The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-21

, terestIng communications
/ EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Richmond March 3, 1905
70 the Gensroi assembly Of Virginia.
Gentlemen,-I transmit herewith a COM
munication, this day delivered to me, by the
Hon. 7. B. Starke the Commissioner from
/ the State Of Mississippi l commend it to
| your early consideration. and trust that may
be pardoned for suggesting that a response is
due to the States whose Commissioners you
/ have received. 1t is for you to determine
what shall be the character of that response {:
and, whatever it may be, am sure it will be
| prompted by due regard for the rights inter-
! ests, and honor Of Virginia and the South.
Respectfully,
| JOHN LETCHER.
R'cla,oad, Va., March J. 1860.
| To His Excellency JOIN LETCHER,
Governor Of the Commonwealth of Va. :
| Sir,-In my previous communications,
| did not advert to the limita ton Of the session
! of the General Assembly of Virginia to ninety
| days, aud Its eXteDslon for the period Of only
! thirteen days more admonishes me that up
! to the expiration Of the time to which the
session was primarily limited, no response has
! been made by this Commonwealth to the re-
| solutions either Of South Carolina or Misss-
| S'ppI, inviting cooperation in proposed Con-
! vent on OF Conierence Of the slaveholding
! States, and that If response is to be made to
either, it will necessarily be made within the
/ next few days
| our EXcellencv cannot but perceive that
this places me in a state Of anxiety and COM
| peis me, with the prooundest Difference, yet
with candor and ingenuousness to declare,
that do expect response to the reso-
| lutions OF the State which has deputed
me Commissioner to this revered Common
wealth. If the Gene a Assembly Of Virginia
shah adjourn, leaving me here waiting for an
answer | shall be very much embarrassed in
the report which | must make to the State Of
Mississippi and my respect for both States
VIII not permit me to leave the Legislature
Of your State in session, without receiving a
response to the message which | have borne
from my own State. beg you to believe that
intimation is not dictated by any obtrusive
desire ohasten the action Of the General As
Sembly. On the contrary, my purpose is
simply TO tender the respectful request that
some action may be taken previous to an ad-
journmen', and to furnish you fully with the
reasons for my request; one motive for which
is my earnest desire to be enabled to make a
definite report to the Government Of my
State. So far as my personal convenience is
involved, it is considered as entirely devoted
to the good pleasure Of the Executive and
Legislature Of Virginia. | will await with
cheerfulness the longest time which may be
required for deliberate action, only requesting
that within the time limited by the authori-
ties OF Virginia, definite action NAV be
taken.
Having declared this. the main purpose of
this note, | might limit its contents 10 such
declaration. But, sir, | have an additional
reason for claiming the attention OF your Ex-
cellency. When | arrived at this capital, as
matters then stood, l found no necessity to
submit further reasons than had already been
submitted, urging the instructions given me
by my State, to invite your cooperation with
her IN the Convention proposed hS the State
Of South Carolina The Commissioner from
South Carolina having fully argued the
reasons for the conference. contented myself
with the mere presentation Of my credentials
as 4 Commissioner from Mississippi with the
resolutions adopted by her Government and
brief recital ofmy instructions But events
have occurred since my arrival here, which
has ds70iycd upon me, to urge upon this
Commonwealth the invitation 10 conference
with which l am charged
l come here. sir, not only TO bear a message
u sympathy from sister State, but to OBJ !
tain ali the information can on the questions |
which involve the largest stakes of interest in |
the extreme Southern, as well as the border |
slaveholdiDg States. We cannot, five would, |
be Indifferent TO the events so vital to Gotten /
and sugar planters, as well as to patriots low |
Ing the Republic of the United States as it has |
hitherto been and is now confederated. 1t is |
impossible for slavery TO be invaded, and for |
the Constitution Of the United States to be in |
iraCted by the invasion on your border, with |
out lmpairing our property and endangering |
our Liberties as well as your own. For us to |
inquire anXiously, then, about your safety and |
your concerns in this behalf, is not to inter- |
NEEDLE with what does not concern u.s. but in |
seeking to guard you, we but secure our own |
protection. Prompted BY the interests ofmv |
own State, then, as well as by sympathy with |
yours have most aaxiously inquired for all |
the information | could obtain. Fortunately.
