Daily national Democrat., 1861-05-07
nailu slatlonaln nfmotrat.
,,rosident Lincoln's Reply to the Virginia
Commissioners.

The COIIlIuloeiOhNAS "tfS y -
a;,;o Convention to visit Mr.. Lincoln and as
oo,.o;n his views were formally received on
~ dov on which the Secessionists began the
Luz ohaydmept of Fort Sumter The tele-
,Uonh gave only an abridged report of his
sseniv, The Bulletins correspondent sends
.be whole, and as it was written by the
president % after the beginning of hostilities, it
nav he taken as a just view of the attitude
,ow assumed by the Government. 1t is ad-
dressed to Messrs Preston, Stuart and Ran
dolph, who composed the Committee;
Gnyr1EMEN-As Committee of the Vir-
o;nia Convention, now In session, you present
,,n s, a preamble and resolution in these words
iN WHEREAS In the opinion of this Conven-
.;ou the uncertainty which prevails in the
.,Uh IUhi;c mind as to the policy which the Fed
pp~a, Executive intends to pursue towards the
Seeded States is extremely injurious to the
;"Sustrial and commercial interests of the
nnnntrr. tends to keep up an excitement
,rbicb Is unfavorable to the adjustment of
.ho nepding difficulties, and threatens dis
tnrbauee of the public peace; therefore,
Resolred That committee of three dele
cates be appointed to wait on the President
Of the United States, present to him this pre-
amble, and respectfully ask him to communi-
cate to this Convention the policy which the
Federal Executive intends to pursue in re-
gard to the Confederate States.
In answer, have to say that. having, at
the beginning of my official term, expressed
my intended policy as plainly as | was able,
tits with deep regret and modification now
learn there is great and injurious uncertainty
in the public mind as to what that policy is
and what course | intend to pursue. Not
having as yet seen occasion to change, it is
ROW nv purpose to pursue the course marked
ont in the inaugural address. commend q
careful consideration of the whole document
as the best expression | can give to my pur-
noses. As then and therein said | now re-
neat. "The power contided in me will be
used to hold, occupy and possess property
and places belonging to the Government, and
to collect the duties and Imports but beyond
what is necessary for these objects there will
be no invasion, no using of force against or
among the people anywhere" By the words
"property and places belonging to the Gov
ernment," | chiefly allude to the military
posts and property which We're in possession
of the Government when it came into my
hands. But if, as row appears to be true, in
pursuit of purpose to drive the United
States authority from these places, an un-
provoked assault mas been made upon Fort
Sumter l shall hold myself at liberty to re-
possess it, if | can, like places which had
been seized before the Government was de-
volved upon me and in any event | shall,
to the best ofmy ability, repel force by force
In ease it proves true that Fort Sumter has
been assaulted, as is reported, | shall perhaps
cause the United States mails to be with
drawn from all the States which claim to
have seeded, believing that the commence
ment of actual war against the Government
jusifies and possibly demands it. scarcely
need to say that consider the military posts
and property situated within the States
which claim to have seeded, as vet belong
iDg to the Government of the United States
much as they did before the supposed Sc
cession. Whatever else | may do for the
purpose, | shall not attempt TO collect the
duties by any armed invasion Of any part of
the country: not meaning by this. however,
that may not land force deemed necessa-
ry to relieve & fort upon the border of the
country. From the fact that have quoted
part of the inaugural address, it must not
be inferred that | repudiate any other part,
the whole of which reaIfirm, except so far
as what now say of the mails may be re-
garded as q modification.
The DIsPoaTIoN OF THE FORCES In the
Presidents call upon TIE States for troops,
California and Oregon were not included be
cause probably, of their distance from the
scene of operations, and for the reason too,
that more than are needed will be furnished
Eear at hand. Although bnt 10000 were de-
manded and the southern States refused to
furnish any, 200, 900 troops have been offered.
Ihe Washington correspondent of the New
orE Herald pictures programme of which
the following is skeleton:
In thirty days 100000 men will be in arms
to answer the Presidents call. The 10000
added to those already in the service will be
distributed thus: $4,000 10 defend Washing
ton, 90, 600 in and about st. Louis, % 900 in
and about Pensacola, 5000 to Texas and l0,-
0QG in coastng steamers on the coast of the
Southern States. If Virginia and other bor-
der slave States secede this programme may
be charged.
RUMoRED REMOVAL OF THE UNITED STATES
FoRCEs.--lt is stated in one or two Of yester-
days papers, that the last Pony brought in
telligencc that the Government contemplated
the removal of all the troops on this coast to
the Atlantic States, and that the forts and posts
here would be garrisoned by State militia
We have made inquiries from the proper au-
thorties, and cannot learn that there is any
foundation for the report. 1t is scarcely
probable that such a step would be taken.
The cost of removing body of 5000 troops
would be vary great, and as the Government
Is sustained by an ample force of volunteers
on the Atlantic side, there seems to be no
cause for the removal; especially when the
unprotected condition of the Pacific coast is
considered. The report was received by
Sweeney & Baugh, from St Louis but upon
what authority in that city, is not stated
s. f. Alta.
Our PooR WEAK GovERYMENT.-Th New
York Herald of April 10th, says: The war
spirit of the North is now fairly aroused The
call of the President for troops has been
promptly responded to, and with an enthus-
asm beyond description. Massachusetts is
FIRST in the field Her Governor, yesterday,
in aconc dispatch to the War Department,