The Plymouth weekly Democrat., 1863-09-24
LETTER from Fernando Wood to
President LincOln.-The PreSf.
dents Reply--Mr. WOODS Ke.
lOfnder.
MR. WOOD TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

the Jnted 81 ts:
DEAR SIR-On the 25rh of November
last. was advised by authority which l
deemed likely to be we'll informed as we'll
as reliable and truthful that the Southern
States would send Representatives to the
next Congress. provided that Il full and
general amnesty should permit them to do
80. M guarantees or terms were asked
for other than the amnesty referred to-
Pceming this information of great value :.
II VII founded, | communicated it III sub
stance to tn. II m George Opdyke. the
May n Of this city. WI 'm knew to hold
confidential relations To members of yonr
administration and prnlosel through him
a h If the elye:lmsl- ,u'l per NIT the
cnrrr.,,ondencc under Its own Inspection.
W ,ul undertll. to procure something
definite AMI positive from ersons connect
el with the So called Confederate au:hori-
ties. Mr. Orelyke stated in reply that
several Senators from the. New England
State, wcrc then III this city on their way
/. Washington. To whom he would at once
minunicate the proposition and advise
lne of the answer Knowing that these
gentlemen were your friends. and suppos-
rng that they would Immediately confer
with y,.u "n their arrival at the capital
and opposing that | should be speedily
informed of the result have delayed un
til now making communicable. direct t."
vou. | now learn. however. from Nr.
.Opdyke. this dsv that he failed to see the
Senators when in New York. and that he
had not male the proposition. and that
therefore vou are not lii possession CT It.
As coming fr,pl myself as an humble but
loyal citizen. deeply impressed with the
great necessity of restoring the Union OF
uhese States ask your immediate attcn-
-.on to tl,e subject The magnitude of the
interests at Ike xarrant some executive
action pre- iieated upon this information. if
it he only to ascertain il it be grounded
zlpon even probable f;ss laton.
If it shall prove xroundless no harm
shall have bee1 dene provided the inquiry
hc male is II e1n be- without compromIS-
in@ the government or injsrE to the cause
in which it i now engaged. IL, however,
ii shall prove yell f'a,aded, tIaere is no es
al
val',e
Now therefore. sir President I sag
e,est that Il gentleman, with fior1s;cr politi-
.al and social relations with the leaders of
the sauthcrn revolt. may I've allowed to hold
unofficial corre>pon} encc with them un the
subject, the correspondence to bc submit
ted to you. 1t may be thus a~ccrtained
what, if anv credcncc may be given to
those statements. and ais, whether Ieace-
ful solution of the present struggle may net
be attainable | am sure that nothing |
can say can add to your own wcll-Anown
desire to produce this result Your exalt-
cd position. the embarrassment and the re-
sp,nsibilities which surround you on all
sides, the bleeding condition of the country
becoming exhausted not only in the i'm
poyershment of It's best life blood and in
dustrial production, but the deterioration
and consequent destruction of our political
institutions. all call upon YOU as chief ru-
l'r, to take one step upon the roal of peace
fnl effort by which to ascertain whether
the time has not arrived when other meth
OILS than i'ru:e fighting may not accomplish
what military force has failed to do. In
the origin Of this struggle you forcsaw
that such time would come Your lnau-
gural address. delivered nearly two years
ago, pointed out with prophetic vision the
certain results of the impending conflict of
arms. Your language then was: Suppose
You z" to war, You cannot fight always; and
when, after much loss on both sides. and
no gain on either, you cease fighting. the
identical questions as to terms of inter
course are again upon you" You saw that
after bloody and terrible struggle. the
still, small voice of reason would intervene
and settle the controversy. You know that
since the establishment of Christian civil
zation, negotiation and compromise have
sooner or later determined every military
contest. 1t cannot be otherwise here as
not the time arrived when, to quote your
own language, We should cease fighting, at
least long enough to ascertain whether the
IDENTICAL questions about which we began
to fight may not be amicably and honora
bly, adjusted, and the terms of intercourse
be once more peacably established It's TO
this end that now address you. with con-
fidence in your patriotism, and no desire
to interfere with your legitimate constitu.
tional prerogatives.
/ am, with high respect, yours truly.
FERNANpo WOoD