. We who remained in our places, felt deeply the embarrassment,
and the remarks which were made in consequence of Mr. Field's
withdrawal. We had steadily, up to that time, sustained with him, our
own, and what we believed to be the sentiment of the State, in favor
of freedom, and were, therefore, entirely unprepared for such a
determination on his part. Nor is our surprise lessened by the manner
and the certificates by which he has at great length attempted to
defend his course on this occasion. The vote of New York was not
declared until after the vote which had been previously taken in its
delegation had been stated, nor until an appeal had been made to the
Convention, and refused by its President, to enable his colleagues to
protect its vote in the absence of the Chairman of the delegation. By
his absence the vote of New York stood 5 to 5, and it was under the
decision of the Convention alone, that the vote was declared to be
divided. Mr. Field has stated that the omission to record the vote of
New York against the amendments was not owing to any act or omission
of his, but to the efforts of the minority of the delegation, or some
of them, to prevent the expression of the opinion of the majority. The
objection was made after notice to him that it would be made, and the
Convention sustained it, hence the vote was lost by his absence. Nor
is the opinion of Mr. Field entitled to consideration when he imputes
to the majority a want of fidelity to him, in not claiming and
adhering to the vote which had been taken when all were present, and
which was afterwards rendered null, by his absence. They did adhere to
it, and endeavored to cast the vote accordingly. It was his duty to
have been present, and to have thus given effect to that which had
been previously agreed to. Mr. Field states, and truly, that his
colleagues refused to unite in a joint relation of the facts of the
case. They refused, because they were not satisfied with his course,
and would not be responsible for it in any way. Up to the moment of
his leaving the Convention, Mr. Field had manifested great zeal and
ability in sustaining and defending the principles which a majority of
the delegation desired to advocate, and his failure at the last, and
decisive vote, was as unexpected as it was indefensible.

JOHN A. KING,
WM. CURTIS NOYES,
A.B. JAMES,
JAS. S. WADSWORTH,
JAS. C. SMITH.

NEW YORK, _March 28th, 1861._

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