the mot authentic recital Of facts has been
furnished under The authoritative sanction and
Of your own Legislative acts A
select joint committee of the two Houses of
The General Assembly of Virginia has lately
made a report by which l am relieved of
much enquiry and argument which might
otherwise have been found necessary. This
report implicitly recommends conference in
the most elaborate and forcible terms. if not in
express form. 1t is very able, very dispas-
siOnate, and to me, implicitly reliable. 1t
enters fully into those historical details which
more than any other source of argument
furnish the most startling reasons for the
enquiry Is it not full time, nor, to unite in
consultation upon the proper and best
means of protection for ourselves and of saw
ing the Federal Constitution and Union for
The whole country.
When I am informed by the majority of the
Joint Committee Of the Legislature. that in
The night of the 10th Of October last. a band
Of armed conspirators from the Northern
States in fultillment of design which had
ong been entertained and deliberately ma
-ured, made an incursion into the State of
Virginia, for the purpose Of melting slaves to
instruction, of placing arms in their hands. of
aiding them in plundering the property of
heir masters, Of numbering them and their
antilles, and of overthrowing the Government
ofthe Commonwealth :" that the seat rendez-
'ous of this conspiracy was in a foreign pro-
7ince on TIE great Northern lakes, but little
more than 100 miles from the Northern
'ordcr OF Virginia, with network of railroads
them; that they were amply sup
lied with arms and munitions of war; that
hey were fore-run by the most dangerous and
ecret spies and emiSSarieE; that thew re-
pected no more the sovereignty of the United
States than they did the jurisdiction of the ,
laTeholding States, and invaded territory of ,
he Federal Government as well as Virginia ;
nd took an additional stand of $1,000 arms :
f different kinds belonging to the United ,
states; that not only had the citizens and {
authorities of the locality to turn ont under =
rms IN self-deience, but the States and the I
United States had to call out both militia :
nd regulars to suppress the invasion that h
With immunity and success they made rem =
ezvous in Maryland; that the crimes COM
litted were fagitious and capital that pardon h
ould not be extended to the cnIprit; but all S
Tho were captured had been or had to be ex- q
cutcd; that the number of escaped naraud +
RS could not be known; that investigation of a
le conspiracy by the State authorities could Il
OF reach its full development; that " the ii
violence before the committee was sufficient O.
} show the existence, in a number of North a
m States Of widespread conspiracy, not a
lerely against Virginia but against he peace
nd security Of the Southern States" that =.
lis was evidenced by the extraordinary u
gmpathY manifested in behalf OF the cui-
rits, and by the further manifestation Of al
sposition to rescue them from the custody 3
tile law, by threats addressed to the State 10
xceutife and by prayers for pardon that .
re Executive had necessarily and properly to :. :.
III out thousands Of military force and for "
lie exercise of actual martial law, most ex- cl
aordinary in time Of peace, "merited and "
)ubtless will receive the commentator of ~
e Legislature and the people of the State; - OF
at the invasion was marked by distinct Ia
biographical features, and was in fact sec %
,nal invasion Of section of the United 81:
ates; that detailed history, dspassionate ~ ~
i'd impartial, shows the covenants the ..
ost solemn character, constitutional, statute ou
!, customary and compromised which have az
en- deliberately violated and set at naught, vi
left unperformed by the section receiving an
e greater benefit by compact that this con- vi
ion of things furnished striking evidence !,
the growth of spirit unfriendly to the VI
grantees Of the Constitution and at war with en-
the obligations Of national faith;' that en- 81
,tional political party, under the designation u'
the Republican party, has acquired the as sa
1dancy in almost every Northern State" ef'
d that the States where it is dominant hold re'