Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-02-08


deputed by the Governor Of Virginia TO the
President of the United States. as bearer Of the
anticoercion resolutions adopted by the Legis-
! lature Of that State. We subjoin the most
material portion of hi, report to the Governor
giving An account of his interviews with the
| President. In the notes which were inter
changed. the President informed Mr. Tyler
that the mission Of the Brookiyn was one of
mercy and relief: aud in reply to the inquiry
about the activity at Fort Monroe, the Presi-
d-nt, proiessrdly ignorant of the movements
al that point. Informed him that he would
make inquiry about the matter next day:
On the next morning at the hour of ten re-
paired to the Presidents mansion. and met
from him . warm and cordial reception. ] lost
no time in handing him your letter Of appoint.
| mebt, attested hy tho seal Of the State aud the
| Legislative resolutions. He said that they
were the first full copies Of the resolutions
! which he had seen anil after reading them he
remarked that he considered them very imror
tant. and was good enough to add that being
borne by TyselL he should feel it his duty to
make them the subject Of special message to
Congress- Either suggested. or he voluntari-
ly remarked. moe, probably the latter. that he
SHOULD accompany them with strong econ.
! mendation to Congress, with whom, he said,
| rested the entire power over the subject of war
| or peace. to abstain from all action OF hostile,
character until Virginia should have had fair
| opportunity to exert nll her efforts to preserve.
! the public peace and restore harmony to the
Union. said to him that my mission wa. to
him; that he was commander. in chief Of the
army and navy: could regulate the movement
OF soldiers and ships in peace and in war; and
that everything Virginia desired was that the
| status quo should be observed | represented
to him that the people of Virginia were anos,
! univei sally inclined to peace aud r, concilin-
| ti"n. That need not in form him of the sacri-
lces the State had made for the Union in its
initiation or Of her instrumeniali,y in the crra.
ton OF the Constitution. That her efforts to
| preserve depended. for their success. on her
being permitted to conduct them undisturbeI
by outside collision. lie replied that he had
IN no measure changed his views as presented
in his ann''al message. That he could give no
Pedgcs that it was his duty to enforce the
| laws; and the whole power rested with Con.
gress. He complained that the South had not
treated him property; that they had made un-
necessary demonstrations, by seiz ing unrrotec
ted arsena's and forts, and thus perpe,rntinr
| acts OF useless brovado, which had quite "a
well been left alone l suggested to him tia,
while those things were 1 aimittcd) calcnlR
ted to fret and irritate the Northern mind vet
he would see in them only the necessary re-
suits OF popular excitement, which after oil
worked no mischief in the end, if harmony be-
| tween the States was once more restored. That
| The States wherein the seizures had been made
wonld account for all the public property, and
| that. in meantime, the agencies for its prrser-
valion were only changed. lie repeated his
views of the obligations which rested on him
! could give no pledges but those contained in
his public acts. and rccurrcd again to the pro.
ccedings Of The Legislature, and his intention
to send them TO Congress in n special message,
accompanied with n strong recommendation to
avoid the passage Of any hostile legislation. l
asked if might be permitted to see the sketch
of the message, to which he unh esltatinrly re.
piled tllnt lie would take pleasure in showing
it to me next morning.
Much more occurred in the course Of mn in
terview which lasted for hour and half ulI,
however. Eelating exclusively to the above top
ICES; and | left him entirely satisfied with the
result of my itorview. The President was
frank and entirely confiding in his Iangu"te
and whole manner. A moments reflection
satisfied me that i: the message contained the
recommendation to Congress to abstain from
hostile legislation, was at liberty to infer
similar determination on his part of state of
queiude.
FRIDAY. 25th.-I waited or him aguin the
following morning. and he lost no time in rend
ing me so much Of the sketch Of the proposed
message, rs related to the recommendation to
Congress. l suggested no alteration, believing
it to be amply sufficient, and became only
anxious for its presentation to Congress lie
said he should have il all prepared to be sub
mitted TO his Cabinet Oh that day. and would
send it in the next day. On the afternoon of
the same day (Friday. 25th) was waited on
by the Secretary of State and the Attorney
General who stated that they had called upon
me nt TIL. request of the President to express
his regret, that in consequence of the adjourn
men: over to Monday, he would not be able
to send in the nIessage until Monday. While
in conversation with thos. gen, lemcn. which
chiefly turned on the condition of public af.
fa irs, was startled by the receipt of tele-
graphic dispatch from Judge Robertson. by
commissioner, dated Charleston. S. c., in
quiring into The foundation Of rumor which
had reached that place that he steamship
brooklyn, with troops, had sailed from Norfolk.
Immediately handed over the dispatch to the
ntlemen. with the suitable inquiries. The
Attorney General said in substance: .You
know, sir. that am attached to she lazy de-
partment, and not in the way Of knowing any
thing about it," The Secretary Of State said
thst lie had heard and believed that the Brook |
W" had sailed with with some troops. hut he
did not know when she sailed. or to what point
she was destined I then said Il hoped that
che had not received her orders siuce my arri
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