Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-12-15
TIE REPORTED SOUTHERN SCHEME OF RECON.
~ y STRUCTION


ing statesmen high in authority in the Confederate
States informing him that the seeded States
DIV to return to the Union, whenever the Democratic
party of the United Stated obtained control Of the Gov
ernment is given the following version in the Washing
ton correspondence of the New York Tribune We need
not repeat the assurance that the whole thing bogus
wAsHNGros, Dec 8, 1862
The Rebels have been brought their knees at last
They have actually, in an informal way asked ior an
amnesty from President Lincoln. The movement Of our
vast armies the near approach of the lat OF January
and the panic and WEAKNESS OF the Southern people have
fairly compeed the foremost Rebel leaders to offer TO
come back to the Union, propided the Government MI
aou them 10 do aud resume their Old mastery an e
eounstls of the reunited nation
have IL from the most undoubed authority that this
matter has not only been brought to the attention oil the
Government but has been canyaed Tor upward OF two
weeks past by the leading Secession sympathzers and
Democratic POLITICIANS at the North Fernando "ood,
in his speech in your city last Saturday evening" stated
what was really true that he had received communca
tons from Richmond and had transmitted them to the
Government here. have just learned through what
sources he received his communications, and what the
nreoise state of the case between the Confederate and
| Union authorities.
DR. Barney citizen Of Baltimore, recently taken
nv the Rebel pckets Cenreyie and forwarded to
Richmond lie hos since stated that lie went IN the way
for the express purpose of being captured While IN
Richmond, where he has numerous acqualntances, he
had frequent interviews with tho members OF the Con-
Eadorate Cabinet and admitted into many OF the Sc
crets of the Rebel programme. When the time arrived
for his departure North, he was sent for by Judah =
BENJAMIN who handed him letters addressed TO Gov.
Seymour OF New York, Fernando and Ben wood, al
landigham and Cox of Ohio, Senator Bayard, of Della
ware ReyeTdy Johnson of Maryland, and number OF
other noted Democratic eGdsrs in the North and in the
Border States la the verbal Instructions gwen to Dr.
Barney no terms were asked for. The souherners told
him they would consent 10 no terms that not admitted
into his Union again equals they would not come in
AT all What they ask is the granting OF al amnesty to
all the military aud civil leaders Of tie hebelioE, so
that au election Tor Members of Congress can be made
during the coming Winter and that body be called to-
getber at least as early - April With the heavy Dem
that they could coutro both the Senate and House. and
they offer TO let tho Of settlement between the t~9
sections be made by that Congress They gay they will
never consent any terms that the Republican party
now In power can offer. settlement, however, m
which they will have controlling voice, III tue next
Congress they are willing TO abide by
| Dir Barney had an interview with both Secretary
Seward and President Lincoln soon he returned to
Washington and according to his own story these ON
cias declined consider the matter IN the shape III
which he presented it TO them lie has since that time
s,ed Nov York for the purpose OF seeing and eonver
sing with Joh.I Van Euren shs Ho.ds, aad 10y seY'
mour The plan POW il 70 bring the matter before the
country at early period as possible so az 10 create
public opinion in favor Of the amnesty asked Tor W the
Rebel leaders Ii must be understood that this whole
matter has been engineered from Richmond aud there
il reason for believing that the recent proposal Tor IN
rstice by the Eemperor Napoleon has relation 10 this
ReLe scheme AID =as timed to act with it 80 as to Ell
feet Northern sentiment, gnq foIte tie Eresident into
the p9icy laid out beforehand by JEFF DAVIS and bis
| advisers.
This matter has been laid before the various reprssen
ativcs Of the foreign powers at Washington aud they
State-so Dr. Barney says-tha the refusal 20 grant an
amnesty 10 bring about an eventual restoration oil
the Union would set the whole world against Mr.. Lin
com auG .C- almost Immediately TO some action on the
mart of France either 10 recognise tn Souh or break
| the blockade both. Dr. Barney mikes no secret OF
what the Rebels propose DO in the event oil their be-
ing permitted again control the majority i'd Congress
They prepos 70 consolidate the Northern and Southern
debts; to give FraEcs persmBtsry nqGe TO quit heH'
co to scile that country, making mnre Slave statss
and to sdopt the line of 30 deg. 80 min be low which
they say a future acquisitions must come in as Slave
States The recent remarkable articles ia the Rich
mond Examiner of the Nth aud 2lst OF November, with
regard TO the Northern elections and the military power
of the North aud South united, were inspired by the
same pershas IL authority who gave DR., Barney, aud
doubtless Others messages to leading DEMOCRATS in the
| North.
Til. matter ha, come to the knowledge of leading Re-
pubcans in Washington who OF course scout at 1t as
| being entirely impncticable
| "PAcIFcArIoS PLOTS AND RuMoRs."
Under the above caption the New York Times of
the 18th inst, contains long editorial from which We
CODY the concluding portion
The case OF these rebel -hiefs is desperate one and
in our opinion there will be rest until they ere dis
missed from the continent better yet from the planet
/ itself.
INT ncrrduous a. We are that these arch traitors
now seeking pardon ana reconciliation We do not doubt
that they have sympathEes In the North WHO are trying
to open The ray for such eonsnmmatlon. Not only
the express avOwal of John Van Buren, and Fernando
Wood and other semi-secesh Democrats, establish this
but it coroboraed by the proposition made tothe
Senate by Senator Davis of Kentucky for Convention
nj Louisville to settle upon "the proper means TO he pur
sued for restoring the Union This of course, implies
that the war in which engaged is nal The pepper
\ means and the rebels may hope for some other alter
native than unconditional submission 10 the Constitution,
for which they have been battling 1t involves the feeling
of dissatisfaction with the war and the idea OF buying
L peace by ample concession. IL is known, too, that
there oihoi projects atQot shipped III smar pohcy'
Though probably not concOcted with tie cOncgFrpnef
or even the priyity Of Jeh Davis or Of the caHdriHG
at his elbow vet they designed ~ has interest Their
purpose is to treat and make TERMS with traitors
| Well let the thing proceed We ask nothing better
than that these Dcmocratic-or If they like the name
better these OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES should commit them
selves to some definite scheme of pachcation. People
have been humbuggcd quite enough by their cry for
| "more vigorous prosecution OF the war. IL Is high
time that everybody understood what that sort OF talk
really ncant-high Time that the ln'rig"es "''u "aeiha
lions and plots which have been long going on behind
| the scenes should take decided, palpable shape
that caunot be mistaken. 1t has got TO come to this
sooner or later Conspiracy may do very well up to
certain limit but 10 conspre the loyal North into any
suhmSsion either entire partially to the rebels with
ont their knowing IT, + quite OF the question Pri-
yste arrangements well enough 80 long as the
matter In hand is confined to paper But II will take
more Machave ian ingenuity than is possessed 10y Fer
nando Wood or any Of his ieow-potters, to prevent
the people from being party 10 the business when the
day for action comes.
FlGnrISG At BLicEwATER.-lt appears that the an
,es have made movement from Suffolk, Virginia, in
the direction Of our lines. The Petersburg Express of
| Saturday