He has been invested with no such
discretion. He possesses no power to change the relations heretofore
existing between them, much less to acknowledge the independence of that
State. This would be to invest a mere executive officer with the power
of recognizing the dissolution of the confederacy among our thirty-three
sovereign States. It bears no resemblance to the recognition of a
foreign _de facto_ government--involving no such responsibility. Any
attempt to do this would, on his part, be a naked act of usurpation. It
is, therefore, my duty to submit to Congress the whole question, in all
its bearings."
Such is my opinion still. I could, therefore, meet you only as private
gentlemen of the highest character, and was entirely willing to
communicate to Congress any proposition you might have to make to that
body upon the subject. Of this you were well aware. It was my earnest
desire that such a disposition might be made of the whole subject by
Congress, who alone possess the power, as to prevent the inauguration of
a civil war between the parties in regard to the possession of the
Federal forts in the harbor of Charleston; and I therefore deeply regret
that, in your opinion, "the events of the last twenty-four hours render
this impossible." In conclusion, you urge upon me "the immediate
withdrawal of the troops from the harbor of Charleston," stating that,
"under present circumstances, they are a standing menace, which renders
negotiation impossible, and, as our present experience shows, threatens
speedily to bring to a bloody issue questions which ought to be settled
with temperance and judgment.
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