The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-08-02

or Hay and greatly regrets if his return to Wash
ington has been delayed by any expectation of an
answer to the communication which Mr.. Helcombe
received from him on yesterday to be delivered to
the President of the United States. That COM
munication was accepted as the response to let
ter Of Messrs. Clay and Holcombe to the Hon. III.
Greeley, and to that gentleman an answer has been
| transmitted
Clifton House, Niagara Falls, Thursday, July 81.
Rejection Of The Presidents Terms--Repy of the Rebel
| si agents.
Clifton House, Niagara Falls, July 81, 1864.
To Hon. Horace Greeley:
Sir: The paper handed to Mr.. Holcombe on yes
terday, in your presence by Major Hay Assistant
Adjutant General, as an answer to the application
in our note of the 18th instant, is couched in the
following terms:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C,l
July ls, 1864.
| To Whom it May Concern:
Any proposition which embraces the restoration of
peace the integrity of the whole Union and the aben-
donment of slavery, and which by and with an
| authority that control the armies at war
against the United States will be received and consd
cred by the executive government of the United States
and will be met liberal terms on other substantial
and collateral points, and the bearer bearers there
of shall have safe conduct both ways.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The application to which. we refer was effected
by your letter of the 18th instant, in which you
inform Mr.. Jacob Thompson and ourselves that
you were authorised by the President of the Uni
ted States to tender us his safe conduct, on the
hypothesis that we were "duly credited from Rich
mond as bearers of propositions looking to the
Enlistment of peace" and desired visit to Wash
ipgton in the ful6lment of this mission. This as
sertion to which we then gave and still d. entire
credence, was accepted BY the evidence of an
unexpected but most gratifying change in the pol
icy of the President change which We felt
thorized to hope might terminate in the conclusion
of peace mutually just, honorable and advanta-
geous to the North and to the South, executing
condition but that we should be duly accredit-
ed from Richmond as bearers of propositions look
ing to the establishment Of peace"
Thus profering basis for conference COM
prehensiue We could desire it, it seemed to. us
that the President op ened door which had pre-
viously been closed against the Confederate States
for full interchange of sentiments, free discus
sion of conflicting opinions, and untramelled effort
to'renaeve all causes of controversy by liberal me-
gotiations We indeed, could not claim the bene-
fit of safe conduct which had been extended to
us in a character we had no right to assume and
had never affected to possess, but the uniform de-
claratons of our Executive and Congress and their
thrice repeated, and often repulsed attempts to
open negotiations furnish sufficient pledge that
this conciliatory manifestation 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 communicated to the Presi-
dent of the United States, he would promptly en-
brace the opportunity presented for seeking peace
full solution of this unhappy strife
We feel confident that you must share our pro-
found regr6t that the spirit which dictated the first
step towards peace had not continued to animate
the counses Of your President Had the repre-
sentatives of the two Governments met to consider
this questionable most momentous ever submitted /
to human statesmanship-in a temper of becoming /
moderation and equity, followed their delibera-
tions would have been by the prayers and benedic-
tions of every patriot and Christian on the habita
BILE globe, who is there so bold as to say that the
regretful waste of individual happiness and public
which~is daily sundering the universal
heart might not have been terminated or if the
desolaton and carnage of war muststill be endured
through weary years of blood and suffering, that
there might not at least have been infused into its
conduct something more Of spirit which softens
and partially redeems its brutality.
Instead of the safe conduct which we solicited,
and which your first letter gave every reason to
suppose would be extended for the purpose of in
itiating a negotiation in which neither Govern
ment would compromise its rights or its dignity
document has been presented which provokes as
much indignation as surprise. 1t bears no feature
of resemblance to that which was originally offer
auo 10 any PoPSA "hiSA SfSi uOiOIo
emanated from the constitutional Executive OF
free people, Addressed "To Whom it May Con-
GERM" it precludes negotiation and prescribes in
advance the terms and conditions of peace. 1t re-
turns to the original policy Of ono bargaining, no
negotiations, no truce with rebels, except to bury
their dead, until every man shall have laid down
his arms, submitted to the Government, and sued
for mercy.
What may be the explanation Of this sudden
and entire change IN the views of the President,
Of this rude withdrawal of courteous overture for
negotiation at the moment it likely to be ac-
,epted, of this emphatic recall of words of peace
ust uttered and fresh blasts of war to the bitter
End, leave for thespeculation of those who have
he means or inclination to penetrate the mysteries
IF his Cabinet or fathom the caprice of his mperi
i. will. 1t is enough for say that we have no
Use whatever for the paper which has been placed
n our hands. We could not transmit it to the
President of the Confederate States without offer
ng him an in6ignity, dishonouring ourselves and
ncurring the well merited scorn of our country
men.
Whilst an ardent desire for peace pervades the
,eople of the Confederate States, rejoice to be-
ieve that there are few, if any, among them who il
vould purchase it at the expense Of liberty, hon.
ur and selfrespect. If it can be secured only by
heir submission to terms of conquest, the genera
ion is yet unborn which will witness its restitu-
ion. If there be any military autocrat in the p
Iorth who is entitled to prefer the conditions OF
his manifesto, there is in the South author
sed to entertain them. Those who control our ar