The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-07-27

Greeley, and to that gentlemen an answer
has been transmitted.
The application to which you refer was
elected by your letter of the 18th inst,
in which you inform Mr.. Jacob Thomp-
son and ourselves that you were authoriz
ed by the President of the United States
to tender us his safe conduct, on the hy-
pothesis that we were duly accredited |
from Richmond as bearers of propositions
looking to the establishment of peace, |
and desired to visit Washington in the |
fulfllment of the mission. This asser-
tion, to which we then gave and still do
give entire credenee, was accepted by US
as the event of an unexpeced but most
gratifying change in the policy of the
President. A change which we felt au
thorized to hope might terminate in the
conclusion of peace mutually just, hon.
orable and advantageous to the North,
and to tie South. Exacting no condi-
tion but that we should be d.ly accredited
from Richmom as bearers Of propositions
looking to the establishment of peace,
thus proffering basis for conference as
comprehensive as we could desire, it
seemed to us that the President opened
a door, which had previously been closed
against the confederate States, for full
interchange of sentiments; free discus
sion of conflicting opinions and untram-
melled effort to remove all causes of con-
troversy by liberal negotiation. We, in
deed, could not claim the benefit of
safe couduct which had been offered US
in character we had ne right to assume,
and had never affected to possess; but the
universal declaration of our Executive
and Congress. and their thrice repeated
and as often rejected attempt to open
negotiations. furnished sufficient pledge
that this conciliatory manifestation on the
part of the President of the United States
would be met by them in a temper of
equal magnanimity We had, therefore,
no hesitation in declaring that if this
correspondence was communicated to the
President of the Coneeerate States, he
would promptly embrace the opportunity
presented for seeking peaeefu solution
of this unhappy strife. We feel conf
dent you mustshare our profound regret
that the spirit which dictated the first step
toward peace had not continued to animate
the councils of your President.
|
Governments met to consider this ques-
ton, the most momentous ever submitted
to human craftsmanship, in a temper of
becoming moderation and equity, formed
as their deliberations would have been by
the prayers and benedictions of every
! patriot and Cnristian on the face of the
habitable globe, who is there so bold as
to pronounce that the rightful waste OF
individual happiness and public prosper
lity, which is daily saddening the univer-
sal heart, might not have been terminated;
or if the desolation and carnage of war
must still be endured through weary
years of blood and suffering, that there
might not have been infused into its con
duct something more of the spirit which
softens and partially redeems its brutali
ties
|, Instead of the safe conduct which We
\ solicited and which your 6rst letter CAV,
, US every reason to suppose would be ex'
E tended for the purpose of initiating ne
gotiations in which neither governmen
f would compromise its rights or its digni
5 ty, document has been p 'esented which
provokes as much indignation as surprise
1t bears no feature of resemblance II
that which was originally offered, and il
unlike any paper which ever before sma
mated from the constitutional executive o
free people. Addressed "To whom i
may concern" it precludes negotiation
and conditions in advance the terms anC
conditions of peace.
1t returns to the original policy of NJ
bargaining, no negotiations, no truce
with rebels, except to bury their dead
until every man should have laid dowI
his arms, submitted to the government
and sued for mercy. What may be tn,
explanation of this sudden and entire
change in the views of the President, o.
| the rude withdrawal of courteous over
, ture for negotistien at the mement it was
likely to be accepted, of this emphatic
, recall of words of peace just uttered, and
fresh blasts of war to the bitter end, we
leave for the speculation of those who
f have means or inclination to penetrate
the mysteries of his cabinet or fathon
, the caprice of his imperial will.
1t is enough for US to say that We have
no use whatever for the paper which has
been placed in our hands We could not
transmit it to the President Of the Con.
federate States without offering him an
indignity, dishonoring ourselves and in
curing the well merited scorn of our
countrymen
Whilst an ardent desire for peace per-
vades the people of the Confederate
States, we rejoice to believe there are few
if any amongst them who would purchase
it at the expense of liberty, honor and
self. pect. If it can be secured only
by their submission to terms of conquest,
the generation is yet unborn which will
witness its restoration. If there be any
military autocrat in the North who is en-
titled to proffer the condition of this
manifesto, there is none in the South au-
! thorized to entertain them.
| Those who control our armies are the
servants Of the people, not their masters,
and they have no more inclination than
they have the right to subvert the social
Institutions Of sovereign states, to over
throw their established Constitutions,
and to barter away the priceless prestige
Of self government.
This correspondence will not, however,
we trust, prove wholly barren of good