The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-25
The NATIONAL CRISIS.
TIE PEACE CONFERENCE,


| WASHINGTON, Feb. q, 1SGl-Various amend
ments are yet to be voted on by the Pence Confer
ence. During last nights session, they agreed t,
the first branch of the pending proposition pro
hibiting slavery North OF $50 3O' and recoguizin.
the States of slavery south of that line. Tb
States formed out of the territory to be admitted
with or without slavery as their respective con
stitutions may prescribe. This received decided
affirmative vote. Several of the Commissioner
who opposed the proposition, confidently asser
that with several exceptions this is satisfactor,
to all those from the Border slave States. Tb,
probability now is that they will not complete
their labors before Tuesday. Yesterday five Com
missioners were received from Kansas The de
lberatons have, it is represented, been character
lied by dignity, ability and order, while proper
respect has been shown to conflicting views. Az
ter the adjournment last night, the Commissioner,
had brief but pleasant interview with the Pres
dent elect, whose presence in Washingto some Of
them say, has already produced good effect in
polite al circles.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. %, 1S6l.-Mr. Curtis, of Iowa
offered an amendment to the majority report, which
applies to all the territory south of 3630-the Prn.
ciple once applied by Jefferson to the territory
south OF the Ohio river. 1t is pending.
me Crlttenden plan, so called was moved by Mr..
Reid, OF North Carolina, as an amendment to the
majority, or Guthrie proposition, and was rejected
seventeen States voting against it and only three
for it.
This vote produced another sensation altogether
too interesting to be confined to the secret chamber
OF the Convention.
Several extreme propositions we're offered as
amendments, and voted down.
The Convention adjourned about four O'Clock for
dinner.
This evening the Convention is again in session.
and are voting on all sorts ofpropOsitions. Unless
greater harmony of opinion prevails than now the
Convention will adjourn without doing ANYTHING,
unless the ultimatum of the Republicans is acceded
to, namely, an appeal to the people of all of the
States through the action of their several Legsla-
lures, lor convention to revise the Constitution
of the United States.
The impression of good many is that nothing
Will be done. Others, however, are more hopeful.
The Republicans trying to stave off action until
Mr. Lincoln arrives, for the purpose of comforting
with him and learning his views. If this is the
case, no definite action will be taken by the Confer
ence before Monday next, and perhaps not then.
The friends OF settlement are trying constantly
to press a vote.
Exciting Rumors at Washington
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24-ll p. M.-Indelinite ru-
mors are ahoat concerning warlike dispatches said
to have been received by the government from the
South. These rumors cause much excitement and
many Inquiries but they cannot be traced to any
reliable source. There certainly has been no Cabinet
meeting to-day to consider such dispatches as have
been circulated in connection with the other re-
ports.
The Reported Detention of Goods Mt the
New Orleans Custom House
ST. Louis, Feb. 23.-Messrs. Child Pratt &
Fox deny the report recently published, that seve-
raj thousand dollars, worth of English goods be-
longing to them had been .eized at n ew Orleans
in order to secure the payment of duties
A letter from the Collector of New Orleans to the
Collector of this city says that t. business of the
Custom House at that place is conducted as here
tofore, except that transportation bonds are
obliged to be executed, and that the transportation
of foreign importations is il no wise inter
rrpted.
I.e southern ConSies---.rue Navigation OF
the Mississippi
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Feb. 22.-The Congress to
day unanimously passed an act declaring the estab
Iishment of the free navigation of the Mississippi
river. This measure gives general satisfaction.
The Southern Confcderacy.
MONTGOMERY, Feb. 24.-Congress held public
session today, but nothing of interest was done.
A long secret session was held subsequently,. No
further Cabinet nominations have been made
North Carolina Legislature.
RALEIGH, Feb. 23.-The General Assembly will
adjourn on Monday at O'clock, p. NJ. Much busi.
ness will be left unfinished
The NeVv York Vessels Again Seized at So-
vannaEa.
SAVANNAH, Feb 22.-Governor Brown yesterday
again seized the ships Martha j. Ward, bark Ad-
juster and brig Harold all belonging to citizens OF
New York. They will be retained until the arms
seized by the State authorities of New York are
delivered up.
