Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-11
TIE PRESIDENTS REPLY.

Gentlemen II have had the honor 10 re.
ceivc your communication oi the 18th instant,
together with a copy Of ''your foil powers oI
the Convention of the People of South Caro-
lima, authorizing you to treat with ti;c gov
rruInent of the United States on various inp0r'
tant subjects therein mentioned and also 2
copy of the ordinance, bearing date ON The 2Qtl!
instant, declaring that 1.-THE Union now sub
sistng between South Carolina and other States,
under the name of the United States Of Amer
ica,' is hereby dissolved"
In answer to this communication. have 10
say that my position. as President Of the Uni.
ted States, was clearly defined in the message
to Congress on the Sd instant In that | sta
ted that, "apart from the execution Of the laws,
so far as this may be practicable, the ESecu'
tive has no authority to decide what shall hc
the relations between the Federal Government
and South Carolina. He has been invested
with no such discretion. lie possesses No
power to change the relations heretofore exist
ing between them, much less to acknowledge
the independence Of that State. This would
be to invest mere Executive officer with tho
mower of recognizing the dissolution of the
conGederacy among our thrty.;hree sovereign
States 1t bears no resemblance TO the recos-
nition of a foreign dc .fucto government invciv.
Ing no such responsibility. Any attehpt to
do this would on his part, be Il naked act OF
usurpation. 1t is, therefore, my duty TO sub
nit to Congress the whole question in all It's
bearings
Such Is my opinion still. could, therefore,
meet YOU only as private gentlemen OF the
highest character, and was entirely willing to
communicate TO Congress any proposition you
might have to make to that body upon the sub.
iect. OF this you were well aware. 1t was
INV earnest desire that such 4 disposition might
be made Of the whole subject by Congress,
who alone possess the power as to prevent the
inauguration Of civil war between the par
tics in regard to the possession Of the Fedora!
forts in the harbor Of Charleston, and there
fore deeply regret that, in yonr opinion, "thc
events of the last twcrty innr hours render
this impossible"
In conclusion, you urge upon me the l'nlne-
diate withdrawal Of the troops from the f'arn"f
of Charleston" stating that under the present
circumstances they are standing menace.
which renders negotiation Impossible, ana as
our recent experience shows threatens, specdI j.
" to bring to a bloody issue questions which
ought to be settled with temperance and JuHY'
ment"
The reason for this change in your position
is, that since your arrival lD Washington. al
officer Of the United States actingas we tyo'D
are assured not only without, but against your
(my) orders, has ,!iSrnanlled one fort and &C
cupicd another, thus altering, 10 most lmpor-
tant extent, the condition OF affairs unncr
which we (you) came You also nilcsc that
YOU came here the Representatives O. an a'i-
thority which could at any time Wllh'n iir
past sixty DAYS have taken rosseSSi''i oi the
i;,r,s in Charleston harhor, but which, upon
nlcGres given in 4 manner that VIC (yo'i) can
not doubt, determined To trust 10 y"n" 'invl
honor rather than 10 its power"
This brings me to a consideration OF the l'a-
tnre of those alleged pledges, and in what man
ncr they have been observed. In my message
of the 3rd of December last, stated IN regard
70 thc property of the United States in South
Carolina, that it has been purchased for a
fair equivalent by the consent of the LeglSia-
t,re nf the State, for the erection Of forts, ma
.oz;nes arsenals, &c, and over these the
eo,,,hor;tv TO exercise exclusive legislation has
Hao, cy,rrssly granted by the constitution TO
Gonrrpss It is not believed than any attempt
Iii be made to expel the United States from
bic nroncrty by force bnt If in this should
.,.o,.., ~ he mistaken, the officer in command
r. .ho Gorts has received orders to act strictly
w W. the defensive. In such contingency the
rss,nnsihility for consequences woui! rIghtlul-
" rcst mon the heads Of the assai!antS.
This being the condition OF tue parties on
Saturday, sth December, four Q, q, me rsprcsen,
tut;vcs from South Corolina caiiel on me- anu
requested an interview we o ma" "r, fr, sa',rs nd
conversation on tue subject OF these ioilS, ana
the best means Of preventing a coIi!slon oe-
tween the parties, for the purpose ol spa5'ns
the effnsion of blovd Isnggested' ior pruuen'
tal reasons, that it would be pest 10 Prt Tt, IL.
writing what they said to me verbally. lheS
did so according gly, and on Monday morning,
the 10th inst, three Of them presented 10 ihe Il
paper, signed by all the representatives l'oI" "
South Carolina with single exception u
which the following is copy