The constitutional union., 1861-02-15
Correspondence Cincinnati Enquirer FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Feb. {

ventiou. as it is now termed here. President Tyler, on taking his seat as the president ot the convention, yesterday, made an eloquent address. He said that our ancestors had made a mistake in not having fixed upon every fifth decade for call of a general convention to amend and reform the Constitution. On the contrary, they had made the difficulties next to insurmountable to accomplish amendments to an instrument, which was perfect for five millions of people, but not wholly so as to thirty millions.
 He thought their patriotism would sur mount the difficulties, however. If they would accomplish one triumph in advance, the tri- umph over party-if that was done, and the country rescued from danger, one long shout of joy and gadness would sound throughout the land. Much feeling was manifested by the convention during his remarks, and at the conclusion the members focked around him with words of congratulation and confidence. Mr. Chase, of Ohio, assured Mir. Tyler that they were ready to follow when Virginia led, as she pursued only the path of virtue and honor; and all expressed themselves as being confident of success and continued prosperity for the Union.
 The convention met at noon to-day, and It is believed that the commissioners presented their credentials Connecticut representatives arrived last night, and those from Missouri and New York reached here this evening. Full delegations from Tennessee and Illinois have not yet arrived.
 The session of to-day is believed to have been occupied with the discussion of the pro priety of employing photographic reporter to take an accurate report of the debates, and also the propriety of having carefully revised the report made up by the secretaries for pub lication, in order to prevent garbled or one sided statements from going abroad to preJu- dice the minds of the public as well as to all lay public excitement on the subject of their deliberations
 It is believed that the Convention can hardly get fairly to work until next week. New delegations are arriving daily, and there are multitude of preliminaries to be arranged and disposed of, before they can come to the consideration of the only question upon which there bids fair to be any considerable differ ence of opinon--the territorial slavery ques- tion.
 The Republicans are beginning to be con vinced ot the true result ot the Virginia cleo tion. It is the Crittenden Compromise, and nothing less, for the South.
 should have stated that 1t is ninety ght Northern men, instead of that number of Re publcans, that are in favor of compromise.
 1 have just heen informed that eighteen of the Republican Senators are opposed to any kind of compromise whatever The leading papers of the party are yet advising the party not to reccde from the principles ot the Chl- cago platform.
 The New York Times of to-day, says that it is prepostcrous to expect the Crittendcn Compromise, as it is called can ever command the assent of the Republican party, or of the people of the Northern States.
 1 hear that MT Douglas has planned an other compromise, which he will soon present.
 The Charleston Courier, of Monday, re- ceivcd here tonight, contains the correspond ence that has taken place between the author ities of South Carolina and Major Anderson and the Federal Government in relation to the surrender of Fort Sumpter. The last letter of MT. Magrath, the secretary of State of South Carolina, to Colonel Jayne, instructs him to demand of the President the surren- der of the fort if held as a means of warfare, or its sale if held as property. On this point Mir Magraph says:
 The opinion of the governor as to the pro- prety of the demand which is contained in the letter, with the delivery of which you you are charged, has not only been confirmed by the circumstances which your mission has in- volved, but IS now increased into a conviction of its necessity; the safety of the State re- quires that the position of the President should be distinctly understood; the safety of all the seeding States requires 1t as much as the safety of South Carolina
 If it be so that Fort Sumpter Is held but as property, then as property, the rights, what ever they may be of the nited States can be ascertained, and for the satisfaction of those rights the pledge of the State of South Caro- lima you are authorized to give If For Sumpter is not held as property, 1t is held as a military post, and such post within the limits of this State will not be tolerated. l. the President, when you have stated the req sons which prompted the Governor in making the demand for the delivery of Fort Sumpter shall refuse to deliver the fort upon the pledge you have been authorized to make, you vii communicate that refusal without delay, t, the Governor. If the President shall not l., prepared to give you an immediate answer you will communicate to him that his answc may be transmitted within reasonable time to the Governor at this place.
 The Governor does not consider it necessar, that you should remain ill Washington an, longer than IS necessary to execute this, tn, closing duty of your mission, in the manne now indicated to you. As soor as the Gov ernor shall receive from you information tia you have closed your mission, and the reply whatever 1t may be, of the President, we wil consider the conduct which will be neccssar, on this part
 It is said that Colonel IIayne received th Presidents answer to-day, saying that he cal not dispose of the fort, us it is the property O the Federal Government, such power bein; vested onl y in Congress.
 We may now look anxiously toward Charles ton.
 SAD CASE OF DRowNING.-The Vicksbur: Whig of the 9th, says that on Monday even ing young man named James D. McClintock was drowned about mile below that city, b' l In, .l. Al. Il