He lifted his hands with a gesture of contempt.
"All I can say is, that if I should dare take that position and return
to the State of Pennsylvania, I should expect to be stoned the moment I
set foot on her soil, stoned through the State and flung into the river
at Pittsburg with a stone around my neck--"
Toucey stared at his opponent.
"And in my opinion they would deserve well of their country for the
performance!"
While his Cabinet wrangled, the feeble, old man in the faded wrapper
shambled to the window and gazed with watery eyes on the swaying trees
of the White House grounds. The sleet had frozen in shining crystals and
every limb was hung in diamonds. The wind had risen to hurricane force,
howling and shrieking its requiem through the chill darkness. A huge
bough broke and fell to the ground with a crash that sent a shiver
through his distracted soul.
He turned back to the table to hear their decision. It came with but one
dissenting voice, Toucey, Secretary of the Navy.
"A ship be sent at once to the relief of Sumter."
With stubborn terror the President refused to sign the order for an
armed vessel. At one o'clock they compromised on the little steamer,
_Star of the West_, and Buchanan agreed that she should attempt to land
provisions for Anderson's fifty-odd men.
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