The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1863-10-08
Those Peace Propositions.


Last spring, just before the Conuec.
ticut election, tho country was startled
by declaration from Fernando Wood,
which was re echoed by VallaDdigham
to the effect that the rebels, three days
bfore the Fredericksburg disaster, had
made propositions to return to their al.
legiance, but the Government had re-
jected the overtures. Ofeourse no SEN
sible man believed it, for ifany evidence
on the subject had been in his hands,
he would have produced it; the people
did not believe him, as was evinced a
few days ufterward, by tho result of the
spring elections, and since that time,
we have heard nothing more about the
matter.
The recent positive denial by the
President, of the reception of any such
overtures, however, called Fernando ou t
again, and he has produced his evidence;
and what is it2 He tells the President
"On the 25th Of November last l was
advised by an authority, which | deem
likely to be we'll Informed, as we'll as
trustworthy and truthful, that the
Southerp States would send Represen.
tatives to the next Congress, provided
that a full and general amnesty should
permit them to do so, No guarantee
or terms were asked for other than the
amnesty referred to-"
He then asked the privilege of cor.
responding with the rebels, "to ascertain n
if the report be true"
The President replies:
81 strongly suspect your information
will prove to be groundlesS; neverthe-
less, thank you for communicating it
to me. Understanding the phrase in
the paragraph shove quoted-"the
Southern States would send Represen-
tatives to the next Congress be
substantially the same as that "the
people of the Southern States would
cease resistance, and would rGinaugu
rate, submit to and mai tain the Nation,
al authority within the limits of such
State, under the Constitution Of the
United States" | say that in such case
the war should cease on the part Of the
United States; and that if, within a
reasonable time, "a full and general
amnesty" we're necessary to such end,
it would not be withheld.
81 do not think it would be proper
now to communicate this formally or
informally, to the people of the South
ern States. My belief is that they ALREADY
knoto 1t, and When they choose, II eUer,
they can communicate ,oih me uuequiV
ocaly. Nor do | think 1t proper now
to suspend military operations to try
any experiment of negotiation.
IL should, nevertheless, receive with
great pleasure, the exact information
you now have, and also such other al
you may in any way obtain, Such in
formation might be more valuable be
fore the 1st of January than afterward
"While there is nothing in this lette
which l shall dread to zee in history, i
is perhaps better for the present ths
its existence should not become public
l therefore have to request that yo'
will regard it as confidential"
This letter is free, frank, and honor
able to the writer. He would grant tn
amnesty required, and of this he alleg
es-and everybody knows 1.-THE Sout
is fully aware. He then asks Fernan
do for the particular evidence in his pos
session, that the people Of the South ar
ready to return to their allegiance, tha
he might act before the first of Januar,
This call for the "facts" astonishe
Fernando; he was unable to get the ad
vantage Of the President, who Shove
great discretion in the matter. He doe
; not furnish the evidence required, bt
blames the President for not sendin
him as an ambassador to treat with re-
els; and there drops the matter.