Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-09-12
-.2I From the New York News September 81 y,
Peace Proposition--Co -Correspondence Of
2 December Last Between President
Lincoln and Fernando Wood. ,..r.s

| Lincoln and Fernando wool ft.F .f
MR.. WOOD TO PREaIDENr LINCOLN. '.o.i
.a. t.r.t. New YoRK, December 8, 1862.
Hon. Abraham Lincoln, President Of tke Unite'
| States. i,sbs,it ~ "..It .l4' s'f!e 90 li
DrAs siR On the 25lh Of November last,
was al, ised by an authority, which deemed
likelyte be we'll informed as well 90 reliable ani
truthful, that the Southern States would eent
representatives 10 the next Congress, ptovidet
that full and general amnesty should permit
them 10 do 60. No guarantees or terms vert
asked for other than the amnesty referred to
DsemiDg this information Of great value n vel
founded, communicated II 10 substance Il
Hon. George Opdyke, the Mayor Of this city
whom knew 10 hold confidential relations /.
members OF your Administration, and pfoposl
tons, through him, that, II tho Govornmen
would permit the correspondence, under lie owl
inspection, would undertake to procure some
thIng definite and positive from persons con
nscted with the 80. called Confederate authorI
ties. Mr.. Opdyke stated, In reply, that several
Senators from New England States were iher
in this city, on their way to Washington, 20
whom he would ut once commune .te the prop.
ositiOn, and advise us Of the sGsser. Knb wing
that these gentlemen we're your ffiends, anu
suppcsipg that they would Immediately confer
With you on their arrival at ,the capital, and
supposing thal should be speedily inform cd ol
the result, have delayed until now making Q
communication direct TO you. or
of / now learn from Mr., Opdyke, this day. thai
he failed to see these Senators when in Nen
York, and that ke had not made the PROPOSE
tIon, and that, therefore, you arc not in rossss.
alon Of it as coming from myself. ii
As au humble bat loyal citizen, deeply In.
pressed with the great necessity Of restoring
the Union Of these States, l ask your immedi.
ate attention 10 this subject. The magnitude
Of the interests at stake warrant some execu'
tive action pfedioated upon this information, Il
1t be only 70 ASCERTAIN II II be grounded upon
even PROBABLE foundation. II II shall prove
81 undless, a. harm shall have been doue pro
vided the inquiry be made-as il can be, with
out compromising the Government or injury Il
the cause 10 which 1t 10 now engaged. II
however, IL shall prove we'll founded, there Il
no estimate 100 high to place upon its nationa
value.
Nov, therefore, Mr.. President, suggest thai
gentlemen whose former political and soclal
relations With the leaders Of the Soothern rev.
luton may be allowed TO hold unofficial cores.
pondence With them on this subject, the CORES.
pondence 10 be submitted to You. Il NAV be
i thus ascertained, what, IL any, credence NAV
be given 20 these statements; and, also, wheth.
er peaceful solution Of the present struggle
may not be attainsble Il am sure nothing that
| can say can add to your own we'll. known de.
sire to produce this result. Your exalted DO
sition, the embarassments and responsibilities
which surround you upon ell sdes, the bleeding
condition Of the country, becoming exhausted
not only In the impoverishmeni Of its best life.
blood of Industrial production, but In the de-
tetioration and consequent destruction Of oul
political institutions, ell call upon you, as oul
chief ruler, to take one step upon The road OIL
peaceful effort, by which 10 ascertain whether
4 the time has not arrived when other method.
than brute fighting may not accomplish WhaI
military force has failed to do. In the origin
/ Of this struggle you foresaw that such dime
would come Your inaugural address, deliver.
cd near two years ago, pointed out with bro.
phetic vision the certain results Of the impend
Ing conflict of arms. Your language then va,
"Suppose you 20 to war, you can not fight al
Wsys; and when, after much loss oabolh sides
and no gain on either, you cease fighting, the
Identical questions as to terms of intercourse
are again upon you." You saw that, after q
bloody and terrible struggle, the "stiIl small
voice Of reason" would intervene and SETTLE
the controversy, You known that since thi
establishment OF Christian civilization nego
tiations aud compromises have sooner or late
determined every military contest. Il can bo
be otherwise here. Has not the time arrives
when, TO quote your own language, We shohlt
"cease Aghtlpg," at least long enough to as
certain whether "the Identical questions" abou
\ which We began the fght may not be amIcably
and honorably adjusted, and the "terms of inter
course" he once more peaoeably established
1t 10 to this end now address you with conf
dencs In your patriotism, and with no desire I,
interfere with your legitimate consliiullona
prerogativss. l lam, with high respect,
Yours very truly,
| FERNANDO WOOD.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN TO MR. WOOD.