away? The vote was taken
because I was to be absent, and directed the Chairman how to act in
that event, but it is nevertheless pretended that the moment I became
absent, the vote became null. They might better have said that the
vote would have become null, or rather that there would have been no
occasion for it in case of my continued presence. Then they say that
they adhered to it. How did they adhere? The resolution directed the
Chairman to cast the vote in the negative. He did not obey the
resolution. His associates and mine did not insist that he should.
Nobody prevented his answering "no," when the vote was called. No
reason has ever been given for his not so answering. That he should
instead have entered voluntarily into a discussion with Mr. Tyler on
the subject, and that his associates should have looked quietly on,
can only be accounted for by supposing them indifferent or bewildered.

It is not an agreeable task to write thus of old friends; but I must
defend myself when attacked, and defence cannot always be made
pleasant to an assailant.

My late friends profess to think me responsible for the loss of the
vote of New York on a certain occasion. I think them responsible for
it. Which side is right the Legislature and the people of the State
will judge.

DAVID DUDLEY FIELD.

NEW YORK, _April 11th, 1861._

* * * * *

_Report of a Minority of the Commissioners of New York._

IN SENATE, _March 25th, 1861._

The undersigned, constituting a minority of the Commissioners,
appointed by the Legislature of the State of New York, under
resolutions responsive to those of the State of Virginia, referred to
in the report of the majority of the Commissioners of said State of
New York, admitting the correctness of the record of the proceedings
presented by said majority, but differing from them in much of the
reasoning which they present, respectfully report:

That they entered upon the duties assigned to them, earnestly desiring
to carry out the patriotic spirit of said resolutions as therein
expressed, which said original resolutions are herein embodied as a
part of this report:

NEW YORK.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS _appointing Commissioners from this State to
meet Commissioners from other States at Washington, on invitation of
Virginia._

WHEREAS, the State of Virginia, by resolutions of her General
Assembly, passed the nineteenth instant, has invited such of the
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