Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-04-24

p pie who had entrusted them with power, 10 the
spirit OF humanity OF the Christian civilization
Of The age, and % that Americ7nism which
regards the true welfare and happiness Of the
people, the Government OF the Confederate
States. among its first acts. commissioned the
undersigned 10 approach the Government Of
the Urited States with The olive branch OF
pesee, ami 10 offer to adjust the great qnes-
tions pending between them in the only wav
20 Be- justified by the consciences and common
sense Of good men who had nothing but the
welfare OF the people Of the two Confederacies
at heart.
Your Government has not chosen 70 meet
the undersigned m the eonciilatory and peace
ful spirit Co which they are commissioned.
persistent'v welded 20 thOse fatal theories OF
construction of the Federal Constitution al
wavs rejected bv the statesmen Of the South
and adhered 10 by those Of the admi1isiration
school, until they have produced their natural
and often predicted result Of the destruction 0f
tie Uni1n under which We right have contin-
usd 70 live happily and glorious together had
the prii NJ the ancestry WhP framed sie eom-
mon Constitution an ra,r4 tne le11s OF al
fhefr sans Won nov. with a neTsistsnce un-
taught and uueu- ed by the ruin which has
been wrought, refuse 20 recognize the great
fact Dressntsd 10 YOU Of complete and suc-
cessful Tevoiutien; YOU close -our eyes TO the
existence m s1e government flunde edfuB0n it.
and ;gpors Ia high duties OF moderation and
Z bBmsTitv ~ ch attach to you in dealing with
this Great ,act. Had you met these issues
with fraot-iess and msnlinsss, with which the
updersirr- "a were instructed 20 present them to
Won 49, great them, the undsrs' 'gued had not
- - .1slagcholv duty 70 retarn home and
81 80 Government and their countrymen
-. ar earnest and ceaseless efforts In be-
80 - peace had been futile, and that ths
-.o---e. -o-- =. enf Of he United States meant 10 sub
s'.t.i slem BY force Of arms.
Ipt. syer msy be the result, impartial bis
. record the inuocenss Of the govern
- n the Confederate States, and place the
} - visibility a the blood and mourning that
" ensus upon those who bave denied the
= eat fundamental doctrines Of American lib
I frtY, that governments derive their lust pow
ers from the consent Of the governed" ." and
who have set naval and land armamsnts in
motion to SUBJECT The people Of one portion of
/ this land 20 he viii Of another portion. That
( that can never BE- done while a freeman re-
/ mains in the Confederate States to WELD a
; weapon, the undersigned appeal to past history
p prove. Tbese military demonstrations
I agalHst the people Of the seeded States are
certainly far from being in keep NJ and con-
sistency with the theory OF the Secretary n
State, maintained in bis mem7ra ndum. that
these States are still component parts Of the
late American Union, as the undersigned are
not aware Of any Constitutional power In the
I tlNaAaEAlA Nl '4F AAi-FHA 1HnAF1 10 iENN HaA
without the consent OF Congress, upon for
eign people, much less upon any portion Of the
propie of the United States.
The undersigned, ike the Secretary OF State,
have no purpose - ffinvite or engage IN dis
eusson" Of the subject on which their two
Governments are 90 irreconciliably at va
rance. II 10 this variance which has broken
up the old Government, The disintegrat'on Of
which has only begun. Il is proper, however,
to advise you that it were well TO dismiss the
hopes you seen to entertain that BY any cf
The modes indicated, the people Of the C0nfed-
crate Safes will ever he brought to submit to
the authority of the Government Of the United
Safes. You are dealing With decisions, too,
when you seek to separate our people from our
Government, and to chars eterize the dslibera' e.
sovereign act Of that people as "perversiOn ~
. of z temporary and partisan exeitemento II
I yau cherish these dreams, you viii be awaken
& ed from 'hem and find them as unreal and IN
substantial ~ others in which you have re-
Gently in1giEed. The undersigned would omit
: the performance Of an obvious duty, were they
/ 70 fail 70 make known 10 the Government OF
The United States bat the people Of TIE Con-
fedefata States have declared their independ-
? ence. With a fun knowIsdge Of an the resnoa-
sibi'ities OF that act, and with as firm a deter
I mination to MAINTAIN Il by all the means with
which Ia ure bas endowed them, as that which
sustained their fathers when they threw of the
British crown.
The undersigned clearly understand that
( you have declined to appoint day 20 enable
I them TO lay the objects Of the mission with
which they are charged before The President
Z n The United States, because 90 to Do would
4 be 70 recognize the Independence and separate
nationality Of tho CoHfeds rate S, ates This
{ is the vein of thought that pervsdes the mem
l Orsndum before us. The truth Of history re
I quires that Il should distinctly appear upon
{ fhe record that the undersigned did not ask the
Z Government Of the United States 70 recognize
I the independence Of the Confederate States.
