A. D. 1861, and of the Independence of the Confederate States of America the first year.

P. H. BRITTAN,

Secretary of State.

SAVANNAH, March 13, 1861.

Hon. G. W. CRAWFORD,

President, &c.:

SIR: Under your appointment of myself as commissioner to Maryland, I visited that State on the 18th ultimo and found in session on that day, in the city of Baltimore, a convention of her people assembled to take advisory action upon the condition of the country.

This convention, I learned, was not a legally constituted body, authorized to take definite and binding action, but was a voluntary assemblage of the people, which had no power to commit their State to any line of policy. I did not, therefore, feel authorized under the ordinance of your body prescribing the duties of your commissioner to lay before them the action of our State, or to hold any intercourse with them of an official character. I visited the convention, unofficially, and, being invited to a seat on their floor, attended the meetings of the same during the two days of their session. I found the members of that convention, comprising, as it did, a number of the best men and highest talent of the State, while they thought the cotton States had acted with undue haste and precipitancy, almost unanimous for resistance to Black Republican rule, and determined to co-operate with the seceding States in the event that Virginia should determine to withdraw from the Federal Government. The situation of Maryland geographically, is such that, however mortifying it may be to her gallant sons, she is compelled to direct her action in concert with Virginia, that State and North Carolina lying immediately between her and the cotton States.

The convention, after a session of two days, adjourned to reassemble on the 12th instant, unless in the interval Virginia should take decided action, in which event they were to immediately reassemble for binding and definite action. Before adjourning, however, that body passed the following resolutions:

The committee on resolutions through their chairman, Hon. Robert McLane, submitted to the convention the following resolution:

"Whereas, it is the opinion of this meeting that in the present alarming crisis in the history of our country it is desirable that the State of Maryland should be represented by judicious, intelligent, and patriotic agents, fully authorized to confer and act with our sister States of the South, and particularly with the State of Virginia:

"And whereas, such authority can be conferred solely by a convention of the people of the State;

"And whereas, in the opinion of the meeting, the Legislature not being in session, a full and fair expression of the popular will is most likely to be heard by a convention called by a recommendation of the Executive;

"And whereas, it is alleged that the Governor now has it in contemplation to recommend by proclamation such a movement in the event of a failure by the Peace Conference and Congress to effect any satisfactory solution of the vexed question now agitating the country: Be it therefore

"Resolved, That we shall approach such a proceeding on the part of the Governor, and add the voice of this convention to urge the voters of this State to regard such proclamation. And with a view to all action of the Governor in the matter, the convention will adjourn until the 12th day of March next, unless intermediately the State of Virginia should be her sovereign convention secede from the Union; in which event, and in case the Governor of the