Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-02-13
THE PEACE CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON, Feb THE Peace Congress ART
progressing very leisurely with their labors They,
however, assembled at ten O'Clock this morning,
and after remaining in session two hours proceeded,
shortly after twelve o'clock in body, to pay
complimentary visit to the President of the United
States. On arriving at the Presidential mansion
they were conducted to the East Room, where they
were introduced to the Chief Magistrate Of the
ton by Mr.. Tyler the President of the Convention.
The interview was rather of personal than official
character, and there was no expression Of opinion
on either side, to the position of national affairs.
They returned to Wizards about one o'clock, and
subsequently paid visit to the Capitol.
Great care is taken to keep their proceedings from
the public the desire being to prevent the Congress
siona medders at the other end of the Aveune from
exercising any influence over their deliberations
1t is, however said that Governor Chase, of Ohio,
who has been deemed one of the most impracticable
members, has, since his emphatic remark congratu-
lating President Tyler, promising Ito follow where
Virginia leads" made speech Of the most marked
conservative character.
The rules of the Convention which adopted the
Constitution of the United States have been adopted
for the government of the Peace Congress. They
are very rigid and formal. Members are precluded
from reading newspapers or pamphlets, or crossing
the hall whilst any one is speaking, and all rise
when The President passes out
The President has somewhat rctrcated from the
position assumed protecting the public property"
and now rejects the demand of South. Carolina on
the ground that the Federal Government has exclu
sive jurisdiction in Fort Sumter
As to selling Fort Sumter to the State of South
Carolina, as suggested by Col Hayne, the President
says he could no more sell Fort Sumter to that State
than he could sell the Capitol of the United States
to the State of Maryland. He concludes his reply
with the following emphatic declaration:
al, with all the multiplied proofs which exist Of
the Presidents anxiety for peace, and Of the earn
estness with which he has pursued it. the author.
tiles of South Carolina shall assault Fort Sumter
and peril the lives of the brave and loyal men shut
up within its walls, and thus plunge our common
country into the horrors Of civil war, then upon
them, and those whom they represent, will rest the
responsibility"
A SHARP TRANSACTION Georgia has got the bet
ter of her sister, South Carolina, in the secession
business Instead of ordaining the abrogaton o
the Federal revenue laws when she went out o. the
Union, q as South Carolina did, she agreed to oh
serve them faithfully until otherwise ordered The
consequence is that Savannah is doing lively ant
prosperous trade, receiving and selling goods ship
| ping cotton, and clearing vessels as usual in the
name of the United States while Charleston il
Stunned by commerce as the seat of pestilence
No foreign vessel will dare to clear from Charleston
| with papers signed in the name OF the ind ependen
State Of South Carolina; nor will vessels 60 int
that port for fear of being seized and pressed int
the service of the State New beginners seldom
thing right the first time. South Carolina tum
bled into secession in the most awkward way i'm
aginable 1t was new business, and she wasn't us
toit. Georgia is just as much out Of the Union 4
her impetuous sister but she retains all the prac
tical advantages of q connection with the Union
while South Carolina, in her folly, has sacrifice
them.-Richmond Wing