Z They only asked audience to adjust. in a spirit
{ OF amity and peace, the new relations spring
ing from manifest and accomplished revolu-
I ton IN the Government OF the late Federal
. Union. Your refusal to entertain these over
; lures for a peaceful solutisn, the active naval
z and military Hrenarations Of this Government,
/ and e formal notice 20 the commanding gen
| ersl Of the Confedsrats forces in the harbor
/ Of Charleston that the President intends 10
/ provision Fort Sumter BY forcibls msans, il
Z necessary, are viewed By the undersigned, and
Z can on'y be received bT the world. ss dec
! larstion OF war sgsins' tue Confederate
l States: for the President Of the United States
knows that Fort Sumter cannot be proFisioned
J without the efusion OF blood The under
Z signed, IN behalf Of their Government and
] people, accept the gage Of battle thss thrown
2 aNNN 70 AtENl4 cNl nIleaiINg 10 TOD Nnu NIH
& Judgment Of mankind For the rghteousness of
! their cause, the people Of 'he Confederate
States will defend their liberties to the last
Z against this hagrant and open attempt at th ,ir
! subjugstion TO sectional power.
This Communication cannot Be properly
I closed without aiveTting 20 the date Of vour
: memorandum. The official note Of the under
signed, Of the 10Th Of March, was delivered b
the assistant Secretary Of State on the 1871 Of
/ that month, the gentleman who delivered it
I informing him th7t the secretary Of this con-
mission would call at twelve O'Clock, noon, on
I the next dav, FOR an answer. At the appointed
hour Mr.. Pickett did call, and was Informed
I bv the assistant Secretary of State that the
I engagements ~ the Secretary Of State had
2 prevented b 70 from giving the note bis atten-
tion. The assistant Secretary Of State then
asked FOR the address Of Messrs. Crs wPord and
I FORSYTH, the members Of the commission then
present in this city, took note Of the address
I on card, and engaged 20 send whatever reply
light be made to their lodgings. Why this
I was not done i is proper should Be here er-
( planned. The memorandum is dated March
Z 18th, and was not delivered until April
Why was il withheld dsring The intervening
! . dsys2 10 the postscript TO your niefaors D.
dun YOU say 4 "wss DELAYED, AZ was under
stood, with their Messrs. Forsyth and Craw-
\ f0rdis) consent. This De- trne but it is also
true that on the 18th o. March, Messrs For
syth and Crawford were assured BY p,rson
/ occupying high official position in TIE Gov
[ eminent, aBd who, ~ they believed, was
/ speaking By authority, that Fort Sumter world
Be eVacusted within very feW days. and that
I nc measure changing the existing Status pre-
iadieiaily 10 the Confederate States especially
Z Fort Pickens was then contemplated, and
these assurances were subsequently repeated,
{ with the addition that ans eontsmniatsd
change as renects Pciras would be notified t.
Z rs. On the lst Of April, we were agsn in
formed that there might be an attempt 10 sup
Z ply Port Sumter With provisions but hat Gov.
I Pickens should have previous notice of this at
[ tempt. There was ~ suggestion Of any REIN
forcement- The undersigned did not hesitate
+ 10 believe these assurances expressed the in-
Z teBtions Of the Administration AZ the time, OF,
/ at al events, Of prominent members Of thst
! Administration. This DELAY was assentea to
l fer the EXPRESS purpose of attaining the great
end of the mission Of The undersigned to.wit:
I q pacific solution Of exist ng complications
The inference dedncible from TIE late Of the
] memorandum, that the undersigned bad. Of
their own volition and without cause consented
to this long hiatus in the grave duties with
which they were charged, is therefore not con
ssfeFi with lust exposition Of ths facts Of
tie case. Tie Intervening tReuiF-three davs
were employed in active unofficial efforts. the
object qf which was to smooth The rath to a
pacific aoiutious the distinguishes persona gH
alluded % co operating with the undersignel
and every step Of that Effort iG recorded in
writing, ana now 20 possession OF The under
signed and 0f their Government.
e was only when an these anxious Efforts
for pace had been exhausted, and it became
clear that Mr.. Lincoln bad determined to ap-
peal 70 the swOrd to reduce the people Of the
Confederate States 70 the viii Of tbe section
I or psriv whose President he Is. that the srl.--
sigued resumed The official negotiation ter1no-
rsrily suspended, and sent their secretary FOR a
replg to their uficial note Of March 12rh.
Il is proper to add that, duFing these twenty
itree DAYS, twe gentleman Of official di.tinr-
tioh ~ high a. that Of the parsonage hitherto
alluded 70, aided The undersigned as interme
diaries iH These unofficial negotiations for
neace.
j The undersigned, commissioners Of the Con.