rity, not by brilliancy of achievement. He was a
politician, not a statesman. Of fair ability, and great industry in his
earlier life, the irresolution and passiveness of advancing age and
physical infirmity were now upon him. Though from the free-State of
Pennsylvania, he saw with Southern eyes and heard with Southern ears,
and had convinced himself that the South was acting under the impulse
of resentment arising from deliberate and persistent injuries from the
North.

The fragment of an autograph diary of John B. Floyd, Secretary of
War,[2] affords the exact evidence of the temper in which President
Buchanan officially confronted the rebellion of the Southern States.
The following are extracts from entries, on several days, beginning
with November 7, 1860, the day following the Presidential election:

WASHINGTON CITY, November 7, 1860.

... The President wrote me a note this evening, alluding to a
rumor which reached the city to the effect that an armed force
had attacked and carried the forts in Charleston harbor. He
desired me to visit him, which I did, and assured him that the
rumor was altogether without foundation, and gave it as my
opinion that there was no danger of such an attempt being made.
We entered upon a general conversation upon the subject of
disunion and discussed the probabilities of it pretty fully. We
concurred in the opinion that all indications from the South
looked as if disunion was inevitable. He said that whilst his
reason told him there was great danger, yet his feelings repelled
the conviction of his mind.

Judge Black, the Attorney-General, was present during a part of
the conversation, and indicated an opinion, that any attempt at
disunion by a State should be put down by all the power of the
Government.[3]

November 9 ... A Cabinet meeting was held as usual at I o'clock;
all the members were present, and the President said the business
of the meeting was the most important ever before the Cabinet
since his induction into office. The question, he said, to be
considered and discussed, was as to the course the Administration
should advise him to pursue in relation to the threatening aspect
of affairs in the South, and most particularly in South Carolina.
After a considerable amount of desultory conversation, he asked
the opinions of each member of the Cabinet as to what should be