The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1863-09-08
How Fernando Wood WINS TO Bring About
Penre with tue south,

The corr spondenes which took y nee last December
between Hon Fernando " ood, Of this city, and Pres
ident Lincoln, and which has often been referred TO
By Mr.. Wood and other, has at last been publshed.
We give an sbs,ract Of each OF the letters;
on the sth OF December. 1872. Mr. Wood wrote 20
the President that he had been advifo the 18th Of
November, by reliable suthori,v, that the southern
s;s'es would send representatives To the neIt Con-
sres. II general smnesty should permit them 10 do
so He had communicated thl. information to Mayor
opdyte, propp..ns TO procure .ome,hins den
ti.s II the Govci nment would permit
ns .n eIs'P1nsSaas'' AMER ,s n own ,n,p.e
the proposition 70 several New ENGLAND Scna,or then
in The city, but iausd TO do:o. Nr; Wood ih"r,fors
may be allowed, to ascertain uba crodence may he
given 20 these .ts,ement., Ard bos- him, chief
fort, By which 70 ain .hcther the tine La. not
arrived vben othsr methods than brt0 lsh,ins may
rrnndins ths Presidsnt that in the teginnins of hs
struggle be had forssesn that ,uch time you'd come,
asliverea nesrIy t~o 1ssr, p before. orr
TO this letter Pr,sdtn Lincoln replied. Dec 18th.
oods in 'orrnsion ih,. The sou.i.rn st.tos would
send representative % thr next Councs II general
be srolndless but hank, him for communicating t.
Moreover Y this ptoposition meant that tho pcopi.
would rinas,rstc, submit TO and msintsin the nj.
ton, authority within the i.mits of such states. uD
de-, ns csn,nni & Of shs Int,d ~ S.,s' - ,,sh
states; aud that II within . reasonable tins
"a full and general amnesty" wcrs necessary
to such end, It would not be withheld. He did not
thiuk. howcver, II would be proper now TO com
muncste ,hi. to the people Of the southern ststes
to suspend military operations to try any sIpcr
nent Of negotiation. The PresiLen. tells Mr.. Wood
that he would with great pleasure receive any post
tive information in his posssssion and that such In
formAtio might be mcrc valuable before the first OF
January than Afterwards lie also requests that his
| letter may be regarded hs con6dcntisl.
hJ Wood wrote again Dec, II, 1852, assuring the
President that his reply had filled him with profound
regret, as Il Indicated til. oon,inusnce Of poll, y
which 10 not only upwlse, but In the opinion Of
10 ip conflict With the constitutional authority vested
in the federal government He ssid that before the
| Southern people could submit, tho opportunity TO
I do " must bs sfjorded II cannot be expect
| ed, he continues, that tho Southern people
| will cease resstsuec, 80 long As we proclaim
our intention to destroy Their, local institutions,
| their property and their lives, and secom'
pany the declaration with correspondine legislative
executive, .oeiA and political action. They caunot
! ces.e resistance and re-nsugIratc, submit TO aud
maintain the FEDERAL suthofiiJ, II We will not Let
| them slou- ions enough 30 do so. Aher further
urging his original ptoposien. kr Wood tad he fei;
that military operations, 90 bloody and eXhhustin. 81
our, mu.t sooner or later b, suspended. Tho only
| question Ia phgth'r It rhali b, before the Who'll.
American ~ 1pi,, North and south shall be involved
ia general ruin, whether II thsll De whilst thors
IL remaining sulcsnt VI the recupers'iye element VI
| life BY which restOre once halpy, prosperous
! aud peace v! American l nion.