Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-05-04
Ibe Anti GIauerp Bnole.
TIE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.


The following correspondence between the Sec
set.ry Of State and :he Southern Commissioners
ptesents in an official aspect, the condition assum
ed BY the two parties. The first letter from the
Commissioners lie omitted, as the substance of it
IL recapi,uIated.in the reply Of Mr. Seward.
Tue REPLY OF MR.. SEWARD.
lMemoraudunl DEPAarxEsT OF STATE.
WAsniNcroN, March l5 1861
Mr.. John Forsyth, Of the State Of Alaba,nO,
and Mr. Martin j. Crawford, Of ibe State Of Geor-
sic, on the llth instant, through the kind Offices
Of distinguished Senator, submitted to the secre-
tary If State their desire for an unofficial uter-
view. This request was, on the 12ih instant, up
on exclusively public considerations, respectfully
declined.
On the l3,h instant, while the Secretary was
preoccupied, Mr.. A. P. Bank of Virginia, call
cd at this Department and was received by the As
sistant Secretary, to whom he delivered scaled
communication, which he had been charged BY
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford to present to the
Secretary in person.
In that commun nication Messrs. Forsyth ard
Crawford inform the Secretary of State that they
have beer duly accredited by the Government OF
the Confederate States of America as Commissions
srs to the Government Of the United States, and
they set forth the objects of their attendance at
Washington. They observe that seven States OF
the American Union, in the exercise OF right iu-
herent in every frse peoTle, have Withdrawn,
through conventions Of their people, from the Uni
ted States re-assumed the attributes of sovereign
power aud formed q Government of their own,
and that those Confederate States constitute
an independent nation de .facio and de jarc and
possess Government perfect in all its parts, and
fully endowed with all the Of selCsupport.
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford in .her afcre-
said communication, thereupon proceed to inform
the Secretary that, with view to speedy adjust
ment Of oil questions growing out Of the political
separation thus assumed, upon such terms Of ami
~ and good will the respective INTEREST,", geo
graphical contguity, and the future welfare Of the
supposed two nations might render necessary, they
are instructed to make to the Government Of the
United States overtures for the opening of negoti-
ations, assuring this Government that the Presi-
dent, Congress, aud people of the Confederate
States earnestly desire peaceful solution of these
great questions and that it is neither their inter
est nor their wish to make any demand which is
not founded in strctest justice nor to do any ac,
TO iDjure their late c0Dfederates.
After making these statements Mossrs. Forsyth
and Crawford close their communication, as they
say, iu obedience TO the instructions of their Gov
srnnent by requesting the Secretary Of State to
appoint as early day as possible in order that
they may present to the President of the United
States the credentials which they bear. and the
objects of the mission with which they are
charged.
The Secl etary of State frankly coHfesses that he
understands the events which have recently occur
red, aud the condition of political affairs which
tually exists in the part Of the Union to which his
attention has thus been directed, very differently
from the aspect in which they are presented by
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford. He sees n them
not rightful and accomplished revolution and an
independent nation, with an established Govern
msnt but rather perversion Of a temporary end
partisan excitement to the inconsiderate purposes
ofan upjusti6sble and unconstitutional aggression
upon the rights aud the authority vested in the
Federal Government, and hitherto benignly exer-
cised, as from their very nature they always must
be go exercised, for the mantenauce Of the Union,
the preservation oflibsrtyand the security, peace,
welfare, happiness, and aggraudizoment Of the
American people,
The Secretary Of State, therefore, avows to Mes
sra Forsyth and Crawford that he looks patiently y
but confidently for the euro of eyils which have
resulted from proceedings so unnecessary, 80 un-
wise, 80 unusual, and SO unnatural not 10 irrego-
lar negotiations, having 10 view new aud untrisd
relations with agencies unknown to and acting in |
derogs.ion Of tho Constitution and laws, but 10