, 1861-01-10

Coffetpbndsnce between thePrnsldeut
hnd-tho 8o0lh Carolina Comtulsa
RlOneFNs

The Washington correspondent Of tho Gin
clnnaI Gaststs furnishes the following resume
Of thdhbovencntioned correspondence:
The first 1attef, dated oh the 2Bth Of be.
scmbct, ID ffom the Commissioners to the
President, In which they transmit copy of
their powers, together with the ordinance Of
secession passed BY their State They say that
i would have been their duty to hive notified
the President sthat they wero ready to nego-
tate, but the cvents Of the Last twenty -four
hours render such an assurance Impossible.
They continue:
We came here representatives Of an au-
thoIaty which could, at any time within the
past sixty days, hare taken possession Of the
forts In Charleston Harbor, but which, upon
the pledges given In manner that Te cannot
doubt, determined to trust to your honor rath.
here, IN officer Of the United states; acting, as
VIC are sssuted, hot only without, but against
your order, has dismautlcd one fort and occu-
pied another, thus altering, to most impor-
tant extent, the condition Of affairs under
which We came
manner which relieves Us Of all doubt Is to
the spirit In which these negotiations shall be
conducted, we nre forced TO suspend all dis
cussfon as to any arrangement BY which cur
mutual Interests might be amicabIy adjusted !;
and, In conclusion, we would utge upon you
tAG NAluEuIl%E NlLuQiNHal u IuE LTQOq8
the harbor Of Charleston, under present cir
cumstances. They are standing menace
Which renders negotiation impossible, and as
our recent experience shows, threaten speedi-
ly to bring to q bloody issue questions which
ought to be settled with temperance and judg-
ment-"
The President replies on the soth that he
cannot determine the relations between the
Government and South Carolina, nor recoe-
nize the Independence Of that State He could
therefore only treat with them as private gen.
tlemen.
In reference to the pledge spoken Of, he thus
recapitulates the facts:
"On Saturday, the 9Th Of December, four Of
the Representative from South Carolina cali
ed Upon me and requested an interview. We
Ind an earnest conversation on the subject Of
these forts; and the best means Of preventing
collision between the parties, for the purpose
Of sPating an edusion Of blooq. lsuggeated,
put III tfritlng what they said to me verbally.
Ihey did 50: Accordingly, on Monday NOR
ming, the 10th inst, three Of them presented
to me paper signed BY all the Representatives
from South Carolina, with single exception,
Of which the following is copy:
To his Esceueney, Lain<s Bt.ehanaa, Htesidt,,t
Of the United Statet:
I'm compliance With oinr statement to you
Jeetetday, Ee now express to yon our strong
convictions, that neither the constitud author
tiles, nor any body Of the people Of South Cur
eilna Viii attack or molest the United States
the action ofthe Convention, and we hope and
believe, not until an offer has been made
thIongh an accredited fepfesentatirc, to neeo-
tlate TOT an amicable Arrangement of all mat
teFs between the State and the FederM Gov
eminent, provided that no reinforcemcpts
shall be sent into these forts, md their relative
military stdtus shall remain III at present.
{Slgned,1 JOHN MCOnEEy