520 



NEW YOKE. 



flict with it, and some adjustment of the rights of 

 all the States of the Union in the new territory ac- 

 quired by the blood and treasure of all, by an equi- 

 table division, in the immediate organization of it into 

 States, with a suitable provision for the formation of 

 new States in their limits, or otherwise, would em- 

 brace all that is claimed on any part, and could be 

 arranged without concession of principle on any part. 

 Your memorialists humbly pray, that such measures, 

 either of direct legislation or of amendment of the 

 Constitution, may be speedily adopted, as will accom- 

 plish the objects above stated which they are assured 

 will restore peace to their agitated country. 



This memorial, carrying with it the names 

 of the leading capitalists of the country, as 

 well as the State, the men on whom ultimately 

 the Government was to depend for its means 

 and support, was forwarded to Washington by 

 a large delegation. 



Immediately following this memorial, was 

 a call of the merchants to meet at the Cham- 

 ber of Commerce on the 18th January. The 

 meeting took place according to the call, was 

 very largely attended, and the following me- 

 morial to Congress was almost unanimously 

 adopted : 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

 United States of America in Congress : 



The memorial of the subscribers, citizens of the 

 State of New York, respectfully showeth : That, while 

 sharing in common with, our fellow-citizens, the gen- 

 eral solicitude at the dangers which are now threaten- 

 ing the peace and unity of our country, they desire to 

 give their urgent and emphatic expression of the ne- 

 cessity which seems to exist for mutual conciliation 

 and compromise , and without discussion as to the 

 merits of the various questions at issue, believing that 

 the perpetuity of the Union of the United States as 

 one nation is of vastly more importance than the es- 

 tablishment or rejection of this or that subject of con- 

 troversy, and that th,e people of the North will ap- 

 prove of the general outline of the plan of compromise 

 agreed upon by the Senators and Representatives of 

 the Border States : 



Your memorialists humbly pray that such measures 

 may be speedily adopted by Congress, for the settle- 

 ment of our present difficulties, as will embrace sub- 

 stantially the plan of compromise so recommended by 

 the Representatives of the Border States, and which, 

 they believe, will restore tranquillity and peace to our 

 own distracted country. 



The following resolutions were then offered 

 and unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That a committee be appointed to cir- 

 culate the foregoing memorial for signatures, and to 

 have the city, and as far as practicable, the State- can- 

 vassed for that purpose. 



Resolved, That a committee of our most influential 

 citizens, irrespective of party, be appointed, with power 

 to add to their number, to take charge of the me- 

 morial when signed, and forward or present the same 

 at Washington, in such manner as they may deem 

 most judicious, using their influence for the settlement 

 of the existing national difficulties. 



Resolved, That a copy of this call and the proceed- 

 ings of this meeting be forwarded to each of the Sena- 

 tors and Representatives of this State in Congress, 

 and also to each of the Senators and Representatives 

 in our State Legislature. 



These endeavors, added to demonstrations in 

 other parts of the State, with those of the citi- 

 zens of other States, produced many and ear- 

 nest efforts at compromise at the seat of Gov- 



ernment. Among the efforts was that of the 

 Border States for a Peace Convention. 



On the 24th Jan., the Governor of New York 

 received resolutions passed by the General As- 

 sembly of Virginia, inviting such States as 

 would "unite with her in the earnest effort to 

 adjust the unhappy controversies, in the spirit 

 in which the Constitution was originally formed, 

 and consistently with its principles, so as to af- 

 ford adequate guarantees to the slave States for 

 the security of their rights, to appoint commis- 

 sioners to meet hers on the 4th of the following 

 month, in Washington, to consider and agree, 

 if practicable, upon some suitable adjustment." 



The Governor accordingly recommended the 

 appointment of five citizens of the State, to 

 meet those of Virginia and other States. On 

 Feb. 1, the Legislature, after many discussions 

 and delays, selected commissioners to the Peace 

 Conference, but they were required to take no 

 part in the proceedings unless a majority of the 

 non-slaveholding States were represented. 



The Convention met Feb. 4, at Washington, 

 and on the 1st March agreed to a plan of com- 

 promise. (See PEACE COXFEREXCE.) 



The news of the result of the deliberations 

 of the Peace Conference at Washington created 

 much excitement at Albany. Despatches were 

 received, announcing the result, and saying that 

 a general feeling of joy and satisfaction existed 

 in Washington. This feeling was, however, 

 not participated in by the Legislature at Al- 

 bany, and one of the delegates, Mr. Field, Tvas 

 much blamed for not being present, and giving 

 the casting vote of the delegation against the 

 measure. 



While the debates in relation to the appoint- 

 ment of commissioners to the Peace Conven- 

 tion were proceeding, an immense Union meet- 

 ing was held Jan. 28, at the Cooper Institute, 

 New York. The speakers were among the 

 most eminent orators of both parties, and reso- 

 lutions were passed as follows : 



Resolved, That the people of New York send three 

 Commissioners to the Conventions of the people of 

 South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, 

 and Mississippi ; and that such commissioners be in- 

 structed to proceed immediately to such States, and 

 to confer with the delegates of the people of said States 

 in regard to the measures best calculated to restore 

 the peace and integrity of this Union. And to re- 

 port to the people of this city at the earliest practicable 

 moment. 



The question was loudly called for and car- 

 ried unanimously. The following gentlemen 

 were then named as Commissioners, and rati- 

 fied by the unanimous cheers of the audience : 

 James T. Brady, Cornelius K. Garrison, Apple- 

 ton Oaksmith. 



At nearly the same time, when all parties 

 were striving to do something to avert the 

 evils that were impending over the country, 

 a call was made by the Democratic State Cen- 

 tral Committee for a Convention, of four dele- 

 gates from each Assembly, to be held at Al- 

 bany on the 31st of January. 



The Convention met pursuant to the call, on 