The New York Express of Saturday evening
says:
We understand that the owners of the vessels
seized by Gov. Brown, of Georgia, on Thursday,
have not yet taken any active steps to procure
their liberation, but may do so during to-day. The
bark Adjuster is of the vessels seized some time
ago by Gov. Brown, and subsequently liberated.
She is owned by Finch Il Meincke of this city, and
has been loading with cotton for an English port.
When seized had on board cargo of nine hundred
bales, the property of English gentleman resid-
ing in this city, who, we informed, went to
Washington on Friday evening, to lay his com
plant before Lord Lyons.
The Adjuster is a two-decked bark, of 496 tons
She was built at Freeport, Me-, in 1853, by Enos
Soule.
The brig Harold we DO not find described in the
American Lloyds Register.
The Martha j. Ward is a two-decked ship of
74S tons, and was built at New Castle, Me-, in l647,
by Hitchcock Co. She belongs to j. f.. Ward
Il Co., Of this port, and was commanded by Capt
Chace.
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
RICHMOND, Feb. pa large portion of the ses-
sion of the Convention to-day has been occupied in
a personal explanation between members. The
olution heretofore tabled for raising committee to
inquire whether any movement of arms or men had
been made by the government to any fort arse.
nal in and bordering upon Virginia, indicating
preparation for attack upon coercion of anv
State, was adopted. The Union men seem satisfied
that the investigation will prove that there is no
cause of ofapprehenson on the subject. Mr.. Barbour,
Superintendent of the Harper's Ferry Armory, was
among its advocates. Others urge that the appre
tensions are welfounded, and that the facts should
be known so as to be prepared.
Mr.. Fisher offered resolution opposing Ma
tional Convention, on the ground that the people
of the South might reasonably apprehend that
such a body would reorganize the Judiciary sys-
TEN and make the judges elective by the whole
people of the Union, as Mr.. Seward declares, that
his party would do as soon as they acquired the
power, and that such body would make other in
novations upon the recognized rights Of the mi
nority.
A large number of resolutions on national sub
jects referred.
INDIANA CONVENTION OF OLD SOLDIERS AND PEo-
PIES CONVENTION.
INDANAPoL1s, February pa Convention of
Old Soldiers assembled here to-day. The meeting
between some who had not seen each other since
they fought together was an affecting
MIR. Jas. Blake, of Indianapolis, was elected
Resolutions were adopted, protesting against any
change in the Constitution to conciliate any sec
ton; approving of the action of the Secretary OF
War and General Scott in their precautionary
measures for projections declaring that they Will
throw themselves into the front ranks to sustain
the flag of the republic and the Government as now
organized, and sustaining the President IN the exc
cution of the laws.
resolution was unanimously adopted, request
ing the General Assembly to petition Congress to
amend the pension laws. that pensioners will not
have to procure the affidavit of two surgeons at
each drawing of their pensions, to prove the
extent of their injuries.
A Peoples Convention was held to-day Dele
gates from nearly every county of the State were
present.
VIM K Edwards, of Vigo county, was elected
President assisted by vice presidents for each Con-
gressional District.
Resolutions were adopted declaring that citizens
should throw aside their partisan interests and
sert any plan of adjustment to settle the Difficult
ties; recommending national convention of the
States, to be called by Congress, to refer our
national difficulties; deplorirg the condition of the
country, and deprecating any attempt to maintain
the Union by war.
THE HON. WILLIAM KELLOGG AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.
CHICAGO, Feb. PA Convention was held at
Peoria to-day, to express the opinion of the Repub-
licans of the Fourth Congressional District in re-
gard to the course of their Representative in Con-
gress, the Hon. VIM. Kellogg.
The resolutions adopted declare that their prin-
ciples are the before the election; express
love for the Union, and declare that the Union
must be maintained at all hazards.
The fourth resolution says that we enter our de-
clded protest against the resolutions offered Dy the
Hon. VIM. Kellogg, our Representative IN Con
gress and we earnestly urge him to an untalterlng
support of Republican principles as enunciated In
the Chicago platform. Lilac
A motion to amend this resolution by aaolnS !,
that if he cannot do so, it is his duty to resign,
was lost by yeas 70 nays IS. Some OF the deessVeS
did not vote upon this motion. ., ,;-
Tba fourtb resoIntion was then adopted unanl"