Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-01


i've interests, geographical cOntiguty and future
welfare Of the two nations may render necessary,
the undersigned are instructed 10 make to the
Government of the Uuited States overtures for
the opening of negotiations, assuring the Govern
ment of the United States that the President,
Congress, and the people of the Confederate
States earnestly desire peaceful solution of these
great questions; that it is neither their interest
their wish to make any demand which is not
founded in strictest justice, nor do any act to in
iure their late cOnfederates.
The undersigned have now the honor. in ODE
dience to the instructions of their Government to
request you to appoint as early day as possible
in cider 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.
We are, very respectfully, sir,
Your obedient servants,
JOHN FoRsYTH,
MARTIN j. CRAWFORD,
REPLY OF SEWARD.
MEMORANDUM.
DEPARTMENT OF SrATE,l
Washington, March 10, 1851.
Mr.. John Forsyth, of the State of Alabama,
and Mr.. Martin j Crawford of the State of
Georgia, on the 11th inst, through the kind Off
ces of distinguished Senator, submitted to the
Secretary of State their desire for an unofficial
interview. This request was, Oh the 18th inst,
upon exclusively public considerations, respect
fully declined.
On the 18th inst, while the Secretary was pre-
occupied, Mr.. A. ID. Banks, of Virginia, called at
this department and was received by the assistant
Secretary, to whom he delivered sealed commu-
nication, which he had been charged by Messrs.
Forsyth and Crawford to present to the Secretary
in person.
In that communication, Messrs. Forsyth and
Crawford inform the Secretary of State that they
have been duly accredited by the Government OF
the Confederate States of America as COmmis-
sioners 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 a right
inherent in every free people, have withdrawn,
through conventions Of their people, from the
United States re-assumed the attributes of sove-
reign power, and formed government of their
own, and that those Confederate States now con
sttute an independent nation de factO and de jUre
and possess n government perfect in all its parts
and fully endowed with all the means of self sup
port.
Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford, in their afore-
said communication, thereupon proceed TO inform
the Secretary that, with view to a speedy ad
iustment of all questions growing out OF the po
| litcal separation thus assumed. upon such terms
of amity and good will as the respective inter
ests, geographical contiguity, and the future wei
fare of the supposed two nations might render
necessary, they are instructed to make to the
Government of the United States oyertures for
the opening of negotiations, assuring this Govern
ment that the President, Congress and people of
the Confederate States earnestly desire peace
full solution of these great questions, and that it
is neither their interest nor their wish to make
any demand that is not founded in strictest JUS
tice, nor do any act to injure their late cOnfeder
/ ates.
After making these statements, Messrs Forsyth
and Crawford close their communication, as they
saw i'm obedience to the instructions Of their gov
ernment. by requesting the Secretary of State to
appoint early day possible, in order that
they may present to the President of the United
States the credentials which they bear and the Oh
jects of the mission with which they are charged.
The Secretary of State frankly confesses that
he understands the events which have recently
occurred, and the condition Of political affairs
which actually exists in the part of the Union to
which his attention has thus been directed, very
differently from the aspect in which they pre-
sented by Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford. He
sees in them not a rightful and accomplished rev.
olution and an independent nation, with an estab-
! lished government, but rather peryersion of a
temporary and partisan excitement to the incon-
siderate purposes of an unjust6able and uncon-
stitutional aggression upon the rights and the az
|
hitherto benignly exercised, from their very
nature they always must be so exercised, for the
maintenance Of the Union, the preservation of
| liberty and the security, peace, welfare, happi-
ness and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the American people.
The Secretary of State, therefore, avows to
Messrs Forsyth and Crawford that he looks pa
tently but confidently for the cure of evils which
have resulted from proceedings so unnecessary,
so unwise so unusual and so unnatural not to ir
tried relations with agencies unknown to and act
ing in derogation of the Constitution and laws
but to regular and considerate action of the peo-
| pie of those States, in CO operation with their
brethren in the other States, through the Con-
gress of the United States, and such extraordi-
nary conventions, if there shall be need thereof,
as the Federal Constitution contemplates and
authorizes to be assembled.
1t is, however, the purpose of the Secretary of
State on this occasion not to invite or engage in
any discussion of these subjects, but simply to
set forth hIs reasons for declining to comply with
the request of Messrs Forsyth and Crawford.
On the 4th OF March inst, the then newly
elected President of the United States, in view OF
all the facts bearing on the present question, as
sumed the executive administration of the
Government, first delivering, in accordance with
an early and hOnored custom, an inaugural adj
dress to the people of the United States The
this address to Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford.
simple reference to it will be sufficient to
| satisfy those gentlemen that the Secretary OF
State, guided by the principles therein announced
is prevented altogether from admitting or assum-
ing that the States referred to by them have, in
law or fact, withdrawn 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 in confor-
nifty with the provisions of the Constitution of the
United States. OF course the Secretary of Safe
can not act upon the assumption or in any way
admit that the so-caled Confederate States con
stitute foreign power, with whom diplomatic re
lations ought to be established.
Under these circumstances the Secretary o
State, whose official duties are confined, subiec
TO the direction of the President, TO the conduct
ing of the foreign relations of the country ant
do not at all embrace domestic questions, OF
questions arising between the several State
and the Federal Government is unable t,
comply with the request of Messrs Forsyth
4 Crawford, to appoint day on which
they may present the evidences of their authorit,
and the objects of their visit to the President o
the United States. On the contrary, he is obiee,
to state to MeSsrs. Forsyth and Crawford that h,
has no authority nor is he at liberty to recognize
them as diplomatic agents, or hold correspond
ence or other communication with them.
Finally, the Secretary of State would observ
g. that although he has supposed that he nigh
safely and with propriety have adopted these con
ciusions without making any reference of the sub
, jsct to the Executive, yet strong has been hi
desire to practice entire direcness and to act in
spirit of perfect respect and candor toward
I Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford, and that portion
= of the people of the Union in whose name the
a present themselves before him, that he has cheer
fully submitted this paper to the President, VIII,
comedies generally in the views it expresses an,
sanctions the Secretary's decision declining off