The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-08-17
Mr.. Lincoln and Peace.

| k>e0Ces
The Washington correspondents of NJ. tiil
| coins newspaper organ in New York nays, i'd
letter dated the 9Th instant: -,
cit is not to be wondered at that the onun6i.
| ton journals pounce upon Mr.. Lincoln,s note:
| ITO all Whom IL May Concern" as affording
them chance to pettfog an issue Of such vital
| Importance as that affecting the status. Of ala.
very in connection with peace. It is not un.
derstood, however, that it was the design Of
the President to obtyude arg ultinatuz. i.r that
| n,ennordndun1, which, at most, glanced at oil
the questions likely to be submitted Tin the
| grave negotiation limited att to all classes Of
the northern mind, aud Of which. the matter of
slavery is but one leading item. No person of
| sense, in official confidence in Washington, g.,
comprehends that memorandum as to magnifv
it into the SIC colo, SIC ju6e0 of the Executive,
in reference to matters which belong excu-
sive'y to the people themselves. 1t Is not the
frame of MIR. Lncolns mind so to usurp what
belongs to the masses. and am surprised ut
the construction which you say some Of our
friends put upon it, 49, =.
The channel through which the above is
given to the public fully justities the .suppos;-
ton that it was written with the knowledge
and sanction Of the President. That is, state
menis relative to the tenor OF. the "To WHOM,
it may concern" epist!e are in pal,b!e contra.
dlctlon OF its obvious meaning will not at all
tend to exclude such an Inference 1t is MI.
Lincoln's habit to contradict each day what he
has said or done the day preceding. So IateIy
as In his letter of acceptance of the Baltimore
nomination in explanation Of his position on
the Monroe doctrine, he found means within
the compass of a dozen lines to place exactly
opposite views of policy and to aver that he
was in favor of them both. .,..-s-- .
He is frightened at the Indignation which
his terms and his insolence in assuming author.
ity to declare them have provoked He mis-.
Judged the temper and wishes of the peopls
and is eager to make refraction fie makes t.,
however, in his habitu-l thimble rig style.
through channel which he hopes will be re.
ceived as authentic, while it leaves him a,
liberty to deny all knowledge of or responsible
lty for the statement thus made. 1t is too late
now to repair the mischief he has done him.
self. though he may partially atone for that
done the nation by giving proof OF his wiling
ness to accept restoration OF tine Union by
the abandonment" of terms which were So
Indignantly spurned by Clay and Holcombe.
The extract We have quoted ELECTS from the
New York Tribune the subjoined:
1--WE do not know, and have not meant to-
affirm, that an immediate settlement OF our ma.
tional troubles is perfectly feasible but we feel
certain that two-thirds of the American people
on either side OF the dividing line, anxiously,
aDsorblngly desire peace, and are ready to make
all neediul sacrifices to insure it Then WHY
shall it be long witheld2 Let US know, so soon
as may be, the most that the rebel chiefs will
90 70 secure peace; let us next ascertain what
Is the 'utimatum' on OUR side; and, ii the diff.
ference between these are material, let US fight
all the harder till side or the other is ready
to make the needtul concession. 1t is high
time matters were coming to a point"
1t Is indeed singh time matters were coming
to point" The nation is threatened with
from exhaustion of labor and a
flood of paper currency. The draft for Eve
hundred thousand more will drain the country
of all its able bodied laborers, and involve in
ruin our entire agricultural and manufacturing
interests. We are now at a point where the
OF productive interests by tho
return OF our soldiers to peaceful pursuits
would save the nation from the insolvency and
wide spread misery which the exhaustion of
another year of war must inevitably produce.
The sinking credit of the government would
revive under such hope and the prospect of
decrease III our enormous expenditures. and i,
would be possible to SD gradually yet speedily
redeem anu withdraw so much of our currency
as would place the remainder substantially on
4 gold basis.
1t is very easy to ascertain whether peace il
sttainahlc on terms which we may safely and
honorably accept The lives of our people
and the interests of the nation are sacrificed to
Mr.. Lincoln's determined purpose not to listen
TO terms. This is the reason the soldiers of
Grant and Sherman are daily precipitated
against the defences of Richmond and Atlanta.
Chicago Times.