will cover organization, armament, equipment, training, and supply in the United States, organization and final training in Europe, work of the service of supply there, and finally, demobilization in Europe and the United States.

V. Military operations, five volumes. It is believed that these will be sufficient to cover the services of the combatant forces of the United States in the various theatres of operation.

VI. Military occupation. This will probably be covered in one volume, but at present, with the uncertainty of the situation, it is obviously impossible to assign definitely the number of volumes.

In addition there will be a pictorial history of the war, containing reproductions of the more important of the large number of photographs which have been taken by military photographers in the theatre of operations and in the rear of the line. This series will cover not only operations but equipment and matériel. Men of to-day

will be interested in trying to distinguish themselves in groups on the French front, but posterity will be more interested in knowing exactly how the monstrous guns of to-day were used and how they looked, what the clothing and equipment of the armies were, and similar matters. We do not really know all this for even our Civil War; we have rather vague ideas on the subject for our wars prior to it; but this pictorial history will give us the opportunity to preserve this information in ordered and considered classification.

The plan which has been set forth will enable us to issue a detailed story of the war and of the activities behind the theatres of operation. It is probable that many of our statements and conclusions will be subject to revision. The subject is so vast and so much is still held as confidential abroad that where the activities of the United States and of the belligerents with which we are co-operating coincide there must inevitably be a field but imperfectly lighted. It will be many years before this field is brought under complete illumination, but after all in writing we shall be only secondarily concerned with the activities of the other belligerents. Our primary interest is in the war activities of the United States, and, with the material which is at our disposal and with our access to sources necessarily closed to general investigators, it will be our fault if we do not produce a clear and accurate statement of the play of the forces with which we deal.

We, however, make no claim that we any subject. That claim would be idle. and private drawers still to be opened.

shall say the last word upon There are too many safes Furthermore, the history

which we have planned will not take the place of the more detailed

and intimate stories of the activities of units both military and civil in this great war. We do, however, believe that our work will tie them together and serve as what may be called a general map of the subject. We realize that the preparation of such detailed accounts is both inevitable and expedient, and, as we conceive the functions of the Historical Branch of the General Staff, its duty will be to aid and facilitate the research necessary for their preparation, and to inform those engaged in writing them where material can be obtained and the use which is permitted under the regulations of the government.

JOHN R. M. TAYLOR, Colonel, U. S. A.

DOCUMENTS

Diary and Memoranda of William L. Marcy, 1857

[THE following entries in Marcy's diary, running from March 4 to April 6, 1857, are, like the entries of 1849-1851 which were. printed in our April number (pp. 444-462, ante), supplied by Professor Thomas M. Marshall from the manuscript in the possession of Professor Charles S. Sperry. In volume LXXVII. of the Marcy Papers in the Library of Congress there is a copy of these entries. That manuscript also contains entries for April 9, 14, 17, and 18, 1857, and these have been added to Mr. Marshall's text and printed below. The further entries, however, May 14 to July 1, contain nothing of political or historical importance. ED.]

4th Mar 57. The ceremony of inauguration of Jas Buchanan is now going on. I am prevented from being present by lameness. The last rumour is that the cabinet [is not completed]. The Prest is reported to be vacilating in the choice between Clifford of Maine and Toucey of Conn. Mr. B. has had a full and fair opportunity to ascertain between the character of the two men, and there should be no hesitation in making the selection between the two. There is no political complication to embarrass the choice. Not so I apprehend in regard to the office of P. M. Genl. The correctness of the anticipated praise of the New President for decision of character seems to be thrown into some doubt by his course in regard to the composition of his Cabinet.1

1 Nathan Clifford of Maine had been Attorney General, 1846-1848, in Polk's Cabinet, in which Buchanan had been Secretary of State; upon nomination by Buchanan he became a justice of the Supreme Court in January, 1858, and served as such till his death in 1881. Isaac Toucey of Connecticut had been Clifford's successor as Attorney General under Polk, 1848-1849, and was Secretary of the Navy under Buchanan, 1857-1861. The facts now known bear out Marcy's allegations as to Buchanan's vacillation. On February 17 Senator Bigler writes to him from Washington, "The impression is general here today that your Cabinet will be composed of the following names: to wit, Messrs. Cass, Cobb, Toucey, Jones, J. W. Thompson, Brown of Tennessee, and Floyd of Virginia." Jones, Life and Public Services of J. Glancy Jones, I. 349. On that same day Buchanan writes Jones that the latter will not be in the Cabinet: "I have finally determined on all the members of the Cabinet except the Attorney-General; and it may be desirable under all circumstances that I should appoint Judge Black to that place." Ibid., I. 358. On February 21 he offers the Treasury to Cobb and the State Department to Cass; letter to Cobb in Am. Hist. Assoc., Annual Report, 1911, II. 397 (see also ibid., 389, 395, 396, and Forney, Anecdotes of Public Men, II. 240, 421). On the 24th Toombs writes Stephens, "Cass and Cobb have been definitely appointed, none others have been, but Floyd and Jake Thompson and A. V. Brown are pretty sure, but Toucey is in danger and Jones at sea". Annual

More anon on this subject. When the Cabinet is formed I shall for my own satisfaction put down my opinion in regard to the men who compose it with a view to compair the result with my anticipation.

