Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-09-13
TO TIE HON. Ii. s, FOOIE.

| hare read carefully your address to tho
free aud Independent citZans of tho Con-
ii,.erult states" which WAS published in the
"1w hig" Of ,!.o 9Th, and beg issge to submit.
viii, nj; resr,ct, 60 your confederation, Il few
trong:ts which it has suggested. think,
,l,>sct know, that you ere mistaken n-sup>
posing that oar Government would decline to
appoint commissioners II meet commissioners
appointed by the Government Of the United
Static 10 treat of peace, unless they were pre-
ceded or accompanied By q proposal for an
ncm:stins. Such course would be contrary
4 the usual course o. negotiations for peace
such negotiations being usnally conducted and
concluded "jl1grante be7io." Indeed, the
srulistice, ,enen it occurs, ia tho first not to-
yards rsace, and il tho work eithor of the APP
pointed peace commissioners, or of outside in
tcrrention OF mediation. Walls, therefore,
oar pcopia may think "a ] do, that there
should be IN armistice, or We may difor about
Il, or about the terms Of the srmistce, Hso
Should all agrees that peace commissioners
rrcn the Government Of the United States arc
10! To bsloiccted because their Herald" does
M. nTaro-o AT armis,ice in advance of the
negotiations, and in that am happy to know
yt"l nnd | oonclr.
sgrca with you also in your view Of tho
nomination and election Of Mcclellan, if the
latter can ba effected. lie is now standing
upon pace riatiornl, and it elected must be
elected upon it; for although there is cauec
enough f1- opposition in tho intamy, inccm-
1c.cncy ani barba,ity Of lincoln's admins.
tratien. vet it ia true that thoso canses alone
did no: produce tho Chicago Convention and thr
nomination OF Mcclellan. They were the Of
srring Of :. doaire for peace, of horror and
di:sust n thiS inonstr0us and unparalleled
var The7 were he work of the peace party.
awaiting itsclf IF tho other causes of oppcsi-
ton 10 acquire strength. The question will
AEON be settled. however, by McClellsn's &C
certancs of tho nomination. He will accept
i. "a Linc9ln did, with the platform annex
ed" or hn will accept it ard reject the plat
form. If lIa accepts the platform, he will be
| no eVowed peace candidate. and If he rejects
| Cmiyaution. which has declared itself perma-
mont, will DO roassanbled, and Seymour or
| Lang. ~ ao;ne other advocate Of peace and
! Justice, will be dominated, and running against
,brse war ,aen, will be easily elected trust,
therefore. that our friends of the press. who
aon.ynl ruhlio opinion in suoh remarkable
| manner. will unite with us and abstain from
anv assaults upon Mcclellan. To make war
nnon him nov will be to Offer the grossest
yffencs to lhe friends of peace at the North
and West, by imputins to them not only i'm
hecility, IN. tho want of all sincerity, patriot
ism and man'ness.
cannot co3nur, however, in your view Of a
consolidated Convention of all tho States
NORTH, s..d South, aud respectfully appeal to
vou to, reconsider and renounce it, in order
that YOUR I4o talents ind extensive attain
mo.;s mny 30 nude useful in the cauRe Of
g.aAoe nni Humanity. which they cannot be if
you adhere to that view.
The phjeciona to such Convention ore
numerous and irresistible.
In tho first place, We oannot 60 into such 8
Convention without surre1derjng onr nation
ality, and admitting that tho old nation still
exists; Cor upon no other basis could cohyen-
ton Of delegates from the People of all the
States be gotten up.
Secondly. In such Convention, wo Of the
South would DO In minority upon every
question, except possibly the general question
Of naacN; for even tho Lincolnitas of the
North will yotc for pence, with reunion and
emaaairatiar, ,.n;! that would be the voice of
euah IL Convention The ma oIity would vote
f,r roaae, a;,J thon put US upon the nlatiorm
Of jacques, Gilmore aud Lincoln. You say
h,rs a.sn be NJ objection to such Convsn-
..oa. because our cause ia noble and full Of
ttu,h. and because the Convention could not
control two Executives. But you know, my
dear sic. that if We 60 into fuoh Convention,
there would bo at lonst an implied promise to
abide its decision. the more especially rs we
know beforehand precisely what the questions
to be discussed and decided were. What,
thon, will DO our dilemma7 Either to mount
the platform Of Lincoln, and permit his yoke
to be- placed upoo us, and confess that we ore
the vsrest fools as wall as knavea on earth, or
to rsYolt. What, then, would be our oondi-
ti1a2 II with the nob!cst cause, the most
unauiSel honor, and reputation for courage
and patriotism which has excited tho admirs
ton of the world, and was never surpassed, if |
sTsz equallsd, We have oil the world against