Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-16
CORRECTION.
President Lincoln's Reply 10 the Virginia
Communion crS.

The Commissioners Of Virginia had All in
| terricw with the President, at nine . ciock on
Saturday morning. The result was simply q
statement, 10y the President that be will act ac'
cordiug to the inaugural programme-hn!d the
public property and defend il; waging no war
against the s=cetllny States, and maintaining
the defensive. The Presidents reply WAS given
in writing, as follows:
Hon. MeSsrs. PRgSrGH, STrAnT and RASpoLrH:
Gentlemcn--As a committee OF the Virginia
| Convection, n"w i'll session, you present lie q
preamble and resolution in these words:
Whereas, in the opinion Of this CUEyen.
ticn. the uncertainty which prevails in the
public mind aS to the policy winch tine Federal
Executive intends TO pursue towards the Sc.
coded States is extremely injurious to the in
dustrial aud commercial interests Of the cuurl-
try, tends TO keep rp an excitenrIir which Is
uniavorable to the al ju:tIneEt Of pending diff
| culties, and threatens a disturbance Of the pub
lie peace Therefore
"Rs.oirta, That q committee If three dele
gates be appointed 10 wait Oil the President CT
the United States, present to hiln this preamble
and resolution. and respectfully ask him to
communicate to this Convention the pulley
which the Federal Executive intends 10 pur.
sue in regard to the Confederate States"
In answer have 10 say that having nj the
beginning Of my official term expressed my
intended policy as plainly rs | was able, il is
with deep regret and some modification now
learn that there is great and Injurious nncer-
talntv in tue public mind ~ To what that poll
cy is, aid what course | intend TO pursue.
Not lavinSns yet seen occasion to change, it
is now my purpose TO pursue the course marked
out in the inaugural ADDRESS. | commend q
careful consideration Of tho whole document,
as tic bust expression that can give Of my
| purposes. AS ! then and therein said, now
repeat:
1.-THE power rontided To NE will be used to
hold, occupy and possess the property aud
places belonging to the Government. and TO
collec; the duti-s and imports; but beyond
Yhat is necessary iur these Objects there will he
no invasion, no using Of !!rce against or among
the people anywhere"
Be- the words property aud places belong.
ing 10 the Government | cniray alludc TO the
military posts aud property which were in the
possession Of the Government when it came 10
lay hands
But il, us now appears to be true, in pursuit
of a purpose TO drive the United States autho
ritv from ,heSu places. an unprnvcked assault
has bccr made upon Fort Sumter, ! shall hold
myself at liberty 10 reposscss, if | can, like
places which had been seized before the Gov
%erlIYcnt Was devnlved upon inc.
And, in any event, | shall, to The best o! my
ability, rcpsl force by force.
la case it proves true that Fort Sumter has
been assaulted, as is reported, | shall, perhaps,
cause the United States mails 10 be withdrawn
from ali the States which claim 10 have secedrd,
believing that The commencement: ofartuai war
against the Gore! nInent i~ustitisS and possibly
demands it
scarcely need to say that | consider The
military posts and property situated within
tie States which claim to nave Seeded, as yet
belonging TO the Government Of the United
States, as much as they did before the supposed
SECESSION.
Whatever else | mGy do inr the purpose, ]
shall not attempt to collect he duties and i'm.
posts by any armed invasion of any part Of
tho conntry-not meaning by this, however,
that I may not land a force deemed nsces.
ssry 10 relieve u fort upon the border OF the
country.
From the TACT that I have quoted n part Of
the Inaugural Address, i. must not be inferred
that | repudia,c any other part, the whole Of
which | r~e.aflrn, except So far as what NOW
say Of ilic mails may be regarded aa a modif-
c,Ti,r