The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-07-27

A. A. G., as an answer to the application
in our note of the 18th inst, is couched in
the following terms:
"ExEcuTIvE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
July, Is, 1864.
ITO whom it may concern:
"Any proposition which embraces the
restoration Of peace, the integrity of the
Union, aud the abandonment of slavery.
and which comes by and with an authority
that can control the armies now at war
against the United States, will be received
and considered by the Executive govern
ment of the United States, and will be met
by liberal terms on other substantial and
collateral points and the bearer or bearers
thereof shall have safe conduct both WAYS.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The application to which we refer was
elected by your letter of the 18th inst, in
which you inform Mr.. Jacob Thompson
anu ourselves that you were authorized by
the President OF the United States to ten
der to us his safe conduct on the condition
that we were duly accredited from Rich
mond as bearers of propositions looking to
the establishment Of peace, and desired to
visit Washington, in fulfillmcnt of this
mission.
This assertion, to which we then gave,
and still do give, entire credence, was ac-
cepted by us as the evidence of an unex
Pec'ed' but most gratifying, change in the
policy of the President change which.
we felt authorized to hope, might ultimate
tely lead to the conclusion of a peace mu
tually just and advantageous to the North
and the South. Exacting no conditions
bat that we should be duly accredited from
Richmond as bearers Of propositions look
ing to the establishment Ct peace. thus
proffering basis for conference as compre
henslve as we could desire, it seemed to us
that the President opened door, which
had previously been closed against the
Confederate States, for fair interchance
OF sentiments, free discussion of conflicting
opinions, and untrammeled effort to remove
all causes of controversy by liberal negotia-
ton. We, indeed, could not clam the
benefit of safe conduct which had been
extended to us in character we had no
right to assume and had never effected to
possess; but the uniform declarations of
our Executive and Congress, and their
thrice repeated and as often repulsed at
tempts to open negotiations, furnished
sufficient pledge that this conciliatory man
Hesitation on the part Of the President of
the United States would be met by them
in temper of equal magnanimity We
had, therefore, no hesitation in declaring
that, If this correspondence was communi-
Gated to the President of the Confederate
States, he would promptly embrace the op
portunty presented for seeking peaceful
solution OF this unhappy strife.
We feel confident you must share our
profound regret that the. spirit which die
tated the first step toward peace had not
continued to animate the councils Of your
President. Had the representatives Of the
two governments met to consider this aues-
ton, the most momentous ever submitted
to human statesman, in temper of be-
coming moderation and equity, followed,
as their deliberations would have been, bv
the prayers and -benedictions of every pat
riot and Christian on the habitable globe.
who is there that is so bold as to pronounce
that the irightful waste of individual hap
piness and public prosperity which is daily
saddenlng the universal heart, might not
have been terminated, or, if the desoation
and carnage OF war must still have endr ed
Tor many weary years of blood and suffer
ing that there night at least have been in.
fused into its conduct something more Of
the spirit which soitens and partially re,
deems its brutalism.
Instead Of the safe conduct which we
solicited, and which your first letter gave
every reason to suppose would be extend
ed, for the purpose Of initiating nj gotta
lions in which neither government would
compromise its rights or its dignity, a doc.
unent has been presented which provokes
as much indignation as surprise. It bears
no feature of resemblance to that which
was originally offered, and is unlike any
paper which ever emanated from the con
stitutional Executive Of free people
Addressed ''To whom it may concern" it
preludes negotiation, and prescribes in ad
vance the terms and conditions of peace
1t returnes to the original policy of no har-
boring, no negotiations, no truces with
rebels, except to bury their dead, till every
man should have laid down his arms, sub.
mitted to the government, and sued for
mercy 1911 .E"..
W hat may be the explanation of this
sudden and entire change in the views Of
the PRESIDENT; Of this Withdrawal ola cour
teous overture for negotiation, at a moment
when it was likely to be accepted; of this
emphatic recall of words of peace Just ut
tered, ard fresh blasts of war to the bitter
end, We leave for the speculation of those
who have means or inclination to penetrate
the mysteries of his Cabinet, or fa,hom the
~ PIC Of al r..
lor US TO say that we see no use whatever
Tor the paper which has been placed in our
hands. We could not transmit it to the
President Of the Confederate States with
out Offering him an indignity, dishonor
Ing ourselves, and mourning the well merit
ed scorn OF our countrymen. While an
ardent desire for peace pervades the people
OF the Confederate States, we rejoice to be-
leve that there are few, if any, amongst
them, who would purchase it at the expense
OF liberty, honor and selfrespect. 1t can
be secured only by their submission to
terms of conquest, the generation is vet
unborn which will witness it's restoration.
II there he any military autocrat in the
North who is entitled to proffer the condi.
tons OF this manifesto, there are none in
the South authorized to entertain them
Those who control our armies are the serv-
ants of the people, not their masters, and
they have no more inclination than thew
have the right to subvert the social insti
tutions Of sovereign States, to overthrow
their established constitutions, and take
away their priceless heritage Of self-gov.
eminent. SIS
This correspondence will not, however,
we trust, prove wholly barren of goo re-
suits. If there is any citizen Of the Con-
federate States who has chung to hope
that neaca ,uac npcc.bla x,.;th ~