The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-05-31
President Davis' Reply.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Richmond, January 9Th, 1864.

J
DEAR SIR: I have received your letter of the
auth ult., containing suggestions of the measures
10 be adopted for the purpose Of removing 20 the
sources of discomfort" in North Carolina. The
contents of the letter are substantially the same as
those Of the letter addressed by you to Senator
Dortch, extracts of which were by him read to me.
remarked to Mr. Dortch that you were probably
not aware Of the obstacles to the course you nd-
Gated, and without expressing opinion the
merits Of the proposed policy, desired him in
swering your letter to write suggestions as to The
method of opening negotiations and as to the
terms which you thought should be offered to the
enemy. felt persuaded you would appreciate
the dlhcultles your attention was called
% the necessity of considering the subject in de-
ail. AS you have made no suggestions touching
the maLner of overcoming the obstacles, infer
that you were not apprised by Mr. Dortch of my
remarks to him..
Apart from Dsuperabe objections to the line of
policy you propose, (and to which will presently
advert | cannot see how the more material obsta-
cles to be surmounted, We have made three
distinct efforts to communicate with the authori-
ties at " ashington, and have been invariably I'M
successful Commissioners were sent before hos
tties were begun and the Washington govern
ment refused to receive them hear what they
had to say. A second time sent a military off,
Ger with communication addressed by myself to
Gen Scott, who did not permit the officer to see
Mr. Lincoln, but promised that answer would
be sent. No answer has ever been received. The
third time, atew months ago, gentleman was
sent whose position, character and reputation
such as to ensure his reception if the enemy were
not determined to receive no proposals whatever
from the government Vice President Stephens
made patriotic tender of lis services in the hope
of being able to promote the cause Ct humanity,
IL Io4b is
success cheerfully yielded to his suggestion, that
fused to let him pass through their lines or to hold
any conference with Them Bn was stopped be-
fore he reached Fortress Monroe his way
to Washington. To attempt again Gin the face of
these repeated reflections of all conference with
us) to send Commissioners or Agents to propose
peace, is to invite insult and contumely, and to
subject ourselves to ndignty without the slightest
chance of being listened to.
No true citizen, no who has our cause at
heart can desire this, and the good people of North
Carolina would be the last to approve of such an
attempt, if aware of all the facts So far from re-
moving ''sources of discomfort" such course
would receive, as it would merit, econdemna-
ton of those true patriots who have given their
blood and their treasure to maintain the freedom
equality and independence, which descended to
them from the immortal heroes of Kings Noun
tain and other battle fields of the revolution If
then, these proposals cannot be made through en-
voys, because the enemy would not receive them
how is it possible to communicate our desire for
peace, otherwise than by the public announce
ments contained in almost every message l ever
sent to Congress?
cannot recall at this time one instance in
which have failed to announce that our only de-
sire was peace, and the only terms which formed a
sene qua non, were precisely those that you sug-
But suppose it practicable to obtain confer
ence through commissioners with the government
of President Lincoln, is it at this moment that we
to consider it desirable, at all admiss-
ible?~ Have we not just been apprised by that de-
spot that only expect his gracious pardon
by enamel pating all our slaves, swearing allegi-
ance to him and his proclamatons, and becoming
in point of fact the slaves Of our own negroes?
Can there be in North Carolina one citizen so fall
len beneath the dignity of his ancestors as to &C
cept, or to enter into conference on the basis Of
these terms? That there few traitors in the
State who would be willing to betray their fellow
citizens, to such degraded condition, in hope of
being rewarded for treachery by an escape from
the common doom, may be true But [ do not
believe that the vilest wretch would accept such
terms for himself. [ cannot conceive how the
people of your State, than which none has sent
nobler or more gallant soldiers to the field of bat
tie Gone Of whom it is your honor to be,) can have
been deceived by auythingto which you refer in
''the recent action of the Federal House of Repre-
sentatives." have seen no action of that ouse
that does not Indicate by very decided majority,
the purpose of the enemy to refuse all terms to the
South, except absolute, unconditional subjugation
or determination. But if it were otherwise, how
we to treat with the House Of Representatives?
1t is with Lincoln alone that we ever could confer,
and his own partisans at the north avow unequiv-
ocally that his purpose in his message ana proca-