Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-01

AbdlO Ol tuS CAllloul0s llNbSi hSpOlhS llhHl
Vicksburg; Rebel Invasion of Kentucky
Threatened; From Ohio; Items Markets,
Conveys Negotiation with Mason.
We have two noteworthy items of intelli-
gence,-one from Richmond and the other
from London,-both relating to the same
thing, Within fortnight the Richmond En-
quirer, the special organ of the jeff Davis
government, has repeatedly and ferociousy
denounced Mr.. Spence, the English agent OF
the rebels, for suggesting to the British peo-
pie that the ''contederates" might agree to
adopt some plan for the gradual abolition Of
slavery. The Richmond paper thinks Mr.,
Spence should be swiftly removed and forev-
er dsowned by the confederate government
for daring to make such a statement. From
London we hear that Rev. NJ. D. Conway has
proposed to the rebel Ambassador" Mason,
that il the rebels will abolish slavery, the anti
slavery men of the United States will use all
their influence to stop the war, and give the
rebels their independence" Conway, it is
sal d, processes to Mason that he is in England
as the representative of the anti-slavery men
in this country and has authority to negoti-
ate with him; but he was constrained to ac-
knowledge that he had no credentials. 1t is
stated that the correspondence between Con-
way and Mason is published in the London
Times, but we have not seen it.
1t is not easy to say hich is most remark
able, Mr.. Conway's verdancyin supposing the
rebels would entertain any proposition for the
abolition of slavery, or his unwarranted and
astonishing representation that he is an am
bassador of the anti-slavery men of this coun-
try, duly authorized to treat with Mason and
the ''confederates. The reb els cannot abol-
ish slavery without giving up everything for
which they have organized treason and I'M
dertaken to destroy the republic. Nothing
can be more absurd than to suppose they will
do it. They fight to destroy democratic ideas,
repel free society, and establish slave en-
pire; and for them to abolish slavery would
be to surrender their whole cause. On the
other hand, the president seeks to destroy
slavery because he deems this necessary to
the recovery and future security of the Union;
~hN II - fClH NCi bd4A tHdt AllS uOIIueEU peOple
will never consent to have the rebels destroy
the Union on any terms whatever. If Mr.
Conway does not know all this, he is more ig-
norant of his own country than we had sup
posed possible. As for his representation
that he is kind of ambassador rep
tEifffHyenttiBBGG ur The !. anti slavery people q
ever, and sounds like an utterance OF
insanity. He represents nobody but him
self He has some connection with the Bos-
ton Commonwealth. The conductors of that
paper seemed to have been informed, in ad
vance, sin roundabout way" that he was
likely to open some such correspondence with
Mason; and they made strong protest
against it in the following paragraph, which
we take from the Commonwealth of June
26 -
Certainly neither the Commonwealth nor
any of the ant-slavery men in this country
would for moment sanction any proposition
looking to recognition of the confederacy, or
OF its very obnoxious minister in England.
Nor has Mr.. Conway any authority (unless it
be from the state Department. from any per-
son in America to enter into any confer
ence whatever with any representative of
the SOUTH save in the way of public discus
sion, or to make any offers of any kind to
any person whatsoever on any of the questions
of the day."
This is very complete reputation of Mr..
Conway's remarkable proceedings with Mr..
Mason. The Commonwealth had some pur-
pose, we presume, Certainly not very
amiable one,) in putting in the words sun
less it be from the state department" OF
course the conductors of that paper do not
suppose Mr.. Conway has any authority to
speak for the state department, or any con-
nection with it. He himself does not profess
to speak for anybody connected with the gov
eminent. His foolish pretensions did not go
so far as that. He protested only that he was
the authorized representative of our anti-save-
ry people; and this showed a sufficiently
great lack of selfpossession and good sense.
The Commonwealth seems to think he was
urged by his English friends to open such
correspondence with Mr.. Mason. This is
not improbable, for many of "our English
friends" who speak against slavery do not feel
very deeply interested in the permanence and
prosperity of the ''great American republic"
and Mr.. Conway was evidently weak enough
to be influenced by such persuasions. He is
not likely to win much credit for sound iudg-
ment.
1HE time Tor converting United States