Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-03
E1NEsDlY 1T0BNT776. DC. 3, 1907.


44At tle .feDeld- 1ear the euect Of Alc
Proclamation Of Emancipation has long
Z since. ceased 70 be matter Of doubt The
Hrstof Jsnnsry is to them, The daWning
Of darker dsy for their prospects shan
any they have yet seen. And there are
strong indications that they have eontem-
plated terms Of peace before that time, to
sToid theesrtain defeat vhien must come
thereafter We have already referred to
he statements Of the New York Tribune
that negotiations had been opened between
leading Democrats Of New York and the
spthOrit;esai Richmond with view to a
settlement This statement received
strong corroboratioh from Fernando Wood,
the leader Of The tories in New York, in .
speech last Saturday night. BE said that
be ahad received information, and had
communicated it to Government, that, un-
der Serfain circumstance, the South were
wiling to return, and this he had had
g from leading statesmen Of the South. Men
e .cf position and influence in the Confeder-
aey had expressed desire to return nm
der Democratic rule, the past to be for
gotten, the public debt on both sides to be
e provided for, and. they were willing to let
bygenes be bygones if the North would,
and the Union be once more restored"
Such is the substance Of what Wood and
his Southern allies would make the basis
Of peace. It was hardly necessary to hint
ct the assumption Of the rebel debt, after
stating that they would come back "un-
der Democratic rule" for any concession
to the South would be in order under such
state Of things. But that reservation Of
d ssDemocratic rule" is of itself too much
for the proposal to be received with any
favor by the people Of the North No
the rebels went out and made war under
Republican rule, and under Republican
rule they must be made to come back
There is not yet any chance for condition
al peace. They must acknowledge the au-
thority Of the Government as administered
by the Republican administration Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, or we win fight them until
they do. We do not propose depOsing
Lincoln and putting Wood, or Seymour, or
Vallandigham into the Presidential chair,
for the sake Of receiving their gracious ad-
herenee. Let them acknowledge the same
authority which they have spurned, and
then We will talk to them.
= But there is yet another proposal Of set
tlement. A dispatch to the New York
Sunday Mercury says that it is reputed
that the rebels, fearful Of the Emancipation
Proclamation, and the immense armies we
have in the field, have made Overtures to
treat upon the following terms:
1. The old Union and the old COnstitu-
ton.
2. The Griaenden c0mPronpi'e.
8. The assumption Of The Southern Debt.
4. The ordering Of the French out Of
Mexico, and the annszatjon Of that country
for nine slaUs states.
The audaeity Of this proposal renders 1t
not improbable that something like it has
emanated from the rebels. But they should
at least have proposed terms which we're
consistent with themselves. Inssmueh as
the erittenden Compromise proposed an
amendment to the Constitution, that and
athe Old Constitution" cannot well be had
at the same time. TWAS the North which
desired the Constitution unchanged, and
the South which desired to changeit.
As to the payment Of the rebel debt,
that can best be paid by cOnfscating the
property Of traitors. That is the quickest,
most equitable and most justifable course
Of treatment.
Considering that the present Admins
tration came into power upon platform
one Of the main planks of which was mo
more slave territory" the proposed re-
QUESTION Of Mexico for the purpose Of
carving it up into nine slave States, viii
not be likely to fnd much favor, either
with the Administration or the people.
Upon the whole, there is not much
chance for the rebels to prevent the opera
ton Of either our army or the Proclamation
by any such propositions of peace. The
Presidents Message will show them the
futility Of any such hopes.