The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-18

Finally, the Secretary of State would observe
that, although hs has supposed that be might
safely and with prcprety have adopted these
Conclusions without making auy reference OF tho
euhsct to the Executive yet strong has been his
are TO Practise entire dracness ard 70 act Ia spirit OF
and csndcr towards Messrs Forsyth ana
Crawford and that portion Of tie people OF the Union in
whose name they present themselves before him, thai
he Las ehserfuly submitted this paper TO the Prcs
tsrt who coincidea generally in the views expresses
aid sanctions the Sscrctrys decision declining official
Intercourse with Aefsrs Forsyth and Crawford.
ArRr 8, 1851.
Tho foregoing memsrspdem was fled in this De-
partmeBt on the. 10Th OF March last A. delivery Of
the iame, however, TO Messrs. Forsy tn and Crawford
wes deaye. understood with their consent They
have now through their secretary. their
desire fer . deGnhve disposition OF the subject m
Secretary OF State therefore directs that duly verified
copy Of the paper be now delivered.
true copy Of the original delivered 70 me by Mr. T.
w. Seward, Assistant Secretary of State Of the United
States, on April g. 1861 at 2l5 p NJ in blank envelope
Attest, j. r. PICKETT,
Secretary to the Commissioner
TIE COMMISSIONERS IN REPLY TO MIR. SEWARD
ACCUSING THE GOVERNMENT OF DEcEPTION, AND
ACCEPTING SOLUTION BY TIE SWORD.
WASHINGTON, April Q, 1851.
hon VIM H. SkwARD, Secretary OF State OF the United
States, Waehngton3-
Tho memorandum dated Department OF State WASH
neon March 15 1861 with postscript under date Of 9Th
nsian has been received through the hands Of Mr. j.
Pickett, Secretary TO this commisson who by the in
struc,ons Of the undersigned, called for on yesterday
at the department.
IN that memorandum you correctly state the purport
Of the official note addressed you by the undersigned
on the 12h utmo Without repeating the contents OF
that note In full, II s enough to say here that its
object was TO invite the government of the United
states to friendly consideration OF the reIa-
tons between the United States and the seven
States lately Of the federal Union but now separated from
by the sovereign will Of their people, growing out OF
the pregnant and undenabe fact that those people have
rejected the authority Of the United States and
government OF their Those relations had to be
friendly or hostile Ine people OF tho old and new 60
vernents occupy ing contiguous territories had to stand
10 each other in the relation Of good neghbors each seek
ing their happiness and pursuing their national estinies
in their own way without interference with the other
they had to re rival ard hostile nations The govern
ment Of the Confederate States had no hesitation in elect
ing its choice in this alternative. Frankly and unre
servedly seeking the good Of the people who had en-
trusted them with power In the spirit OF humanity Of
the Christian civilization of the age Of that American
sm which regards the true welfare and happiness the
,ple the government Of the Confederate States among
It's na acs, the undersigned the
government Of the United States with the olive branch of
peace ana oer TO adjust the great questions pending
between snm the only way 70 be justned BY the con-
sciences ana COMM sense Of good who hsd nothing
but the welfare Of @ psope Of the oonfedsracics at
heart. nu1nuuu -
Your government haB
signed In the conciatory
they are commissioned. Per
tai theories of construction d
always rejected by the statesmsl
hercd TO by those OF the adminstl.
have produced their natural and oftSI
the destruction Of tho Ua.,r, sader whit
continued to livs happily and sloriouay
sraris Of the ancestry who framed the cod
tion Animated the hearts Of all their sons, "
persistence untaught and uncured by the rul
been wrought, refuse 70 recognise the great
sented TO you Of completed and successful revc
you close your eyes TO the existence Of the gov
ment founded upon 1t, and ignore the high b
ties Of moderation and humanity which attach to you in
dealing with this great fact Had you met these issues
with the ranness and msnlness with which the under
signed instructed present them to you and treat
them the undersigned had not the melancholy duty
to return home and tell their government their coun
ty thai their earnest and ceaseless efforts in behalf
OF peace had been futile and that the government OF the
United States meant 10 subjugate them by force Of
arms. whatever may be the result, impartial his.
tory will record the innocence Of the government
OF the Confederate States, and place the respon
sibility Of the blood and mourning that may ensue
upon those who have denied the great fundamental doc
rine OF American liberty that governments derive their
just powers from the consent Of the governed" and who
have get rava and land ornaments in motion TO subject
the people Of portion of this land TO the will Of
another portion. That that can never be done while
freeman survives In the Confederate States to WELD
weapon the undersigned appeal to past history prove
These military demonstrations against the people Of the
seeded States certainly FAR from being in keeping
and consistency with tho theory of the Secretary State
maintained in his memorandum, that these States are
st component parts Of the late American Union as the
undersigned not aware Of any constitutional power in
the President Of the United States to levy war; without
the consent Of Congress- upon foreign people, much lees
upon any portion Of the people Of the United States
Tho undersigned, like the Secretary of State have no
purpose TO nve engage in discussion Of the subject
which their two governments 80 rreconcably a.
variance. 10 this variance that has broken up the old
Unon the dsntegra,on OF which has only begun II is
proper however, to advise you that 1t well TO dis
mics the hopes you seem to entertain that, by
any OF the modes Indicated the people Of the Confederate
States will be brougbtto submit TO the authority OF
the government Of the United States You dealing
with deusons too when you seek to separate people
from and TO characterize the deliberate
sovereign act OF that people asa "perverson OF tempo
raSy and partisan excitement" n you cherish these
dreams you win be awakened from them and hud them
unreal ard unsubstan ia others in which you have
recently INDUCED The undersigned would omi, the per
formance Of obvious duty they TO fail TO make
known 10 the government OF the United States that the
people Of the Confederate States have declared their IN
dependence with full knowledge Of all the responsibilities
Of that act, and with as firm determination 10 maintain
II by all the means with which nature has endowed thom
that which sustained their fathers when they threw of
the auth ority Of the British crown.
The Undersigned clearly underttand th,t you have de-
clned to appoint day 10 enable them to lay the objects
OF the mission with which they charged before the
President Of the United sates because TO do would be
to recognise tho independence and separate nationality
Of the Confederate States This s the vein Of thought