Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-09-10
From the Richmond FL quirer's Extra, Sept. 5th.
or STATES.

of Peace-7he Negro Question Rerieusd.
We have received d. copy of the Baltimore Ameri-
can of toe Sd iast aiming the following letter from
the President of the United States to the Sprn6eld
Mass meeting
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington August 26, 1863.
Hon. James E. Co"ksng:
My DEAR S1R-Yo1r letter inviting me to attend
meeting OF unconditional Uniop men, to be held
at the Capitol of Illinois The Sd day of September,
has been received Il would be v.ry agreeable to me
to thus Meet my Old friends at ny own home, hut
cannot just now be absent from this city so long a
visit there would require.
The meetiI is to be Of all th sc who maintain
conditional de0otion to the Union, and sure my
old political friends will thank for rendering,
do, The nations gratitude 10 those other ncbe men
whom no partisan malice OR partisan hope can make
false 70 the nations life There are those who are dis
sats6 with To such | would say: you desire
peace and you blame that we do not have it. But
how obtain j.? There are but three concely-
able ways First to suppress the rebellion 5y force
OF AIMS. This l am trying tc do Are you Tor 1t =
If you a,e so tar agreed If you not for it,
not agreed.
second way is to give W the Union. | am
against this. II you are, you should say so plainly
II you not for force, yet fer dissolution, there
only remains s0De Imaginary compromises do not
btltve that any compromises embracing the marten-
ance OF the Union is now possible. All that L learn
e 1ds to directly the opposite belief The strength OF
the rebellion ID It's mIjitary-s army. That army
UUHluaG5 ali ana al Wllul0
range. Any offer Of terms made BY any or men
within that range, in OppOsli0c to that army is simply
nothing tor tie SENT because such man or men have
power whatever TO enforce theC side Of The comprO
mise, ii one were made with them.
10 illustrate Suppose refugee from the South
and the peace men OF the North get together and frame
and proclaim compromise embracing the restoration
Oh The Union n what way thai compromise be
used to keep General Lees army ont Of Pennsylvania
General Melde's army can keeO Less army out OF
and Mill fpIH, driU
o: exs ence. but no paper compromise, to which the
controllers OF General Lee g army not agreed,
at all affect that army Ia effort at such conpro
mise would waste time, which the ecemy would in
prove TO our disadvantage, and that would be ALL
A compromise to be effective must be made either
with those who control the army or with the people
first liberated from the domination OF that army by the
success OF our army. Now, allow to you
that word or intimaon from the rebel army Or from
any of the controlling it, in relation to any peace
has come to my knowledge or belIat
All charges intimati0ns to the contrary are decep
tive and groundeSs and promise you that ii any such
proposition shall hereafter come it shall not be ected
and kept secret from you.
| freely acknowledge myself to be the servant of the
people according to the fond Of service-the u tied
States COnstitncn-and that as such | am RESPONSE
bic to them. But to be plain you are dissatisfied with
me about the negro. Qle likely there difference
of opinion between you and myself upon that sob ect
certainly wish that all could De free, while you
suppose, do not. Yet, L have neither adopted nor
proposed any measure which Is not CO psistent with
even your vie vs. provided you are for the Union /
suggested compensated enamel patton, to which you
replied that you wished not to be taxed to buy ne
groes. But had not asked you &c be taxed to buy
negroes, except in such way &c save you from
greater taZati0n tie zion exclusively by other
means. YOU dislike the eEianc patton proclamation
and perhaps you want 10 have It retracted. You say
it Is unconstitutional. | think differently. | think
hat tie Constitution invests its Commander-in C0ief
with tie law Of in time of war. The most that
can be sad-if much-is that slaves property
there has there baen aDy question that by the
aw of war the property beth enemies and friends
may be taken WHEN needed? And is it not need7d
whenever ta helps US Or suits the enemy Armies
he world cvvr, destroy the enenys property when
they cannot use It, add destroy their to keep
from the enemy. Civilized beigrrens do all 10 their
power to help tn maelves hurt the enemy, except
ew things recorded as barbarous Of ctuei. Among
he exceptions the massacre OF shed foes aud
lOn-cOmb atans, male and female.
But the proclamation law is valid is not valid
Il it is valid it needs re action If it is valid
it cannot be retracted any more than the dead can be
brought to lite. Some of you profess to think that It's
,etraction would operate fa7oraby for the Union
Why better ateG the retTaction than before the Issue
There than year and half for trial to sup
press the rebellion before the proclamation issued
he last one hundred days of which passed under cx
9c notice that it was coming unless aVertea by those
a revolt returning TO their allegiance.
The has certsiny progressed as favorably for
Is since the issue Of the proclamation before.
know, as fully know the opinions of Others,
hat Of tie commanders of armies in the field
gho have given most import victories, be.
ieVe tina: the emancipation policy and the aid of the
oored troops constitutes the heaviest blows yet dealt
o the rebellion and that at least of those mpor
ant successes could not have been achieved when il
vas, but for The aid of the black soldiers
Among the commanders holding these views are some
7ho have never bad any affinity With what is called
AbotionisLl, with Republican party politics, but
rho hold them purely as military opinions. | submit
ner opinions being entitled to weight against
h9 objections often urged that emancipation and the
rning Of the blacks unWise as military measures
nd were not adopted as such in good faith.
You say that you will not fight to free negroes Some
them seem TO be willing to fight you but no mat
&c, fight you then exclusively TO the Union. l
sued the proclamation purpose to aid you in saving
stance the Union, if shall urge you to continue
Citing, it will be apt time then you declare
lat you will not f mt 10 free negroes.
] thought that Ia your struggle for tie Union, to l.
hatrver extent the negro should cease helping the enc
y, to that extent weakens the enemy in his resis-
,nce 10 you Do you think differently? l thought
lat whatever negroes can be gOG 90 as soldiers,
aves Just so much less for white 0ere to do in saving
he Union.
Does it appear otherwise to you? But negroes, like
Their people, act upon motives. Why should they do
nything for US If We will do nothing for them II
icy stake their lives for ug they must be prompted by
le strongest motive even the promise OF freedom and
le promise being made must be kept.
The signs look better The Father Of Waters again
oes unYeed to the sea thaLks to the great. orth-
est fox it nor yet wholly to them Three hundred
lies up they met New Eogand the Empire, Keystone
I'D New jersey, hewiDg tntir way right and lett. The
lnny Soath, t0o IL c0.Jrs team one, also lent
and on the spot: Their part OF history jotted
OWN in black and white, The goal was a great Ma
Opei and let mona he banned Who h0rp honest