The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-23


MIssI0SERs.-In another column we pub
Iish an abstract. Of the majority report
of the Commissioners sent by Governor
Morgan to represent this State ia the
Old Women's Peace Convention at Washing
ton. The document was very slow in coming
to the light, and now that We have it there APP
pears to be nothing in it-nothing, certaialy,
to cause SO much delay to those gentlemen in
giving an account Of their ste wardshp. The
two principal points in il seem to be per-
sonal vindication of Mr. Field from the faintest
suspicion Of swerviDg, in word or deed or
thought, from radical republicanism; secondly,
the plaiDest proof that the majority Of the Com
missioners were against all concession and COM
promise; that their chairman was directed by
the delegation, by majority Of one, to cast
the vote of New York against general Con-
vention of the States to amend the constitu-
ton; that the vote was so cast when the
question was first presented, and the PROPOSE
ton was accordingly lost, but that next day,
upon vote of reconsideration, in the absence
of Mr.. Field, the vote of New York was de-
clared to be divided, and the proposition was
thus carried.
Mr.. Field claims that this was breach Of
faith and Of the understanding in the delega.
ton, who decided that the vote should be cast
a. unit in the negative. The majority Of the
Commissioners, including Mr.. Field, say that
the vote in favor of Convention has no mo-
raj weight under such circumstances; and this
is position in which we are disposed to agree
with them. So rsmpantly radical are the ma
jority of the Commissioners appointed by Co
vernon Morgan to represent the Empire State
that they repudiate all idea of compromise,
and seem greatly distressed that by an acct
dent they were deprived of the opportunity of
voting against general Convention of the
States to amend the constitution. 1t is clear,
therefore, from their own showing, that
their object was both to prevent the
possibility of the seeded States ever
returning to the Union, and to force
the border slave States to join them, that
thus there might be two distinct confedera-
tons, one with slave labor and the other with
free. 1t is well known that they conspired
against the restoration CT the Union, and that
before they left New York they pledged them
selves to die rather than vote for any compro-
mise, and Governor Morgan was privy to this
conspiracy. 1t was not to make peace, there
fore, they went to Washington, but to lay a
train for war; The report fully bears out the
testimony OF sblood-letting" Chandler, and
blood is what they desire. But their appear
ing in the Peace Convention under the false
pretence Of friendship, when they meant hosti-
lily to its objects, was an act of mean treachc-
ry without parallel and gross insult to the
Commissioners from The border States.
In his letter to the State Legislature, submit
ting the Joint resolution Of Congress. to amend
the constitution so as to prevent the federal
power from ever interfering with slavery in the
States, Governor Morgan processes to believe
that the adoption of this measure will be quite
sufficient to satisfy the border slave States.
But those States cannot regard it otherwise
than as mockery, and Governor Morgan
knows it. Congress has now no power by the
constitution to interfere with the domestic in
stitutiops of any State, and no amendment of
the constitution could give Congress such
power, for it would be subversive of the whole
spirit and design Of the constitution, and would
be revolution. The slave States have never
asked for such proviso as this, nor did the
Southern confederacy insert it in their new
constitution. To do so would but weaken the
inalienable rights Of these States by calling
them in question. What Governor Morgan
ought TO have sent for adoption to the Legisla-
ture was the constitution adopted by the Con-
federate States-which is their ultimatum, and
will probably be the ultimatum Of the border
slave States. Anything short Of this is only
loss Of time and loss of opportunity, which can
never be recalled.