, 1864-10-20
Chicago : Grlbn11e.
THE REBEL DEBT.

An immediate cessatlon OF h0etil1tles,"
anu " convention oi all the States," con-
stttute The remedy which the Chicago plat
form proposes for existing difficulties be.
tween JEFF Dayis and the Government Of the
United States Gen. Mcclellan. In his letter
OF acceptance, Gays "the Union is the one
condition" Of peace; We ask no more" This
is asking good deal more than the Chicago
Convention asked, but we let that pass II
We suppose the South could ever consent 10
such q Conventional We can imagine the
delegates once assembled, the Northern ones
harpinr the chorus of McCtellau's letter and
Offering the rebels anything the7 can name If
they viii ouly Giyc us back the UnIon-what
would probably be the first requirement of
cur misguided Southern brethrens Wecan-
not, of course, cay with certainty whether
they would first stipu1ate for those new
guarantees to slavery which Gen. Mcclellan
namatee his willingness to grant. or whether
they would begin by adjusting the matter Of
dollars and cents between the two sections.
or whether they would open the meeting
with resolution affirming therlght OF seces-
sion But It is certain that III these TOPICS
would come up Tor setlencat,
We propose to examine bIi4ly the subject
Of the two pational debts. Ii the loyal States
should ever 20 into such convention the
act itself would be an admission either that
the rebels had certain degree OF right On
their side, or that We are unable to cxecute
Lie laws and Constitution Of the United
States In the territory occupied by their ar.
uiea. If We co1cede that there is certain
degree ofr'ght on their side we must Of
c6urse treat their war debt as We treat our
own We muet Is nati-D, assume the cost
to which they have been pnt In maintaining
that right This must be the preliminary
step to any Negotiation. 1t ne enter Into &
convention because VIC are unable to put
down the rebellion by force ofarms, 1t makes
lo difference what our views may be
regarding their pccuniary obligations.
Btgye1s Cao not be Eho06ers. They
will make their msrk snd We must come to
it. In point Of iact, we apprehcnd that no
honorable mau would propose settlement
on the basis laid down In the Chicago plat
form without conceding in advance the JUS
tice Of assuming the rebel debt, and certain
il the rebels would spurn my proposition Of
spirited people whom We hear extolled every
day by tuch organs Of Democracy as the Chi
caro- Tunes. they would tweak the noae If
every delegate who should praauue to neeo.
tiatc with than except upon terms of eous-
itr.
If the rebel debt ia ia be ps,a It must he
mid at mar It mnst he maid In the same
fnnss ard m 1he same +e.mn a. onr oun
There ~ nroh,nlv M ors e,thsr ;aa,aa @ ~ -.
ontside the sontbr1n con,eaer,cr who c.n
u,,te aowo ia agvrccato ;na.hted noss :.
ao,,srs ona osrtu re Is.+ p,asraasa - -
~,u.e~ 49, rss o,,,oa so.o". 49, 49,. - as,,
4hnt co,.feat.r.te scr;, ,,as shso,a.a,r ~ . 1cst
,s ro~e,,ae;.~ aa1ar 49, shs4 ~, ..aso '
..ct,ans h,-a 49, r aorn ou ~ ~ 49, 80 ..,aa;-1a ~
~ hs,te- ~ merchan+ an, ,anas ~
norr ona 10 ,ahorer -,,rl.a for ~ ~ nann W.
,,orraa - corn NIL ,,ar duv ora s,iu ~
lam, n,,1,s ~ :ha cov.rn-,a,, 90 rrnn,a@
at i,ehrTinr sneta r. tle war w.ro to ceas >
tnasv. Il Ton,d not he e,fa n estimate the
rebel debt incluo,nr their var1oug descrin.
tious OF bends. currency. ana cerf1f1cates. at
less than four thousand millions of dollars
One wear $40 The arprcprtetiops for their
Ouurtermasters Department were preater
thsn those for the whole Goyeroment of tbe
Quilted States for the same spacs Of time.
Let this sum be added to the honest debt