The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-28

1t Il q curious fact illustrative oil the present
revolutionary condition of South Carolina, that,
up to the date Of our latest adyices from Wash
ington, the President had received no official
statement from Charleston touching the events
which had taken place there, communication
having been cut Off from Major Anderson, and
the telegraph being in the hands of the reyolu-
tionists MIR. Buchanan was indebted for his
information to despatch received by the Com
mssoners from the revolutionary Convention.
Thus does the revolution advance with rapid
strides. How or where it will end. Heaven
only knows. Meantime such is the situation OF
affairs that II requires the prompt intcrpositlon
Of the craftsmanship, the wisdom and the
patriotism Of the country to avert the horrible
| calamity Of civil war.
The south Carolina Treaty Commits
sioners to Washington.
The State Convention, now in session 10 South
Carolina, assuming the functions of an indie
pendent national government, has detailed
three special commissioners, or ENJOYS extra
ordinary, to Washington, to arrange, if posi-
BILE, the terms of treaty of peace The Com
missioners, Messrs. Barnwell, Adams and Orr,
are empowered to treat with the President for
the conveyance Of the mails through South
Carolina for the surrender Of the federal forti
ications within her limits to the State; for the
recognition Of her independence and for re-
ciprocal commercial regulations between the
United States and the seeded State, as, for
example, between England and France
The three Commissioners entrusted with these
comprehensive duties have arrived in Wash
ington, are quartered Fin fine mansion on
Franklin row, near the Presidents house, and
come prepared there to remain for only few
days, OF for many weeks, as circumstances may
| require The President, il is understood
will receive them informally; will hear
what they have to say, and will submit
the facts, in special message, to both
houses Of Congress. He will doubtless tell
these ENJOYS extraordinary that he has not
shadow Of authority to recognise them as
ambassadors from foreign State; that to him.
as President Of the United States, the scces-
sion Of South Carolina amounts to nothing: that
that State is still one of the States of the Union,
and cannot be cut off except through the ter
rible process Of revolution, and that in receiv-
| ing these Commissioners, even informally, he is
conceding much for the sake Of peace.
II is further understood that the message Of
| the President on this subject, when presented
| to the two houses, will, in EACH be laid upon
| the table, in accordance with the practice Of
| disposi0g Of any paper Of which they can take
| no other notice. A motion TO lay on the table
admits of no debate, or otherwise this antici-
patcd extraordinary message would unqucs-
tionably give rise to an exciting revolutionary
discussion, especially in the Senate. where the
active sympathizers with these Southern seces-
sion movements number, perhaps, more than
one third Of the body, exclusive Of the two re-
tired senators from South Carolina. Under
| the rules Of the two houses, then, this expected
message will. in all probability, be so prompt
| " disposed Of as to authorize the Commission
| ers IN question to return home, within day
| or two. and report 10 their State Convention
substantially that. not having been received in
their capacity Of foreign ambassadors at Wash
ing,cn, the recognition by the government Of
the United States Of the separate nationality OF
south Carolina must be otherwise accom-
plished.
We apprchcnd, too. that this y the result of
this commission anticipated by the south Caro-
lima State Convention, and that the object Of
the commission Is the official warning which is
deemed necessary to justify the more decisive
revolutionary acts contemplated by the seeded
state We cannot suppose that there i a soli-
tary member Of the South Carolina Convention
who entertains any hope Of the official recogni-
ton Of these three woulabe foreign ambassa-
dors. either by the President or by Congress.
The late annual message Of Mr.. Buchanan on
this subject Of secession IL conclusive. lie
cannot recognise South Carolina a. outside the
Union. On the contrary, his Official oath re-
ouircs him to '.scc that the laws (of the United
sta,es) are faithfully executed aud thsse l.~-
make no distinction between the port Of Charles
ton and The port OF New York.
Secession means revolution. The act Of Sc
ccssion on the part Of South Carolina il a rcvo-
luiionary act; and, like that Of our general
Declaration Of Independence Of 1916. 1t is
declaration which has to be made good before
II can be recognized by the rcpudiated general
government In this view Of the subject the
President would be justified, legally in closing
the doors Of the White House against these
South Carolina Commissioners, and in warn
ing them to beware Of the penalties Of treason.
But Mr.. Buchanan is actuatcd by that spirit Of
patriotism which seeks Cancellation rather than
coercion as the true method Of restoring and
perpetsating the Union. Hence he will re-
ceiyc these South Carolina Commissioners in
formally, in order TO call the attention Of
Congress TO the actual facts involved in the
present revolutionary attitude Of said state,
and that the two houses may be duly impressed
with the necessity Of the speedy adoption Of
some measures for the pacific restoration of
the Union and, meantime, for the maintenance
or abandonment Of the federal authority in the