The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-03
Between Secretary
Seward and the Southern Commits.

Correspondence Between Secretary
Seward and the Southern Commits.
sioners. ..,. D
The correspondence between Secretary
SEWARD and the Southern Commissioners
has been published. The following is an
extract from Mr.. SEwARD's reply to their
demand for an interview, for the purpose of
entering into negotiations for peaceable
separation {: ...,..... ....... -.';
The Secretary of State frankly confesses
that he understands the events which have
recently occurred, and the condition of DO
lltical affairs which actually exists in the
part OF the Union 10 which his attention
has thus been directed, very differently
from the aspect in which they are presented
by Mesars. Forsyth and Crawford. He
sees 10 them not rightful and accomplished
revolution and an independent nation, with
an established government, but rather q
perversion of temporary and partisan ex-
citement to the inconsiderate purposes of
an unjusti6able and unconstitutional az.
erosion upon the rights and the authority
vested in the federal government, and hith.
erto benignly exercised, as from their very
nature they always must be so exercised,
for the maintenance of the Union, the pres.
ervation of liberty and the security, peace,
welfare, happiness and aggrandizement of
the American people. The Secretary of
State, there, av0ws to Messrs. Forsyth and
Crawford that be looks patiently but con-
tidently for the cure of evils which have re-
suited from proceedings so unnecessary, so
unwise, 80 unusual and 80 unnatural, not to
irregular negotiations, having in view new
and untried relations, with agencies un-
known to and acting in derogation of the
Constitution and laws, but to regular and
considerate action of the people of those
States, in cooperation with their brethren
in the other States, through the Congress
of the United States, and such extraordin.
airy conventions, if there shall be need
thereof, as the Federal Constitution con-
templates and authorizes to be assembled.
1t IS, however, the purpose of the secre>
tary Of State on this occasion not to invite
or engage in any OF these subjects, but simp-
ly to set forth his reasons for declining to
comply with the request of Messrs. Forsyth
and Crawford.
On the 4th of March, the then newly
elected President of the United States, in
view of all the facts bearing on the present
question, assumed the executive administra.
ton of the Government, first delivering, in
accordance with an early and honored Gus
tom, an inaugural address to the people of
the United States. The Secretary of State
respectfully submits a copy of this address
to Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford.
A simple reference to it will be sufficient
to satisfy those gentlemen that the secreta-
ry OF state, guided by the principle therein
announced, is prevented altogether from
admitting or assuming that the states re-
ferred to by them have, in law or fact, with
drawn from the Federal Union, or that they
could do so in the manner described by
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford, or in any
other manner than with the consent and
concert of the people of the United States,
TO be given through national convention
to be assembled iu conformity with the
provisions of the Constitution of the United
States. Of course the secretary of state
cannot act upon the assumption or in any
way admit that the so called Confederate
States constitute foreign power, with
whom diplomatic relations ought to be es.
tablished.
Under these circumstances the Secretary
OF State, whose official duties are confined,
subject to the direction of the President, to
the conducting of the foreign relations of
the country, and do not at all embrace do
nestle questions, or questions arising be-
tween the several states and the federal
government, is unable to comply with the
request of Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford,
to appoint day on which they may present
the evidences of their authority and the OBJ.
jects OF their visit to the President of the
United States. On the contrary, he is
obliged to state to Messrs. Forsyth and
Crawford that he has no authority nor is
he at liberty to recognize them as diplo.
matte agents, or hold correspondence or
other communication with them.
Finally, the Secretary of state would
observe that, although he has supposed that
he might safely and with propriety have
adopted these conclusions without making
any reference of the subject to the Execu.
tive, yet so strong has been his desire to
practice entire drectness and to act in a
spirit of perfect respect and candor towards
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford, and that
portion of the people of the Union in
whose name they present themselves before
him, that he has cheerfuly submitted this
paper to the President, who comedies gen
orally in the views it expresses, and sane
lions the Secretary's decision declining Of.
fetal intercourse with Messrs. Forsyth and
Crawford.
This was responded to in lengthy argu.
ment, the receipt of which was merely re-
cognizad by the Secretary of State.
SINGULAR DISPOSITION OF PArRIoT's Re.
MAINs.--It may not be generally known