President of the United States:
In compliance with
our statement to you yesterday, we now express to you our strong convictions
that neither the constituted authorities, nor any body of the people of the
State of South Carolina, will either attack or molest the United States Forts,
in the harbor of Charleston, previously to the action of the Convention, and we
hope and believe, not until an offer has been made, through an accredited
representative, to negotiate for an amicable arrangement of all matters between
the State and the Federal Government, provided that no reinforcements shall be
sent into those forts, and their relative military status shall remain
as at present.
Jno. Mcqueen,
Wm. Porcher Miles,
M. L. BonHam,
W. W. BOYCE,
LAWRENCE M. KEITT.
Washington, 9th Dec,
1860.
SOURCE: The Correspondence Between the Commissioners
of the State of So. Ca. to the Government at Washington and the President of
the United States, p. 7
