Programme for the Southern Republic.
New York, Dec. 10.
--The Herald's Washington correspondent says this new, important and formal programme which has been presented for the consideration of Southern Senators, was talked over in caucus.
It emanates from Lamar of Mississippi.
The first object is to get the cotton States to postpone final action so as to give time for other Southern States to co-operate with them.
The plan is to have all the Southern States in separate Conventions at the same time, and adopt the present government of the United States at first, without any alterations; to provide for the execution of all laws and treaties, and for the general peaceable operation of all the machinery of the present government.
Even after the several States had solemnly withdrawn from the Union, invite all other States to join them, with the hope that New England will stay out.
The first feature in the programme is to have all the Southern States in separate Convention at the same time, and have such a perfect understanding that they should on the same day adopt the same ordinances, verbatim et literatim.
Second, that such ordinances, whilst severing in a solemn way the bonds which unite said States to the United States of North America, shall provide that the Constitution and laws of the United States shall remain in full force and effect amongst the seceding States, and that the present Constitution shall be their Constitution and compact.
Third, that laws and decisions of Courts which are now of force in the Republic of the United States of North America, under the authority of the government thereof, shall be adopted as a body of laws for the Federal Government of this, the United States of the South.
Fourth, that the people of the United States of the South hereby bind themselves to observe and sacredly carry out the stipulations of all treaties, subsisting between the United States of North America and foreign governments anterior to the date of this ordinance, until such treaties and changed or altered or disregarded by such nation with this government.
Fifth, that the following persons are hereby appointed electors for the State of --, and hereby authorized and empowered to cast the vote of this State, on such day as may be agreed upon, for President and Vice President of the United States of the South, and such persons as may receive the highest number of votes, according to the Constitution which has been re-adopted, shall be elected, inaugurated and invested with the powers conferred by the same Constitution upon the Executive, on the twentieth day after the adoption of this ordinance.
Sixth, that the Conventions are to provide for the immediate convention of a Congress of the United States of the South, either appointed by themselves, or authorize their present Representatives to act; and that all officers, mail contractors, Marshals and Judges shall retain their offices until otherwise ordered. 