East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-08-17
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.


Inc ulldutlpllo -1yc says
~ will be generally conceded, we
presume, that the sovereignty of Great
Britain in 1875 was quito as sacredas
that of the United States is now, and
those who are familiar with the history
Of that time will remember that, in
the estimation Of the English people,
the guilt of the Colonists were greatly
aggravated by the fact that they were
rebelling against the Lords annoint-
e6." That circumstance gave a pecu-
liar bitterness to the feeling with
which "the rebels were then regarded
so that if one will read the Parlia-
lnentaIy debates, which took place
during the war, and especially the
speeches Of the Bishops, he will find
that there arc capabilities Of invective
in the language which had never been
sounded by the orators of our time.
Every argument, therefore, which is
employed i'll favor OF an unrelenting
policy in this war, was used in Eng
land at the time Of our rebellion, and
"the divinity of which doth hedge a
king" gave an element to their dis
cussions which is wanting in ours
1t may then he safely taken for grant
ed that the British government did
nothing which it would be undignif-
ed for our own to do, because, it must
be remembered, that the right of the
Colonists to take the stand they did,
was as strenuously denied by the Eng
lish as the right of secession is by us.
What was done, therefore, was done
in case in which it was asserted by
every one connected with the admin
istration, and with few exceptions,
by all the oppositions, that the rebels
in arms were utterly without any ex-
cuse.
The first step toward recognition, as
is well known, were taken by Chatam
and Burke. From the writings of the
latter we have so recently made copi-
cious citations that we need not delay
''to define his position" and the views
of Chatain are briefly summed up
10y Lord Mahon, (vol. VI, p. II, as
follows:
Not, indeed, that he could be blind
to the manifold grounds of provoca-
ton which Massachusetts, has afford
ed. But he felt that provocation
could no longer be treated as such
when it came from one united province
and when it was supported by eleven
provinces more. He felt as Burke at
the same period, truly and finely said ::
that he did not know the method of
drawing upon an indictment against
whole people.
Accordingly, he introduced bill on
the first of January, 1775, making
the most ample concessions, introduce
ing it with what Franklin described
Us "a most excellent speech" But
the bill, of which the concluding
words were
$50 shall true reconcilement avert
impending calamities," was opposed
by the Ministry, and was rejected be-
cause said Chatam
"Who can wonder that you should
put negative on any measure which
must annihilate your power deprive
you of your emoluments and all at
once reduce you to that state of insig-
niticance for which God and nature
designed you ?"
Had it been adopted, no historian
doubts that the war would have been
averted, as it would have been
also had Burk's scheme been tried,
but persistence in the "no compro-
mise" policy resulted that year in the
outbreak of actual hostilities Even
then, however, schemes of extermina-
ton did not absolutely prevail in Par
lament, and in November, the Gamer
lean Prohibitory Bill' was introduced
by Lord North himself, by which the
King was authorized to sent to Amer
lea commissioners selected by himself,
who were to have almost unlimited
powers but Lord and General Howe
who were subsequently appointed
commissioners, were only invested by
the terms Of their commission with
very limited powers, and as Lord
Howe did not arrive until after the
Declaration of Independence was
adopted, nothing was accomplished by
his efforts at paoifications. 1t deserves
mention in this connection, however,
that, after Washington had declined
TO receive letter addressed to him as
"George Wagington, Esquire" upon
the request of Lord Howe an inform
al meeting took place between him
self and a committee appointed by
Congress, at which he argued that
they ought to return to their allegi-
ance, and that they might obtain the
most favorable terms. Now observe
that this conference took place on the
18th Of September, 1776, after the
battles of Bunker Hill and Long Is
land, and after the Continental Con-
gress had renounced allegiance to the
King.
The next year after the battles of
Trenton and Princeton had been fought,
Lord Chatam again made an effort to
stay hostilities, and ON the Goth Of
May moved an address to the Crown,
lamenting the unnatural war against
the Colonies, and beseeching his Ma
jesty to take the most speedy meas
ures for arresting it.
He supported his proposition by tho
polite argument, at may produce a
respectable division in America, and
unanimity at home; it will give Amer
lea an option; she has yet had no OPP
tion," and he closed with these noble
words "Mercy cannot harm; it will
seat the King where he ought to be-
throned in the hearts of his people,
and millions athome and abroad, now
employed in obloquy or revolt, would
pray TO him"
Onco again tho administration re-
jected Chatham's plan; and it was not
until tho nnNt rnnr a flor Rnrcrnrnn,n