Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-02-02

! DEAR SIR-I received your communication notifying
me of nv appointment by the concurrent vote of the
two houses Of the General Assembly Commissioner to
the President of the United with Instructions respect
fully TO request the President to abstain, pending the
proceedings contemplated by the action OF the General
Assembly from any aud all acts calculated to produce
collision of arms between the States which have seeded
or shall seceie and the Government OF the United States
an the afternoon of Monday the 2st inst by the mail
OF that day and in disregard OF state OF ndis
position under which had labored for some time pre-
vious resolved at all hazards to myself personally to
carry cut so far as could the patriotic wishes Of the
Legislature BY the earliest conveyance reached Rich
mOnd on the evening OF the succeeding day TUESDAY,
I'D aud having had interview with your EXcelency,
aud my co-CommsSiOner, proceeded, by the morning
train OF the next day, W edneSday 3d. for the
city of Washington, which l reached the afternoon
OF the same day am thus particular IN giving precise
dates so that the Legislature may perceive that with all
possible promptude and despatch obeyed their wishes
aud also show that duly sensible of the impor-
lance of time in the whole proceeding Immediately af-
ter reaching Washington addressed note marked No
to the President Of the United States, informing him
OF nv arrival and asking early hour TO be designated
bv him enable me 70 place him in poSst sSlon OF the
wishes and feelings Of the Legislature Of Virginia and
the instructions which, in the form of her Legislative
solves all having direct reference to the disturbed and
painful condition OF public affairs DESTROYS of lay
ug before him. He responded promptly by note and left
it optional with myself select o'clock of that evening
or an early hour the morning for the time Of the
|
set forth, informed him that | would wait upon him in
the morning of the ensuing day. My note announcing
nav arrival IL the objects which had brought me to Wash
ilgtOn had any consideration in tue mind OF the Prcs
dent would did not doubt, suspend any hostile move
ment against any seeding State in the interval of time
between its date and the hour at which should wait upon
him the next morning. and superscde the necessity Of
night visit
On the next morning at the hour of ten repaired to
the President mansion and met from him warm and
81 l,at arrh ,rfIrrfs
eter of appointment attested by the seal OF the State
and Legislative resolutions. He said they the first
full copies OF the resolutions which he had seen, and
after reading them be remarked that he considered them
very important and was Coud enough 10 add that being
borne by myself he should feel 10 his duty 10 make them
The subject OF a special message TO Congress. Either
suggested he voluntarily remarked most probably the
AFTER that he should accompany them with strong re
commentator to Congress, with whom, he said rested
the entire power over the subject of peace all
stain from all scton Of hostile character until Virginia
should have had r opportunity 10 exert AL her efforts
Co uresere the public peace aud restore harmony to the
Cuou. said 10 him that my u ssion was to hm-thai
he was COmmaudtt.iu Chief OF the Army aud Navy
could regulate the movement OF soldiers and ships, IN
peace aud ia WAT aud that what every Nrgniau desired
vas that the stir, g,o should be observed represent
pd to him that the people OF Virginia we're almost uni
yers4y inclined 10 peace aud ,oucAauon, that need
not rorm him OF the sacrifices thr STATE had made Tor
die mon p i,s atiou or OF her fundamentally in
creation OF the Con .tuion that her Efforts Ia recon
sust or preserve depended Tor their success ON her
b-ag permitted TO conduct them und7Lurb'd by outside
collision. Ha replied That be had m no measure changed
has views s7 pr5 tni'd 3" A' anA4" "''.'t Inal ne
could give no pedSes 'ha " Vas ''7 uG' 10 '''''' ,'
law. aod the whole power rested Win congress ne
complained that the South had no, treated ham properly,
that they had made unnecessary ADMINISTRATIONS 10y seq
lng unprotected areua7 ana l"Tt Aud lL"@ pvtPe'fa"ue
acts oil useless b'a'ado when uad ln'e As wen Oeeu Jet
alone. suggested to him that while these thng7 were
.uift-1 calculated fret and iTrtute the Northern
mind tat be would see IN 'h'm only Tue necessary e
suits oi popular eNt'tue WHICH, ''''' a. "O!"'" 40
W'-'h''' D" 'He '"I' u u.l''o"f 'l'", z' -
once more '''."I,O' ,'"' '"' "i''' ,' ~.
