Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-02-21
WAsHrNeroN. Feb. 7. 1861,

AONs = VS. - 49,
| The secret conclaye called the Peace
Conference held a short session with closed
doors yesterday. They adopted the Know
Nothing ritual as regards publicity. The
rules for the government of the order Of
business are stiff, formal and ceremonious
and copied from the old feudal times in Eu-
rope. Members are precluded from read
ing, or writing, or crossing the hall when
any one is speaking. All must rise when
John Tyler passes out He is entitled tc
leave first on judgment and after mem
Der approaches the throne of his high
mightiness he must retire backwards, bow
ing as he goes. These are presumed 10 be
some of the compromise that are deem
ed necessary to save the Union. The Coy
eminent has become too Republican in its
forms. There must be more of the patri-
clan manners and less of the free and easy
behavior Of the plebeians, or the Union will
lose the magnificent society of the f. +.
VS..
A Virginia delegate presented the slave
code compromise scheme Of that Stale. and
moved that it be adopted as the basis Of a
settlement. 1t was promptly assailed by
Caleb B. Smith, Gov. Chase, Amos Tuck
and others, and defended by the Southern
ultras. Smith very plainly informed the
Southern delegates that if that odious and
degrading proposition was presented as the
ultimatum of the border Slave States, the
Convention might as well at once adjourn
and the members 90 home. The Free
States would never agree to any such basis
of adjustment, and it were folly to be vast
ing time discussing it. If Virginia would
not remain in the Union except on the con
ditions specified in the resolutions of hel
Legislature, she might as well prepare to
follow South Carolina. The North had
sacrificed much for the sake of the Union,
and was willing to do anything in reason
to restore harmony; tut it was not open
to be robbed and disgraced in the same OPP
Grafton for the sake Of purchasing fragile
and treacherous peace with conditional
secessionists." Ex-Governor Morehead d
Kentucky, said that he was satisfied in biz
own mind that if the border States wert
really DESTROYS Of STAYING in the Union they
would have TO lower their demands on til,
North. lie was convinced that no settle
ment could be made on the basis Of Crit
tenden's slave code propositions, or Bigler's
or the Virginia resolutions, or any Other
that required the establishment of slavery
in the Territories, now possessed or here
after to be acquired. Non-intervention, hC
presumed, was the utmost limits of North
ern concessions to slavery. The Corwin
Adams Compromise, he understood was
the most the North would give. If any
thing was to be done by this conference
they had better approach their work Of
Cancellation in the light he had indicated
He hoped the delegate from Virginia would
withdraw bis slave code resolutions, unless
it was his purpose to force vote upon
them, which would result in their summary
rejection, to be followed by immediate sine
die adjournment. The resolutions were
withdrawn, when the conclaye took a re-
cess until to-day. How learned the fore
going facts, it is not necessary to tell
That the doings and sayings are substan-
tally as reported, viii not be denied by
those who were present.
Congress is beginning to act with vigol
in relation to the seeding States. A bill
is before the Senate, introduced by Colht
mer, chairman of the Finance Committee
which confers upon the President and Cab
met the power to abolish the ports Of entry
in seeded States, and to withdraw The
mails and close up the Post Office therein.