Posted on 12/08/2020 5:59:51 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
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Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, Lincoln-Douglas, Harper’s Ferry, the election of 1860, secession – all the events leading up to the Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.
Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3911111/posts
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3909150/posts#25
Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3911111/posts#42
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 8, 1860.
MY DEAR SIR: A sense of duty to the State of Georgia requires me to take a step which makes it proper that I should no longer continue to be a member of your Cabinet.
In the troubles of the country consequent upon the late Presidential election, the honor and safety of my State are involved. Her people so regard it, and in their opinion I fully concur. They are engaged in a struggle where the issue is life or death. My friends ask for my views and counsel. Not to respond would be degrading to myself and unjust to them. I have accordingly prepared, and must now issue to them, an address which contains the calm and solemn convictions of my heart and judgment.
The views which I sincerely entertain, and which therefore I am bound to express differ in some respects from your own. The existence of this difference would expose me, if I should remain in my present place, to unjust suspicions, and put you in a false position. The first of these consequences I could bear well enough, but I will not subject you to the last.
My withdrawal has not been occasioned by anything you have said or done. Whilst differing from your Message upon some of its theoretical doctrines, as well as from the hope so earnestly expressed that the Union can yet be preserved, there was no practical result likely to follow which required me to retire from your Administration. That necessity is created by what I feel it my duty to do; and the responsibility of the act, therefore, rests alone upon myself.
To say that I regret — deeply regret — this necessity, but feebly expresses the feeling with which I pen this communication. For nearly four years I have been associated with you as one of your Cabinet officers, and during that period nothing has occurred to mar, even for a moment, our personal and official relations. In the policy and measures of your Administration I have cordially concurred, and shall ever feel proud of the humble place which my name may occupy in its history. If your wise counsels and patriotic warnings had been heeded by your countrymen, the fourth of March next would have found our country happy, prosperous, and united. That it will not be so, is no fault of yours.
The evil has now passed beyond control, and must be met by each and all of us under our responsibility to God and our country. If, as I believe, history will have to record yours as the last administration of our present Union, it will also place it side by side with the purest and ablest of those that preceded it.
With the kindest regards for yourself and the members of your Cabinet, with whom I have been so pleasantly associated.
I am most truly and sincerely, your friend,
HOWELL COBB.
To the PRESIDENT.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p. 517-8; “The Resignation Of Secretary Cobb. The Correspondence,” The New York Times, New York, New York, December 14, 1860.
civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/howell-cobb-to-james-buchanan-december.html
CLIFTON SPRINGS, December 8,1860.
You want to know about every where and what and why and wherefore of our very idle, insignificant life. We go to bed, we get up, we look about, we yawn, stretch, and yawn again. And to this I sometimes add a little coughing. As to weather, we do not have any, or it is so mixed that nobody can tell what it is. The cold I had has either not left me, or it has left me not improved.
The state of the country discomposes and untones everything. What is to be the end of it? I do not exactly like the temper of our Republicans, — The Independent, for example, and The Tribune. There is too much of a provoking uppishness that wants dignity, and can only be mischievous in its effects. My Thanksgiving sermon was on this subject, the same that I delivered on the census a year ago, with some filling added. My conviction of the want of such a view just now has induced me to send it on to Hartford, where it is setting up for the press. You will see it in due time, and I guess will not be displeased by it. If you are, why, then I will secede.
SOURCE: Mary A. Bushnell Cheney, Editor, Life and Letters of Horace Bushnell, p. 442
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/horace-bushnell-december-8-1860.html
Magwitch confessing he stole the food and drink from the Gargery household to spare Pip.
Damn YouTube did not copy and paste properly. Below is the correct clip with Ralph Fiennes as Magwich.
Hi Professor.
Sad. I thought I was reading a current newspaper.
A 160 year difference chronologically, but today’s zeitgeist.
5.56mm
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3911111/posts#3
Bruce Catton, The Coming Fury
Continued from December 2 (reply #17).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3911111/posts#17
With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
TO HIS EXCELLENCY JAMES BUCHANAN,
President of the United States.
In compliance with our statement to you yesterday, we now express to you our strong convictions that neither the constituted authority nor any body of the people of the State of South Carolina will either attack or molest the United States forts in the harbor of Charleston previous to the act of the Convention, and, we hope and believe, not until an offer has been made through an accredited representative to negotiate for an amicable arrangement of all matters between the State and the Federal Government; provided that no reinforcement shall be sent into those forts, and their relative military status shall remain as at present.
