Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-17

PHILADELPHIA and New YORK. these ruflors
soon assumed an authorised form, and, in or
der that the policy of the President might be
definitely ascertained, and the awful suspense
under which the country was suffering might
be removed, the following preamble and reso'
luton, oncrcd by Mr.. PRESTON, Of Montgomc
ry, was adopted
"Whereas, in the opinion Of this Coneen
ton. the uncertainty which prevails in the pub
lie mind as to the policy which the Fedora
Executive intends to pursue towards the Sc
ccrlcI States is extremely injurious 10 the in
dustrial and commercial interests of the conn
try, tends to keep up al excitement which is
unfavnrablc TO the adjustment of pending DIFF
~ficultics, and threatens Il disturbance OF the
public peace
"ResoIvcd, That Il committee Of three dele,
gates be- appointed 10 wait on the President OIL
the United States, present TO him this prcam'
BILE and resolution, ami respectfully ask him
70 communicate to this Convention the policy
which the Federal Executive intends to pursue
in regard To the Confederate States
The Convention, under this resolution, elect.
ed Mcssrs. Preston, Randolph and Stuart,
who Immediately proceeded to Washington
on their mission Of peace. Before they reach.
cd that city. the country was startled by the
intelligence that Mr.. Lincoln had, in violation
of his wrll understood pledge, sent a meSscn.
yer to the city Of Charleston and informed
Governor Pickcns that he Intended to rem.
force Fort Sumter, pcaccahiy, if he could, Tor.
cihlv, ii ne must. No one could for Il moment
supnosc that the Confederate States would pas.
siyeiy permit troops and provisions TO be thrown
in Fort Sumter, IT, overawG and contrnl the peo.
| ME Of the South; and sucl, an act being re
rurdc,l hr theta IL Il virtual declaration Of "ir,
an attack ~ the Fort was Immediately CON
menccd, but NOT. however, until m effort had
brrl made by the authorities Of The Conird-
crate States TO prevent Il hostile COLLISION. Be.
fore the bOm5artimrnt OF the Fort commenced,
and after Il 'emlld for its surrender had been
made, the Secretary Of War informed General
RenDregard that they did not desire to lombard
Fort Sumter if Alajnr Anderson would STATE
the time at which, rs minated By him, he
would rvacllatc. This Major Anderson de-
clinel doing, and, rs | havo remarked, tie
bDlnbardment. began. This WAS inllusc by Il
proclamation of war by lic President Of the
United States, and a rrqnisition upon Virginia
for 800 troops 10 aid IN the Siihju.alion Of
her sister Southern STATE. Now let it be
borne in mind that this Convention had,
by t. very large majority resolved that
they never would consent Lnat the F.nlrral
power, which is in part their power, should he
eXcrtcl for the purpose Of ~suhjnglting the
people of such States nEie Confederate Statc*,)
10 the Federal authority and this resolution
was advocated and adopted upon tn. ground
that inaSmuch rs our institutions wcIc based
upon the principle that government was found,
ed upon The consent OF The governed, and lhat
all power vests in and cluanates from the peo-
pie, The pcUpls Of Virginia could never Consent
10 take part in Il contest against their Southern
brethren. who had done nothing more than
change their form Of government to suit them.
selves. The question is now narrowed down
to this:-Sball Virginia unite her fortunes
with the Northern people, and take part in
this var oil. ~Suhjugat!On and conquest, or shall
she resume the powers snc conferred upon the
Federal Government, and form such alliances
with the Confederate States as her honor and
interest demand
This Convention having exhausted all putc.
able measures to save the Union and avoid Il
resort 10 arms, has nuw no alternative left but
To adopt M ordinance ot secession, and submit
i. 10 the people for ratification Or reiec;ion.
It cannot BIZ urgcG, Mr.. President, TAFT the
Confederate Safes arc responsible for this sad
and lamcnlahic condition Of things, for they
had sent commissioners 10 the city Of Wash
ington tn ncsotiat" with the President Of the
United St.ics fura peaceful solution OF existing
ainirnlticS. These commissioners repaired to
the Federal Capitol, and, on the 18th Of March
last, sent a communication tn the President, in
the following language:
"iVith = view ~ a speedy adjustment Of all
Questions growing out ni this political separa.
ton. upon such terms of amity and god will
as the respective interests, geographical con.
tiguity and future welfare Of the two nations
may render necessary, the undersigned arc IN.
~struclctl 10 make 20 the Government of the
United States ovrr;iircs COR the opening "T NE
gOtialioTS, ASSURING the Governments; 't the
Unitel States that the President, Cnnar">S AMI
renulu Of the Confederate States earnestly a..
sire u peaceful solution Of these great questions;
that it is neither their interest nor their wish
to make any demand which is not founded in
the ~strictest justice, nor TO do any nct to irin"e
their late cori"leratcS.
They waited for a reply to their courteous
and friendly communication until the Siil of
April, when they received a response from Mr..
Seward, the Secretary of State, in which the
following language Is used:
.'Urirr these circumstances the Secretary 81
State, whose official duties are rontinr'i. sub
iecG 10 the direction of the President, to the
conducting Of The foreign relations III the
country, and do not nj al embrace domestic
questions arising between the several States
and the Federal Government, is unable to com
y,lv with The request Of Messrs. Forsyth ani
Crawford. To appoint i day On which they may
present the evidences If their authority and
tn. Objects Of their visit to the President of
the United States. 0n the contrary, he is
obliged TO state 10 MrsSrs. Forsyth and Craw-
fnril that he has not authority, nor is ne IL
liberty to rrcngniSc them as diplomatic agents,
or hold correspondence ur any communication
with them
II This Insulting repf5 Of course closed the
dour TO all further negotiation between the
parties, ard the commissioners departed for
the South.
An impartial public will throw the blame Of
this unnatural contest upon the Administration
Mt Washington. That administrator has ''lct
slip the dogs Of war;" and is now engaged in
the most extensive preparations for n long ard
bloody contest. In such Il contest Virginia ran.
not be neutral. The principles which the Rcvo.
lutionary War was waged to deiend-the States
Rights doctrine which her statesmen have
Gs"tSS iell uSiI--IltI '''' ~ i'SiNS "
all, are infinitely bound up in this contest.
If she yields nov, and silently permits the
subiuga;;on of her Southern ~sis,c'S, aud ;acitlv
assents to the uSurpaiions of power hy the
Executive al Washington, the time will soon
come when, driven on by fanaticisrn, backed
by the force Of mere numbers, and influenced
bv thirst for power, thar Executive may oblit
crate every vcstige Of constitutional liberty,
and make US, while living under the mere
forms of free government, The vericSt slaves on
earth. The Virginia people will never consent
that this Black Republican party, through its
puppct at the federal capital, should ruthlessly
attempt to conquer a brave and loyal race, who
never did harm TO them, who never attempted
malignant and unjuslifiablc interference with
their domestic institutions, who have rcmon-
strated against the wrongs they have patiently
endured until 4 longer forbearance has ceased