The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-20

,,,isstoners from the Confederate States The
letter addressed by the Commissioners TO MIR.
Seward is rscspitulated in the reply Of Mr..
Seward en- tire, and we therefore omit it:
THs REPLY or Nh, SEWARD.
Memorandum.
DEPARTMENT OF SrATg,
WAsHfSaToS, March Is, 1851 (
Mr. John Forsyth, OF the State OF Alabama
and Mr.. Martin j Crawford. of the State of
Georgia, on The ilth inst, through the kind
offices of distinguished Senator, submitted
10 the Secretary 81 State their desire tor an
unofficial interview. This request WAS, on
tae 18th inst, upon exclusively public consid-
rrSttons. respectfully declined.
On the 18th inst, while the Secretary was
rreoecupied Mr.. A. Il. Banks, of Virginia
called At this departmen and was received
hy the Assistant Secretary, to whom he de-
hyered a sealed communication. which he had
been charged BY Iessrs. Forsyth and Cr3 w
ford 10 present TO the Secre tary in person.
In that communication, Messrs. FORSYTH
and Crawford inform the Secretary OF State
that they have been duly accredited by the
Government of the Confedera:s States of
America as Commissioners to the Govern
ment of the United States, and they set for h
The objects OF their attendance at Washing
. ton. They observe that seven States CT the
American Union, In the exercise OF right
Inherent in every free people, have with
drawn, through Conventions OF their people,
from the United States, reassumed the attri-
butes OF sovereign power. and formed Gov
erument of their own, and that those Con
f-dcrate STATES now constitute an independent
nation de facto and de jurs, and possess Il Gov
.rnment perfect III ali its parts and fully en-
90 wed with ali the means of self-support.
Messrs. FORSYTH and Crawford, i'll their
aforesaid communication, thereupon proceed
TO Inform the Secretary that, with view TO
n speedy ad Jus tment of all Ques tions gro wing
out OF the political separation thus assumed,
upon such terms of :tinity and good viii as
the respective interests, geographical con-
fa
two nations might render necessary, they are
instru ed TO make to the Government of the
United States oyertures for the opening Of
negotiations, assuring this Governrlent that
the President, Congress ana people of the
Confederate States earnes tly desire peaceful
solution OF these great ques tions, and that it
is neither their interest nor their wish to make
any demand which is not founded in strictest
Justice nor 10 DO any act 10 l1lure their late
conieCierates.
After making these sta tements Messrs. For
syth and Crawford close their communica-
tion, as they say, in obedience to the instruc-
tions of their Government, by request ting the
Secretary OF State TO appoint as early = day
possible in order that they may present 10
the President of the United States the creden-
tials which they bear, and the objects o. the
mission with which they ura charged.
The Secretary OF Stale frankly confesses
that he understands the events which have
recently occurred, and the condition of polti-
cal affairs which actually exists in the part
OF tne L MON 10 WHICH MS attention has thus
been directed, very differently from the aspecs {
In which they are presented by Messrs. For
svth and Crawford. He sees in them, not n
rightfui and accom- plished revolution aud Al
independent nation, with an established gov
ernment, but rather 4 perversion of & tempo
rary and partisan excitement TO the inconsid-
crate purposes of an unlustiilable and uncon-
stitn tionAl aggression upon the rights and the
authority vested in the Federal Government,
and hitherto benignly exercised, as from their
very nature they always mast be so exercised,
for the main teuance of the Union, the preser-
Ya:ion of liberty, and the security, peace
welfare, happiness and aggrandiZenent of the
American people. The Secretary of State
therefore, ayows TO Messrs. Forsyth ana
Crawford that he looks patiently but conf
IDENTIFY for the cure of evils which have re-
suited from proceedings so unnecessary, SO
unwise, SO unusnal and so unnatural, not TO
irregular negotiations, having in view new
ann untried relations with agencies unknown
TO and acting in derogation OF the Constitution
and Laws, but 10 regular and coDsdera te
action of the people of those States, in CO.
operation with their brethren in the other
States, through the Congress of the United
States and such extraordinary conventions
il there shall he need thereof, rs the Federal
Constitution coatem plates and authorizes to
be assembled.
