An Hour with the President

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P. O. Dept., Appt. Office, November 27, 1860. My Dear Sir,—Our chief clerk, Mr. Clements, and myself had an hour with the President last evening, and our interview was most satisfactory. Mr. C. has just returned from Tennessee, and brings good news from that State to the effect that nearly everybody there is opposed to [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Repugnance to Visiting Washington

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(Unofficial.) P. O., New York, November 27, 1860. My Dear Sir,—It is impossible for me to leave here at this moment, and I have an insuperable repugnance to a visit to Washington. On receipt of your letter I sat down to write to the President, but constant interruptions prevented me from finishing it. Besides I [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Beset by Secessionists

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(Confidential.) P. O. Dept., November 25,1860. My Dear Sir,—I have good reason to believe that the President is beset by secessionists, who are almost exclusively occupying his attention; and it is important that the true friends of the Union should do all in their power to strengthen his hands. Why will you not either write [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King

Secession in the Cabinet

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(Confidential.) P. O. Department, Appt. Office, November 23, 1860. My Dear Sir,—Your private note of yesterday is received. I have shown it to the Postmaster-General. I am told both the President and Mr. Cobb are under a good deal of excitement. I have no doubt the friends of the President are determined to know whether [...]

Turning on the Light: A Dispassionate Survey of President Buchanan’s Administration, From 1860 to its Close, by Horatio King