, 1861-02-20
The Peoce Conference.

The city was filled with rulnots ycstcr{11y
that the Peace Convention Lal abruptly I'd
jour1ed in MUCK excitement. Thcy wert c,r
tire1y unfounded. Mr.. B4ld gin Of Cornccsi.
cut made an able argument i'll favor OF calling
d National Convention in til. alternate mauntI
prescribed By the Constitutions, on the al.pl;-
cation Of tho Legislatures Of twt,.thrfls OF tlle
several States. lie thought this mode would
afford time for reflection, and avoid the pre-
cfpitancy Of urging rec0mul1nd .tiu1l5 through
Congress, which, If defeated, would Only IL
crease embarrnssment6.
hfr. Guthrie<tAougbt some Immediate and
decisive action was necessary to save t::c Boz.
would be great danger If further stc.es ion.
He animadverted, with mitch severity. upon
the refusal Of Congress to mrct the eai:,cccy,
and tho absence OF seygacity, In nu1 tro. .a.sin:
some remedy, while the Union was crurnsi;;1 !;
to pieces.
Mr. Curtis Of Iowa answered this reference
to Congress with much eftecf, NJ, iu!; tint it
was de1lbcratiye body, aud fad:4 right 10
consider all the propositions sulmitte. calri.
ly. He believed there had l,een IN organized
conspiracy to break up the G"ysrn,.4tnt, and
TINT no compromise here coul naSe Pr vent
ed it; And he inquired Of Mr. GuthFi,: wheti,-
er he thought even bis own plan wou1l have
arrestcdlle movement?
Mr. Guthrie answered that it would Eayc
saved some Of the States.
Mr. Curtis then examined Mr.. Gutlsic's
scheme, and demonstrated that It's purpose
was to establish and protect slavery III future
acquisitions Of territory by all artful use Of
language, aud to that the people Of the North
would never consent. j. They w1rc pledged
against it, aud would not surrender their rF;n-
clples, but intended no aggressions On tue
righls Of the South.
This declaration occasloneu some comno-
tlon, and Mr. WyckliEa and others rose and
propounded interrogatories
Reverdy johnson admitted that Mr. Gu!h-
rie's plan did not distinctly exclude the future
acquisition Of territory, which he desired to
have cmphasically declared, mud therttor> Of.
fered an amendment to that effect which was
generally acceptable. No vote was taken On
any Of the p1ana, and, after some rambling,
discussion, the Convention adjourned,
The PROBABILITY is, this l,ody will close its
session during the present week. The South
Is disposed TO reduce its demands ,ttrialiy.
No proposition recognizing Slavery in Iii:
be effective In Congress, and the Cc;np:oui-
sers nay finally settle down OH q rccommcl;.
dation for National Convention, as tu..c.t-
ed By the Legislature Of Kentucky, which re-
qusres two-thirds OF the States.
Prominent members Of the Virginia Con-
vention have written here inqu;rieg III to tho
prospect Of action In the Conferences. THY
good dispositions.
Death Of Col. Joshua e. Esrant.
In nothing !s it more apparent that ours Is
becoming au old and we'll populated c;sv, than
the frequent occasions for notices Of tic de-
mise Of old AID conspiuous citizens. Another
Is now TO be adaed to the list in ahe plr. ~, NJ
Col J: 3. Braat, whose death took place a IT,
tic before twelve o'clock of Friday 1,i,ht ~,
saw him only few days before in bis arcmz.
TONED health. for year past not y1ry robust
put . cold contracted on Mondnv confined lin
to bis room and led to his dea,E. '''''@
Col brant vas born IN April, I790, In Hamp-
ION hampshire county, Massachusetts, lie
had no other advantages than those commnr1
to people at that time. He was a (urmer hnS
until he WIS eighteen years Of rye, when Ii,
LEFT home md went 10 Troy, New York.
where he engaged In O drug store kent t,,3
Erastus Corning, now one Of tic lending 1ncn
Of New York, at q very limited salarF, U3
afterwards changed his occupation, :,.d the
'ess county, New York. Fired with tic Shirt
Of the tine he at once entered 1he ar,nv
with the appointment Of sergeant, au.i yas i,
tue hard-1onSht BATTLES of Fort Georce. Inn.
dy.s Lane and Fort Eric. In 1915 h. VA a,s-
pointed, by Gen. Brown, ensign Of his Ri.
Hent, and afterwards he receI, ed the apo,!ii.
meat 1l or ID Lieutenant. Rc,wsen 1915 md
toas, Ne passed through all the stages Of mill.
tary promotion to Lieut. Colonel, s:dt resI.lI~
eo In 1SS9. He came to St. Louis ii, lS5s. All
nis connection with Oar city Gates IRON tf;st
period. He Eas twice marrlcd-t},c ia.t ti,.s
to Miss 6is1h Benton, dacshtcr Of Samur1
Benton, ana niece Of Thomas Ii. Benton. tnn
Senator frog Missouri: Two children survive
him. Col, Hrant, It is part Of his history 10
St. Louis, which is lett to bis wi.ow AMI ri.
drtn. His son. Mr. H r Rr,nt ra.;,i,e =: