April 4, 1861: Confederate Commissioners to Robert Toombs

During March and April 1861, after seven states had seceded and formed the Confederate States of America but before war broke out, Confederate Secretary of State Robert Toombs appointed Martin J. Crawford, John Forsyth, and A.B. Roman as Commissioners of the Confederate States to Washington, DC. Their purpose was to seek diplomatic recognition from the United States and negotiate peace—at least for a while. Central to the question of peace or war was whether the United States would continue to retain claim over federal forts located in the southern states that had seceded, including Fort Pickens in Florida and Fort Sumter in South Carolina. This item is transcribed from a letter book maintained by J.T. Pickett, secretary to the commissioners, containing copies of 72 letters, dispatches, and telegrams sent and received by the commissioners from the time of their appointment to the demand for the evacuation of Fort Sumter. 

Transcript:

Washington April 4^th 1861.

To Hon R Toombs.

It is believed here in high circles that the naval preparations alluded to in our telegraph of yesterday are intended against Spain on account of the Dominican affair. The Contemptuous allusions to the U.S. by European presses & people as a government in ruins induces the contemplated demonstration to show the world that it is still one of the great powers, & that the separation of the Confederate States does not impair its importance—In Confirmation, we know that a diplomatic note of rather a disagreeable nature, has been sent the spanish minister from the Department of State in reference thereto—Notwithstanding all this fleet may now or hereafter be ordered to our coast, hence we would say—Strengthen the defences at the mouth of the Mississippi.

Crawford.

Forsyth.

Roman.

Citation:Commissioners of the Confederate States of America to the Government of the United States, letter book.Washington, D.C., Feb 27-April 11, 1861.AMS 811/20