nan C'." maze "oI'i "'SoI''' i'' ' ' -
AuI tut' i' 'Ne GENUINE '"' ~. ' ' '.''
wa- only changed lie fti'tl'" s sense OF l", ""n~'
uous which rested upon N"' ,'"I give no P.euS's ""'
those eoultlued u -s ps'". acts ANu t','" as"" ~
Che proceeding oil th' i'si-' anu '' lu''"'o ~
send them TO Congress iu special moaSse accompanied
with "a strong recommendation 10 a'"G '"' P' age o'
any hostile tgFAuoN asked " '.SI' DO '''i''1,o
see tut sAetC' oil 'Ne To "'" ne
rel4le" 'hAl ne "o'iG ''Nt p'''7"'' ~ "''- w -"
neN. 'u''u'us' iu-u '.o'y Oy'D.'' ." Wv. IL ~
our '"'''''e", wiz" '' ga - -; - -
hD"t''' 'e'i'',5 " .". - -;
.tl "'A entirety s",',d wiz" ''e I's...' ", "'
VI " 1"e re- .J". u" ' run 11 w.
N'' 'a'E' '-N .''' manuel -
7'-.'"eu u,, '-'' " .-e '''I'lH '''
-'.'oa 90 OON-'vs' 10 "''."', ''Vu N'.''
OF state OF gnetuae'
Fr.iiv, 2sh.-l waited on Linn again the following
mlrurg and he lost time Ia reading ne so much OF
the sketch OF the proposgd message o.. related the
common Iltion to Congress | suggested no change
liberation believing il io be amply sufficient aud be-
came only anNi0u. for 81, presentation TO Congress. He
said be should have a prepared 10 be submitted TO his
Cabinet that day aud would send it the next DAY On
the afternoon OF the same dly-fuday, a5th-l was
waited upon by The Secretary OF State aud Attorney cen
era, Who stated that tboy had called upon me, at the re
quest of tae President express bis regret that IN con-
sequence OF tue jOurument over 20 Monday, he would
no. be able TO send IN the message until Monday While
in conversation with these gentlemen which Chi ty
turned on the condition OF public affairs, startled
bg the receipt of photographic dispatch from Judge Rob
e-t0u, iuy coComuissioaer, dated at Charleston, c.
cuqGir.ug into the foundation oil tumor "Eich had
reached that place o. 40 the steamship oTooHHu Win
troops, hat sailed Tor the south from NoiIoIh lhe-
dately banded over the dispatch TO the gentlemen win
tle suitable enquiries. Inc Attorney "eueth silJ, I'D
substance you know, sir that am attached TO the Law
Department aud not 80 the way Of knowing anything
about IT, The Secretary OF State said that he had heard
and believed that the BROOKLYN had sailed with some
troops, 6ut he dd not emo" elef Nheh she Ineu OF ~
N'"I po'", sue a. I'u'I ''r' ~ VI
sue "' nv 40. .,, la 49,, ~, m
.us'oN' va ''' pm ''I X 49, 49,. r. ,L D
'u'ol 'T, ou' 6, ~, , .,, - - ~
ue"' "O''N S'e NV ''' - III -; -,
'.'''N ny ID ~ ''' - -. ~ DID, S,o
,' IVY A., So th, .t,or,sg General ti,lIy
10 90, ''' nv - M .,L,,', To- nf Enc
''.I"' ~ ~. ~, - o., H., ,;; ,,.,,is NJ C,or
10 'Ie - .. - @ 49,, L Id c,rr;,d Tho note
, D., - -, h,,l fcr a.. ,soso1 NOT neccssarv
TO 'n' '',,u'NI 20, tLo pr1jort t,t b,d
'T'' !" 7U'', ~ A.. -, 90 Ll I,liroro5
p.A'tt ID j" ~, "l.-1 "' ma ronIy nc the
g ,e IT. = - nc H. oIorar