, 1863-09-09
FlRNANDY LAID TO TIE LAND.
In Ounce of Honesty worth a
Pound of Craft,
Correspondence Between Fernando
Wood and President Lincoln.

The following correspondence passed be-:
tween Fernando Wood and President Lincoln
during the year 1867, and has JUS come 7"
the light. We append ittn full:
Nh. EooDTo PRESIDENT LINCOLN. -.
NEW ToRK, Dec. 8, 1861.
tn HIM Abraham Lincoln, President OF the chi.
ted States:
DEAR e1R-On the o5!h Of November last,
i was advised By authority which I deemed
likely to be n ell informed rs well as reliable
and truthful, that the Southern States would
fend Representatives to the next congress,
provided that . tuu 9na gepMedm M 1.,,a1fs annffssy
or terms were asked for, other than the am
nesty referred to. Deeming this information
ofcfeat value, If well founded; I communica-
ted it in substance to the Hon. Geo. Qpdyke,
the Mayor Of this city, whom knew
to hold confidential relations to members Of
your Administration, and proposed through
him that, i the Government would permit
the correspondence under It's OWL Inspection,
would undertake to procure something def
mite and positive from persons connected
with the so-called Confederate authorities
Dir. Opdyke stated, IN reply, that several Sen
ators from the New England states were then
in this city On their way to Washington, to
whom he would at once communicate the
proposition, and advise me Of the answer,
knowing that those gentlemen were your
friends. and 'supposing that they would In.
-. lately eonfer. with you on their arrival at
G1p and dsuPp9Sspg gs1 that hsho sho9d as.1 Be
ed until now making . Communication direct
to yon. I noW learn, however, from Mr. 0p-
dyke, this day, that be failed to SEQ the
Senators when IN New York. and that he
had not made the proposition, and that,
therefore, ..you are not In possession of It.
4 INV n hJtm h1f
loyal cltzen, deeply impressed with the great
necessity, Of restoring the Union Of these
States, I ak your immediate attention to the
subject. The magnitude Of the interests at
Gated upqp this Information, if it be only to
ascertain II be grounded upon even proba-
BILE foundation
Il II shall prove groundless, no harm shall
have been done, provided the inquiry be
the Government, or Injury to the cause II
which it is now engaged. Il, however, It
ehau p1oyewell founded, there is no estimate
too high to place upon Its national value,
Now, therefore, Mr.: President, I suggest that
relations Rith the leaders Of the South
ern revolt, may be allowed to hold IN
official correspondence with them on
this subject the correspondence 10 be sub
nltted to you. It may be thus ascertafned
what, ifauI, credence may be given to those
statements, and also whether peaceful solu-'
tion Of the present struggle may not be at
tainable. Tim sure thai nothing can say
can add to Jour own. Well.knoWn desire to
produce thu result. Your exalted position,
thc embarrmanents, and the responsibilities
which surround you on all sides, the bleeding
condition otthe cou1try, becoming exhaust
life blood and industrial production, but the
deterioration and consequent destruction Of
our political iustitutions-all call upon you,
as our chief ruler. to take one step upon
the road pr peaceful effort, by which
to as asccrtafn whether the time has not
arrived when other methods than brute fight
ing may not accomplish what military f5rce
has failed I'd do. In the origin of this strug-
gle you foresaw that such q time would come.
Your inaugural address, delivered near two
years ago, pointed ont With prophetic vision
the certain results Of the impending conflict
Of arms. Your language then wns:," Sup
and when, alter much loss on both sides and
no gain on either, you cease fighting, the
identical questions rs to terms Of intercourse
are agaln upon you." You saw that, after
a..hloody, and terrible struggle, the still
email voice OF reason would interEsne
know that since the establishment Of
Christian civilization negotiation and COM
promise have sooner OF Later determined
tvery military contest. It cannot be other
vice here. Has not the time arrived when,
to quote you75 7. ON lang language, re should cease
whether the identical questions about which
wo began the fight may not be amicably and
hcnorably adjusted, and the terms Of inter-
course be once more peaceably established?
It Is to this end that now address you, with
confidence IN your patriotism, and with no
stitutIonal prcrogatfyes.
= Iam With high respect, YOurE, yerY truly,