Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-09
CORRESPOND
BETWEEN THE
President Of the United States
AND THE
So-Called Commissioners Of South Carolina.

ma was recently q member, and generally to
negotiate as to all other measures and ar
| engagements proper to be made and adopted
| in the existing relation of the parties, and
for the continuance of peace and amity be-
tween this Commonwealth and the Govern
| ment at Washington.
In the execution of this trust, it is our du-
ty to furnish you, as we now do, with an Of
| fetal CODY of the Ordinance of Secession, by
which the State of South Carolina has re-
| sumed the powers she delegat u to the Gov
eminent of the United States, and has de-
| clared her perfect sovereignty and indepen-
| dence.
| 1t would also have been our duty to have
| informed you that we were ready to negoti-
| ate with you upon all such questions as are
necessarily raised by the adoption of this
Ordinance, and that we were prepared to en-
| ter upon this negotiation with the earnest
desire to avoid all unnecessary and hostile
collision, and so to inaugurate our new rela-
| tiens as to secure mutual respect, general adj
vantage, and future OF good will and bar
nony, beneficial to all the parties concerned.
But the events of the last twenty-four
hours render such an assurance impossible.
We came here the representatives OF an au-
thority, which could at any time within the
past sixty days have taken possession of the
forts in Charleston harhor, but upon pledges
given in q manner that we cannot doubt. de-
termined TO trust to your honor rather than
TO its own power. Since our arrival an Off
Ger OF the United States acting, as we are
assured, not only without, but against your
orders, has dismantled one fo-t and occupied
another, thus altering to most important
extent the condition of affairs under which
we came.
Until these circumstances are explained IN
a manner which relieves Us of all doubt as to
the spirit in which these negotiations shall
be conducted, We are forced to suspend all
discussion as to any arrangements by which
our mutual interests might be amlcably ad-
justed-
And, in conclusion, we would urge upon
You the immediate withdrawal of the troops
from the harbor of Charleston. Under pres
ent circumstances, they are a standing men
ace which renders negotiation impossible.
and, as our recent experience shows, threat
ems speedily to bring to bloody issue ques-
tions which ought 70 be settled with temper
snce and adjustment.
We have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
Rw. BARNWELL,
JH. ADAMS. Commissioners.
JAMES l.. ORR.
To the President of the United States.
WASHINGTON CrrY, Dec 3Oth, 1860.
Gentlemen Il have had the honor to re-
ceive your communication of the 18th in
slant, together with a copy of "your full
powers of the Convention of the People Of
South Carolina" authorizing you to treat
with the Government of the United States
on various important subjects therein men,
toned, and also copy Of the Ordinance,
bearing date on the Goth instant, declaring
that 1.-THE Union now subsisting between
South Carolina and other States, under the
name of the limited States of America" is
hereby dissolved.
In answer to this communication, have
to say, that my position, as President of the
United States, was clearly defined in the
Message to Congress on the Sd instant. In
that stated that. "spart from the executi on
| of the laws, so far as they may be practical
BILE, the Executive has no authority to decide
what shall be the relations between the Fed
eral Government and South Carolina. He
| has been invested with no such discretion.
He possesses no power to change the rela-
| tions heretofore existing between them, much
less to acknowledge the independence Of
| that State. This would be to invest mere
Executive officer with the power of recog-
MIXING the dissolution of the Coufederacy
among our thirty-three Sovereign States. 1t
bears no resemblance to the recognition of q
foreign de facto Government involving no
such responsibility. Any attempt to do this
would, on his part, be a naked act of usur-
patton. 1t is, therefore, my duty to submit
to Congress the whole question in all its
bearings"
Such is my opinion still. could there
fore meet you only as private gentlemen of
the highest character, and was entirely will
ing to communicate to Congress any propo-
sition you might have to make to that body
upon the subject Of this you were well
aware. 1t was my earnest desire that such
disposition might be made Of the whole
subject by Congress, who alone possess the
power, as to prevent the Inauguration OF
civil war between the parties in regard to the
possession of the Federal forts in the hsrbor
of Charleston; and therefore deeply regret.
that, in your opinion ''the events of the last
twenty-four hours render this impossible"
In conclusion you urge upon me "the imme-
date withdrawal Of the troops from the harbor
of Charleston" stating that ''under present
circumstances they are q standing menace
which renders negotiation impossible, and as
our recent experience show, threatens
speedily to bring to bloody issue questions
which ought to be settled with temperance
and Judgment"
The reason for this change in your position
is that since your arrival in Washington, San
officer of the United States, acting az we
(you) are assured not only without, but
against your (my) orders, has dismantled one
fort and occupied another, thus altering to q
most important extent the condition of af-
fairs under which we (you) came" You
also allege that you came here "the Repre-
sentatives of an authority which could at
any time within the past sixty days, have Ia
ken possession of the forts in Charleston bar
Dor, bat which, upon pledges given In .
manner that we you) cannot doubt, deter
mined TO trust to your (my) honor rather
than TO it's power"
This brings me 10 q consideration Of the
nature Of those alleged pledges. and In what
manner they have bsen observed. In my
message of the Sd Of December last, stated
In regard to the property Of the United States
In South Carolina, that Il .'has been purchas-
ed for . fair equivalent By the consent Of the
LeRislatQre Of the State, foI the erectiop Of