Mon. Wash. March 17. 57. An increasing excitement prevaid the mind of all reflecting men in regard to the "Iron rule" which Mr. B. has announced that all officers holding commissions with the four years term are to be dropped and new appts made. It is called the Boys trap usually called Figure four 4.2 The rule has been most distinctly and broadly enunciated in its general application to all sections of the country [as] well as to all incumbents. I have as yet seen no elaborate defence of the rule. Mr. Buchanan has made only some general remarks in vindication of it. He declared that if he did not act upon that principle his administration would be broken down in three months. To Mr P. Allen (Sen. of R. I.) he said that the cause of the breakdown of Mr. V. Buren's administration was the retention of office holders. This observation can hardly d[e]rive support from historicle facts. Mr. V. B. if I rightly remember made many changes so much so that his was called the Spoils adm.5 Though but a few days have elapsed since this pronounciamento was put forth it has already been much modified and sectionally abrogated. Southern men verry generally denounced it and claimed-nay more-demanded—that their section of the country should be exempt from its operation. This demand has been complied with. It has already received a further restriction in its application to the departmental officers. A very suspicious departure from the Spirit of the rule was shown by one of the first acts of its author. I refer to the case of P. Clayton. Mr. C. was a whig and received the appt. of 2d Report, 1911, II. 397, 398. On the 27th Justice Curtis writes to Ticknor, “His Cabinet is settled, with the exception of the Postmaster-General. . . . Mr. Toucey of Connecticut, Attorney-General. . . . Mr. Brown of Tennessee, Secretary of the Navy". Curtis, Memoir of Benjamin Robbins Curtis, I. 192–193. And it was not till March 6 that Buchanan offered the attorney-generalship to Black. Works, X. 114; Reminiscences of Jeremiah S. Black, pp. 99-100. See under March 19, post.

6

2 Humorous allusion to the familiar figure-four trap. Toombs writes to Stephens, March 10, "Buck will vacate all the offices, or rather when the commissions expire consider them open". Annual Report, 1911, II. 398.

3 As early as December 29, 1856, Buchanan had written to John Y. Mason, minister to France, "I cannot mistake the strong current of public opinion in favor of changing public functionaries, both abroad and at home, who have served a reasonable time. They say, and that too with considerable force, that if the officers under a preceding Democratic administration shall be continued by a succeeding administration of the same political character, this must necessarily destroy the party ". Works, X. 100. (Mason was however continued at his post.) 4 Philip Allen, senator 1853-1859.

5 In an editorial in the New York Herald for March 23, we read, "It is said that that sarcastic old statesman W. L. Marcy, on hearing that the policy of rotation in office had been resolved upon by the new administration, dryly remarked, 'Well, they have it that I am the author of the office seeker's doctrine, that "to the victors belong the spoils ", but I certainly should never recommend the policy of pillaging my own camp'". For Taney's disapproval, see American Historical Review, X. 359.

Philip Clayton of Georgia, whose sister was married to a cousin of Secre

Auditor from Genl Taylor. He became a No nothing and voted at the Charter election in Washington agt. Maury Dem and for Tower the No nothing Candidate. He is an open spoken Secessionist etc. etc. Genl P.8 as a kind act towards Mr. H Cobb, now Sec. of the Treasury, kept C. in during his term although Mr G. the Sec. of the Treasury urged the removal of C. One of the first appts. of Mr B- -n was that of C. to be asst Sec. of the Treasury.

-n's promise that the

Thomson. Sen. of N. J.10 says he has Mr Biron rule shall not be applied to his state. But what is most astounding is that the members-several of them now (17th. Mar), say that Mr B. has established no such rule, yet this very morng he reiterated it to Gov. Thomas coll". of Baltimore.11 That the rule is not adopted in good faith by Mr. B―n is becoming evident for there are several instances where he has applied or proposes to apply it where if it was worth any thing it should [not?] have operated. It is already turned into a sectional rule. It is already said that promised evasions of it are already contrived that are discreditable. It is said that the Coll at Detroit is removed for the purpose of showing a deference to it but he has been promised a better situation—and that situation has been named to him.12 The same is said to be the case with one of the appraisers at N. Y., White. W. is cared for on account of intimate social relations between his family and that of Mr. B.

Judge Black, the Atty Genl [t]his day positively denies the existence of such a rule and declares that the imputation of it to Mr. B. is a manifest act of injustice. There are hundreds now in this city to whom Mr. B. has announced the rule in a most broad and emphatic manner. He did so this very day (17th Mar.) to Gov. Thomas. He certainly declared to me when I called on him that he should "undoubtedly" act on that rule but at the same time said that all commissions would be permitted to expire. He has also said repeatedly (not to me) that the four years term would be applied to foreign appts. by analogy, the commissions to such officers not having any limitations.

This rule has spread alarm thro the country and has done already tary Cobb, was second auditor of the treasury from 1850 to 1857, was nominated assistant secretary of the treasury March 13, confirmed the same day, resigned in December, 1860 (cf. Annual Report, 1911, II. 523), and became assistant secretary of the Confederate treasury.

7 William A. Maury, mayor of Washington 1852-1854, was in the latter year defeated by the Know-nothing candidate, John T. Towers, superintendent of printing, mayor 1854-1856.

8 Pierce.

9 James Guthrie of Kentucky, secretary of the treasury 1853-1857.

10 John R. Thomson, senator 1853-1862.

11 Philip Francis Thomas, governor of Maryland 1848-1851, collector of the port of Baltimore 1853-1860, secretary of the treasury under Buchanan from December 12, 1860, to January 11, 1861.

12 John H. Harmon had been collector of the port of Detroit since March, 1853. On March 7, 1858, Michael Shoemaker was nominated collector in his place, but Harmon received no other appointment from Buchanan-none at least of grade sufficient to bring it into the Senate journal. The Senate, it may be mentioned, adjourned March 14, 1857.