Ii is, however, the purpose of the Secretary
ef State, on this occasion, not 10 invite or en-
gage i'll any discussion OF these subjects, but
simply TO get forth his reasons for declining to
comply with the reque of Messrs. FORSYTH
and Crawford
On the Attn of March inst the then newly
elected President of the United States in view
of all the facts bearing Oh the present ques-
tion, assumed the Executive administra ton
OF the Government, first delivering, i'll accord
snce with an early and honored Gus tom, an
inaugural address 10 the people of the United
States. The Secretary of State respec fully
submits a copy Of this address to Messrs. For
syth ana Cra wford.
A simple reference to il will be sufficient to
,l.,.z. r
State, guided by the principles therein an
nounced, is prevented altogether from admit
ting or assuming that the States referred to by
them have, in law or in fact, Withdra wn from
the Federal Union or that they could DO so in
the manner described by Messrs. Forsyth and
Crawford. or in any other manner than with
the consent and concert OF the people of the
United States TO be given through a National
Convention, to be Assembled III conformity
with ihe provisions of the Constitution of the
United States OF course, the Secretary of
state cannot act upon the assumption, or in
any way admit, that the so-called Confederat te
States cons titute foreign power, with whom
diplomatic relations ought TO be established.
Under these circumstances the Seere tary of
State, whose official duties are copfined-sub-
ject TO the direction of the President-to the
conducting OF the foreign relations of the
country, and do not at all ;nbrace domestic
questions or questions arising between the
several states and the Federal Government,
Is unable 10 comply with the request OF
Nessrs. Forsyth and Crawford, to appoint a
day on which they may present the evidences
OF their authority and the objects of their
visit 10 tie President of the United States -
On the contrary, he is Obliged TO state TO
MessTs. Forsyth and Crawford that he has
no authority, nor is he 1T liberty, 10 recognize
Them as diplomatic agents, or hold correspon-
dence or other communication with them.
Finally, the Secretary of State would OBJ
serve that, although he has supposed that he
might safely and with propriety have adopted
gheES conc CiusinHs without making ref
ence OF the subject 10 the Executive, yet so
strong has been his desire to practice entire
firecfn"ss and 10 act In a spirit OF perfect re-
spect and cand9r towards Messrs Forsy tn
aad Era wford, and that portion of the people
of the Union in whose name they present
themreIyrs before him, that he has cheerfuiiy
En omitted this paper to the President who
comedies generally in the views it expresses
aad sanctions the secretary's decision deelin-
lug official intercourse with Messrs. Forsy tn
and Crawford.
APRIL 8, 1851.
The foregoing memorandum was filed in
this d. par tine at on the 18th of March last. A
delivery of the same, however, TO Messrs.
Forsyth and Crawford was delayed, us was
unders TODD. with their consent. They have
now, through their Secretary, communicated
their desire for deiinitiye disposition OF the
subject. The Secretary of State therefore
directs that duly verified copy of the paper
De now delivered.
A true copy OF the original, delivered TO me
by Mr.. + w: Seward, Assistant Secretary OF
State OF the United States, on April s, 1861, at
2 Is +. H., in blank envelope.
Attest, j. I. PICKETT,
Secretary to the Commissioners.
TIE COMMISSIONERS IN REPLY TO MR. SEWARD,
ACCUSING THE GOVERNMENT eP DEeEPTlos,
AND ACCEPTING soGrrIos BIZ THE SWORD.
WAsHIxsrox, April @, 1861.
Hon. Wm. II. StUdrd, SecrefafN o( State of
the United States, Washington:
The "memorandum' dated Department Of
STATE, Was hington, March 10, 1861, with post