 On December 9, 1860, he sent a letter to the other slave state governors suggesting that they come to an agreement with the North that would include strict enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act, a division of common territories at the 37th parallel, a guarantee of free use of the Mississippi River, and a Southern veto over slave legislation.Magoffin proposed a conference of slave states, followed by a conference of all the states to secure these concessions.Due to the escalating pace of events, neither conference was ever held.