Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-15
Peace Democracy at the S0ufh.

A short time prior to the election, it will
be remembered that Mr. W. W. Boyce, Of
South Carolina, a member of the rebel Con-
gress, and leading southern politician, pub
lshed letters favoring an effort on the part
of the South to obtain peace. In them he
alluded favorably TO the action of the Chica-
go Convention and intimated hope that, by
the election of Mcclellan, way would be
opened for putting an end to the present
bloody war.
These letters occasioned a good deal of ex-
citement at the South and comment at the
North. The radical southern press denounced
their author as reeonstructionist, and the
Copperheads quoted him as an evidence OF
the existence of a party in the Instruction
airy States ready to join hands with the
Northern Democrats and restore the Union
| upon the basis Of the Chicago platform.
Since the election, Mr.. Boyce has appeared
before his constituents and made an elabo-
rate speech in defence of his course. In it
he defined his position, stating that his con-
duct in writing the letters was purely d1pIo-
matte, and designed to strengthen tie Democratic
z1ayty and digide the North that he never in
| tended reconstruction of the Union upon
any basis and that in his last letter to JET
PERSON DAVIS he omitted mention Of Confederate
independence simply from strategic reasons, be-
cause it would be time enough for the North
to learn that the South would accept nothing
short of separation when it had been duped
| into a Convention.
Furthermore, he assures his constituents
that he hoped to help the election of Nc
| CLELLAN, because it, in connection with the
| Chicago Platform would facilitate the pur-
| poses of the South, that he had aimed at d.
/ viding the Northwestern from the Eastern
| States, and that when this should be accom-
| plished, he was in favor of offering induce
ments to the Northwest to enter the Confed-
| crate alliance, and drive the New England
| ers into Canada or the ocean.
| We extract from his speech, 8Ir. BoYcE's
view of the Chicago platform
| What Goes that platform say? 1t says
| negotiate" negotiate" and though it does
| not give up the Union, you cannot expect
it to do more. That platform has been
carefully prepared, and the sentiments Of the
men acio support 1t are gay aoeH k2socn to as.
Il is true Mcclellan has indicated that he
cannot consent to peace unless based upon
the idea of reconstruction; but, doubtless Ne
C2ellan ogos playing for 0otes.
He thus shows the consequence of the
! Democratic armistice:
CHOW suppose that has taken place, what
is effected? The first thing is that the indie
pendence and sovereignty Of the States is ac-
| knowledged, the great principle for which we
have commended = that principle, without
which, we could not carry on the war. Look
at this armistice: peace by land, peace by
water, and the blockade open! Who can
estimate the advantage Of raising the block
ade! Why, gentlemen, time for as is rictory.'
1t is evident that Mr.. BoYCE is a very fit
man to cooperate with the Northern faction
that assumed the name of the Democratic
party in the late election. Fortunately, how
ever, the people of the North were as saga
cious in discovering the true intent and pur-
pose of the Chicago platform as was Mr.
BoYcE, and so all his diplomatic plottings
J vnrn IyacTnd