Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-25

able peace:
Res0lped, By the Congress Of he Confederate
States Of America, That the signal success with
which Divine Providencs has 50 continuously
blessed our arms for several months past, would
fully justly the Confederate government in dis
patching g commissioner or commissioners to
the government at Washington city, empowered
to propose the terms Of Just and honorable
peace.
Mr Foote, on oAsring this proposition, OBJ
served that he did not intend to occupy the at
tentiOn of the House more than few minutes,
preliminary to the motion which he should pres
emily make, to refer the resolution under con
siderstion to the committee on foreign affsirs
a committee, l beg leave to say, continued Mr.
FOote, with the exception of It's chairman, emil
nently qualified to deal with this grave and in
teresting matter in a calm, considerate, and sig
nally advantageous manner. Sir, l have but lit
tie hope that our nsolent and cruel foe viii listen
to this proposition fayorably. l have but little
condolences, confess, sir, in the wisdom and sa
gacity, the craftsmanship, or the true m2niiness
Of spirit, of Mr. Lincoln and his deluded cabi-
net councillors / am not unaware that these
personages have been disgrseefully driven for
ward continually, from the first shedding of
blood in the affair of Fort Sumter, up to the
present moment, by q numerous and active body
of iDfuriated fanatics and unscrupulOus dem8-
gogues until they have almost reached the
depths of utter hopelessness and ruin. l am not
at all confident that the weak aud v8eillating
Executive Chief in Washington city has ade
quate moral courage to receive our commissioner,
should we conclude to send one, even were the
sufferings of our northern enemies far greater
thaa those which they have already experienced,
though stimulated, as to some extent they must
necessarily be by the apprehension Of the far
greater sufferings with which they are now 80
obviously menaced But, sir, to these consider
stions l attach but little Importance. I will en-
deavor to state my view Of the subject in very
concise manner, as, according to the rules OF
the House, / can occupy its attention only
for a few minutes. The enemy viii either
refuse our proposal of peace, or perehance
even refure 10 receive our commmissiOr-
er, or they will be eOurteeusly received.
Certainly it is hardly 70 be hoped thst
our proposal of peacs viii be respectfully
considered and agreed to- In the latter case a
most bloody and desOlating war will be brought
to close our own beloved country viii be re-
heved from the experience Of present sutf5rings,
and be, perehauee, saved from greatly multi
piled suffsTings hereafter. If just and honor
able peace be madly refused US, then upon the
heads of cur heartless adversaries viii be accu-
mulsted all The responsibility connected with
those evils which may be hereafter inflicted upon
the general interests of the civilized world; the
oceans Of blood which may be hereafter shed,
and all the immessurable horrors which must IN
evitably result from q war conducted as 1t has
been heretofore conducted by our heartless en-
emies in utter disregard of all the well known
/ principles of civilized war. We cannot, in any
state of things which can be possibly con-
ceived Of, be at all injured by the pursuing
of the line of policy suggested in the resolu-
/ ton. Our brave armies IN the field will not feel
| less inclined to prosecute the war with energy
and resolution because their government man
/ ifests a disposition to save them from the ne
| cessity of incurring further hardships and
| shows a disposition TO restore them once more
to the blessings of peace, of domestic happiness,
and Of social bestitude On the contrary, l
shall confidently expect the exhibition of a still
sterner resolution, a still fsrcer military zeal,
and still more glorious achievements, when they
shall thus find it demonstrated to them that there
is no possibility Of peace with our prosecutors
save by resortng, in a spirit Of Just retaliation,
to those terrible expedients which may be cal
culsted to impress upon their own Obdutate
hearts the intense c0nscienciousness Of those
horrors Of which they have been the sole origin
ators. If our proposition should be declined,
and there be any good men yet LETT IN the North,
friends to Justice to the laws of christian hu-
manity, and tho general happiness of the world,
they will at once make their presence known,
organize and embody their energies against an
insolent and barbarous government, drive Lin
coin and his myrmidOns from power, and elevate
to the seats of official authority wise and upright
statesmen, through whose efficient instrument
ality this sanguinsry struggle may be st lssi
/ brought to a termination.
Fl Sir, it is not even possible that our motives o.
objects in taking the Igit5QtiUe in the noble work
/ of DaciieatiOn can be misunderstood either By
the enemy or by the rest of the civilized nation
of the world We are thus far completely vic
torious in ahe war. In all the numerous battles
' which'have been fought we have been most sig
7 ! naly successful We have driven, or are nov
: driving the Wanting hosts of the North beyon'
L our confines, and our victorious standards ar
g now being planted upon the territory Of the foe
Il Such a succession of brilliant and decisive tri
II umphs has never heretofore adorned the page O
u our history. Our successes have been acknOWl
3 edged in the most emphatic manner even in tn
q columns of the Northern newspapers. In shee
g magUanimity, we sre bound to offer terms {
,s peace to the enemy. With us alone can propC
sition Of peaeeorginRte, without the deepest dis
d honor If the war is not to be interminsble, Gan
l. who desires this?) the first movement towsrd
settlement of existing difficulties must be made
20 one Of the parties contestant; and as the enem
'e cannot be expected under existing circumstance
ot to send to US proposition for the present term
IS nation of hostilities it results that the eivihze
o. world has a right to look 20 Us for such actor
as the resolution proposes. Mr. Speaker, knO
well tnet Snal1 De QenOuHceu II Cerbalu guar
N ers for my present conduct l shall be probabl
&c charged with excessive moderation, and pc
&c chance even of pusillanimity. l shall not be
oi all surprised if al who are specially interes te
Do in the continuance Of the war shall resort eve
to to ridicule and denunciation. To ali this / q
e prepared to submit, confding, as I do, to Il
IN general good sense aud elevated moral sent
nt ment of my honored countrymen, and beir
ne perfectly persuaded that this resolution, if
1t. should be fsted to rejection, will awaken a !
10 sponsive echo in the bosoms of coed and wi
tie nen elsewhere, which will more than eompe
10 safe for present misjudgment and undeserv
ne obloquy.
ve Mr. Wilcox asked if we had not effective col
ng missioners there now, in the persons Of Genera
&C Lee and StonewAll jackson.
Ter Mr.. Foote admitted their effectiveness,
1- their services were required in the. field, wht
a, they were now prosecuting the war with energ
1t and he did not desire to have their attention
N, Tacted by other matters.
TAI