Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-08-19
Peace.

FO0Ce.
Mr.. Lincoln's letter addressed to
"whom it may concern" seems to be
giving the peace men of the North an
extraordinary amount of concern.
These gentlemen have taken that letter
for their key note, upon which will be
sent upa most dismal wall from Chicago
They turn to us with virtuous indigna.
ton and say "yOur hands are red with
blood, you had it in your power to stay
this storm of passion, you insulted the
rebel peace commissioners, and proposed
terms which if accepted would make
abject slaves of the rebels"
To go back little, we ask the peace
men to examine the following facts:
Several men of distinction in rebel
dom took it into their heads that before
the Chicago Convention assembled q
capital good thing could be done by agi
tating the subject of peace. They APP
preached our soil as near as they dared
and opened correspondence, not with
the President, his cabinet, or with any
authorized agent. They expressed
themselves DESTROYS o; visiting Wash
ington en- route to Richmond, and with
being ready to open negotiations fol
peace. When 10! and behold, it is as
certained that they were in no sense
agents or ministers of the rebel govern
ment, were clothed with nopowers, and
consequently had no authority to act
upon the question of peace. Any four
men of humblest birth now confined in
the rebel prison at Rock Island, might
open correspondence with the editor
OF the Chicago Times, asking to go to
Washington to talk with somebody
there about peace, and they would be
entitled to as much consideration as
Messrs. Clay, Saunders 4 Co. and no
more. The upshot of the whole matter
was, that these rebels made no PROPOSE
tons to our government, because they
were not sent by that government upon
4 peace mission, nor as far as we know
any other. We desire to impress upon
the minds of the peace men the fact
that the rebel government, with which
our government has to do, has made no
overtures and no propositions looking
to 4 restoration of peace.
And now another view. About the
same time that Messrs. Clay & Co. We're
corresponding with Mr.. Greeley, Col.
I,a Of on1 Mr. ENnonn n
i<irke, on their own responsibility, and
without authority from our government,
went to Richmond on a peace mission.
They were permitted to pass through
the rebel lines and to hold an interview
with jeff. Davis. The result of that in
terview is we'll known. Col. Jacques &
Co. were informed by the rebel Presi-
dent "that there can be no peace until
the independence of the Confederate
States be recognized by the Federal gov
eminent"
Will the peace advocates carefully eX-
anime the rebel terms Of peace?
But, say they, this declaration of jeff.
Davis is not conclusive, and no more
binding than the conditions named in
Mr.. Lincoln's letter "to whom it may
concern Grantcd-but in what better
position does that place your party?
You cannot ignore the facts that the
rebel government. has asked for no peace,
ana that its authoritative head has de-
clared that they do not want and will
accept OF no terms that do not recognize
their independence.
In view of these facts we appeal tot
intelligent and patriotic members OF the
Democratic party, ii they are prepared
to get down on their knees and beg, and
implore, and beseech the rebels to
volchsafe peace to our land? Is your
manhood gone? Have you none of the
blood of your fathers coursing in your
veins? VIII you supplicate your enc
mics when you have power to crush
them? Will you beg terms when you
have power to enforce them? What il
Mr.. Lincollf has imposed the condition
of the abolition of slavery as the basis
of negotiations. We submit to you
which you will do, stand by Mr.. Lin
coins terms, "the integrity of the
American Union without slavery" or by
Mr. Davis, with slavery preserved and
the American Union dissolved? This is
the issue in this great contest, and you
must choose your part in it. The time
has come when every man with a thin
BILE full of brains must know that there
are but two possible conditions ofpeace.
The one is a recognition of southern in
dependence, and the other cessation OF
hostilities on our part, general amnes'
ty, and a restoration of Davis, Lee
Beauregard, Forrest, Semmes, Quantrell
and their confederates in crime, to equa
rights and privileges with those who
have remained steadfast in their devo
ton to the Union. The loyal people O
this country will neverconsentto either
What are all your efforts to avail you III
behalf of slavery, if we are to acknowl
edge southern independence If yol
are for peace, then you are for peace OIL
rebel terms, because they will submit t.
no other. In the future how will yor
feel as you think over yourefforts to pre-
serve southern institutions at the eX
pense of disunited people and dis
honored flag?
You have before you the rebel terms
Again we ask you, are you prepared t.
accept them? Will you not rather lent
all your energies to maintain the in
tegrity OF the American UnlOn?" LIE
our motto be Liberty and Union, ont
and inseperable, and peace on no othe
terms"