Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-20
The Conditions of Peaoe.


@ aaia Since the day, when the President issued
q mis- proclamation q To whom it may Hcon-
eern,n there has been a very extended dis
cussion Of the question of peace- Those
aad biwho had not supposed the rebels sufficient
Ta IL subdued TO be willing to consider the
subject of reunion and those who we're in
y fuenced with the idea that their annihila-
l9 ton is the first step in the direction Of
peace, we're not disposed to entertain the
p subject, fearful, perhaps, that it might in
dictate relaxation Of purpose and deter
ll7 nnination on the part of the people to Sc
ro} cure the restoration Of the Union. All.
such have surrendered their scruples and
have given more or less attention. TO the
discussion of this important subject. 1t
8-oa, has been asserted, over and over and now
5n constitutes the chief thunder of the De-
mocrscy, that the Government had put OBJ
stacles in the way of restoring peace to
Cd the country, which must forever prevent
the cessation of bostilities and the recon
struction of the Union, SO long as the
~ present Administration is in power. Mr..
lincoln it is claimed, has issued conditions
s-.' -s.ooada,,4 ,-.l.;-l------.. = Pr"So
Tar away The immediate abandonment
3 t'i Of slavery, it is asserted, is condition
preOedent which the rebels cannot ac-
Tal.. quiesoe in, and therefore should never have
20 been made. -----
z. It is question however, whether the
i proclamation of Mr.. Lincoln is to be in
Ir terpreted as indicating an unwillingness
~ on his part to listen to proposition from
therebels for peace which does not Include
that condition. Itisnow asserted in quar-
l tens that are to be regarded as senii-oficial,
SOD that NJ Lincoln meant by his proelsrna-
ton, what strictly logical Interpretation
Of it must deduce that he will listen to a
RI profer of peace embOdying the surrender
s of slavery. but that it does not declare his
unwillingness to listen to any other. In
the Language of the New York Times
Mr. Lincoln did say that be teould re-
ceiye and consider propositions for peace,
coming with proper authority, If they en-
braced the integrity Of the Union a5sd the
abandonment of slavery. But he did not
say that he would aog receive them unless
. they embraced both these conditions. He
did not say that he would not receive them
..s even if they embraced neither. he was
not laying down an ultimntum.-he was
not prescribing conditions sine Qrq aoa,-
at all. He was not called upon to do any
thing of the kind. i
lal This explanation is of very important
character and indicates readiness on the
part Of the Government TO consider terms
Of peace, which shall embody reunion
leaving the question of slavery to be ad-
justed either by the people or by the courts.
.4 It may be that the -5-s=--i--r- or rne courts
a. o,a - ,eUpie will be Necessary finally to
determine the status ofthat portion of the
institution of Slavery which has not been
destroyed by our armies. A decision has
indeed, already been uttered by the su-
Pfene Court giving UHIy such etlicenoy;to
military Proelamations as armies give and
no more. 1.l. a-.
- 1t would certainly be great misfortune
.' if the vital power of slavery is not extin-
guished by the war We have always
thought and do now think that its extinc-
ton, either immediate or gradual is neces-
sary to our peace hereafter. Wehave not,
however, regarded the Government as un-
der the necessity Of prescribing conditions
Of peace antecedent to any propositions
that may be made, and are therefore grati- |
fed to know that the Administration
throws no obstacle in the way of the rebels
proposing return to the Union. It may
be that peace will come before many
months; so, we greatly prefer that peace
and union which comes from Abrakoa
Lincoln to that which MIGHT come 49, I
some other source. .I .sl. ..-.