(Signed.)
JOHN McQUEEN.
WILLIAM PORCHER MILES.
M. L. BONHAM.
W. W. BOYCE.
LAWRENCE M. KEITT.
WASHINGTON, 9th December, 1860.
SOURCE: Samuel Wylie Crawford, The Genesis of the Civil War: The Story of Sumter, 1860-1861, p. 38-9
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/01/john-mcqueen-et-al-to-james-buchanan.html
To His Excellency James Buchanan,
President of the United States:
In compliance with our statement to you yesterday, we now express to you our strong convictions that neither the constituted authorities, nor any body of the people of the State of South Carolina, will either attack or molest the United States Forts, in the harbor of Charleston, previously to the action of the Convention, and we hope and believe, not until an offer has been made, through an accredited representative, to negotiate for an amicable arrangement of all matters between the State and the Federal Government, provided that no reinforcements shall be sent into those forts, and their relative military status shall remain as at present.
JNO. MCQUEEN,
WM. PORCHER MILES,
M. L. BONHAM,
W. W. BOYCE,
LAWRENCE M. KEITT.
Washington, 9th Dec, 1860.
SOURCE: The Correspondence Between the Commissioners of the State of So. Ca. to the Government at Washington and the President of the United States, p. 7
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/07/commissioners-of-state-of-south_23.html
Poor planning on my part. I posted the same document three times. Once in #9 and twice in #12.
They were wrong about this, as we will see in April.
Continued from November 19 (reply #11).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3906799/posts#11
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals
Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher
Continued from November 8 (reply #34).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3901270/posts#34
Mary Chesnut’s Diary, Edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta Lockett Avary
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Team of Rivals at reply #15
Letter from Lincoln at #16
Mary B. Chesnut diary entry at #17
George Templeton Strong at #18
and Major Sedgwick still out in the wilds of Colorado here, along with Pres. Buchanan's reply to his departing Treasury Secretary.
FORT WISE, December 10, 1860.
My dear sister:
Our winter of discontent has not as yet been made glorious by a mail, although the sun has favoured us almost daily for the last four months.
A messenger starts to-day for Denver City, and I will direct this to him, trusting that it may reach you in the course of the winter. Does it not seem strange that you can send and receive answers to letters from Europe sooner than from this post, even under the most favourable circumstances? I have nothing important to write. The only event we look forward for is for fair weather to help us finish our quarters. So far we have little to complain of, and two weeks more will enable us to shelter ourselves from the uncertainty of the storms that sometimes do occur here. Yesterday a snow-storm came up that foreboded a violent one, but this morning the sun came out, bright and pleasant, and the snow, although in considerable quantity, is fast disappearing, and by to-morrow we can resume our work. The hunters are all out after deer and antelope, and with any luck will get enough to last a month at least.
If we receive no mail, we escape the excitement and turmoil of the election, that seems to have disturbed everything in the States, if it has not broken you to pieces. We have heard of Mr. Lincoln's election and the probable difficulty he will experience, if not direct opposition, to his inauguration. It seems lamentable that this Union that we have boasted of and glorified so much should be broken up, but I hope our next news will be more satisfactory. How a disruption will affect me I cannot foresee; probably would result in my leaving the service at once. I do not feel quite ready to do this, but when I am ready I want to, in looking back, if I have any cause of regret, have no one to blame but myself.
Believe me, as ever,
JOHN SEDGWICK.
SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 29-30
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/05/major-john-sedgwick-to-his-sister_15.html
WASHINGTON, 10 December, 1860.
MY DEAR SIR: I have received your communication of Saturday evening resigning the position of Secretary of the Treasury which you have held since the commencement of my administration. Whilst I deeply regret that you have determined to separate yourself from us at the present critical moment, yet I admit that the question was one for your own decision. I could have wished you had arrived at a different conclusion, because our relations both official and personal have ever been of the most friendly and confidential character. I may add that I have been entirely satisfied with the ability and zeal which you have displayed in performing the duties of your important office.
Cordially reciprocating your sentiments of personal regard, I remain, very respectfully, your friend.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Hon. HOWELL COBB.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p. 518; “The Resignation Of Secretary Cobb. The Correspondence,” The New York Times, New York, New York, December 14, 1860.
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/james-buchanan-to-howell-cobb-december.html
Major Sedgwick is discovering that in a Colorado winter it can be snowing one day and warm and sunny the next.
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