The New York herald., 1863-09-08

interesting little fact and these five or pix hun
dred thousand voters into account.
Tho Peace Question-Im portant COrres-
pOndonce Bctween President Lincoln
and Fernando Wood.
The correspondence which we publish to-day
between President Lincoln and Hon. Fernando
Wood on the peace question will be found not
only interesting but somewhat important.
Mr.. Woods first letter is dated the 9th of
December last, at which time the county was
filed with reports and rumors of peace pro-
positions and peace movements agitated In
Richmond. 1t was about this time that Mr..
William Chase Barney, q released prisoner
from Richmond, reappeared in New York, with
some wonderful developments Of the peaceful
inclinations of one or two at least of the most
influential Of the members of the Cabinet Of
jeff Davis. Soon afterwards. and In the i'm
portant character Of protege of the admins
tration, the immortal though somewhat unfor
tunate J. Wesley Greene made his astonishing
revelations 70 the same effect as an enlightened
refugee from the rebel capital. And there was
still another missionary from Rebellion, who,
between Mr.. Secretary Chase and Mr.. Robert J.
Walker, was admitted into the Cabinet circle
at Washington, with some very plausible testi-
mony in support Of Barney and Greene. We
presume that from other sources, however, and
more directly from Richmond, Mr.. Wood OBJ
tanned his "reliable and truthful" information
that "the Southern States would send repre-
sentatives to the next Congress, provided that
a full and general amnesty should permit them
to 80 do"
Where there was so much smoke there must
have been some fire. The rebels had just re-
pulsed Gen. Sherman at vicksburg; they had
made splendid fight, although defeated, at
Murfreesboro; and they held the vantage
ground and defantly confronted Gen. Burnside
at fredericksburg Under such circumstances
they might, without feeling any humiliation,
make some overtures in behalf Of submission
and peace. Mr.. Wood, at all events believing,
from the Information in his possession, that the
rebel junta at Richmond were peaceably in
clined, appealed to the President for permission
to sound them in order to get at the truth OF
the matter. II the medicine which he proposed
to administer to the patient would do no good,
our New York pacifcator thought It could do
no harm. President Lincoln, however, politely
gave him the cold shoulder. ~ strongly sus-
pect," says the President, "your Information
will prove to be groundless." J. Wesley
Greene had, perhaps, already turned the fat
into the fire, or Mr.. Chase Barney had proba-
bly, been giving too much Importance to some
idle remarks Of Judah p. Benjamin. But, to
cut short the argument. the President an
nounced his belief that the people Of the
rebellious States know that. on the condition of
their submission to the Union they can at
any time have the benefits Of general am
nesty, and that, therefore, he does "not think
1t proper to suspend military operations to
try any experiment of negotiation" Finally,
he desires for the present that the correspond
ence be considered as confidential.
This was on December IL, 1862. Nearly
nine months have since elapsed; the obligation
of secresy no longer applies; the correspond
ence is given to the public, and while we think
it might just as well have been published in
December, 1862, as in September, 1868, we
may still say, "better late than never" 1t
discloses the fact that the President is prepared
to meet the repentance OF the rebellious States
with liberal amnesty. This is, perhaps the
meaning Of Mr.. Stewards late declaration that
the submission Of those States would be honor
ed by the killing Of the fatted calf. This cor
respondsnce between the President and Mr..
Wood, at any rate, embraces an official procla-
nation to this effect and in this view 1t can
hardly fail of giving q powerful impulse to
that popular reaction for the Union which Is now
beginning to manifest itself In various forms
from Virginia to Louisiana In this light we
attach no ordinary importance to President
Lincoln's significant letter; and In bringing 1t
out 1t may yet appear that Fernando Wood has
done very good service In behalf Of the resto-
ration Of the Union. Let US wait little, and
mark the results OF this substantial proclama-
TN OF amnesty.
The Throne OF MexicO-French Projects
Disconcersed.