Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-07-30
f- From New York Tribun'
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

IHe Ercning Pest It's critlS
cisms on the late doipgs at Niagara -says' t
What we object to in the late correspondence
is that tho agent on the part OF the Union,
whether for want of judgment in himself or be-
cause he was constrained by the influence of his
supefiors, ia lied TO take advantage of an admir-
able opportunity The Rebel agents, 'suopos-
ing them to have been in earnest, which We
doubt, had assumed the initiative in plan for
negotiations; they opened the way by propos-
ing conference. and it only remained for US to
hear what they had to say. A diplomatist OF
ordinary skill aud sugacty would have said,
We ute prepared to listen and to treat; we are
as anxious for peace as you are, but we desire
to know what you have to propose. You
have solicited the interview, now let us hear
what you ask and what you concede. BY this
meaus, the onus of making the oyertures
would have been cast upon them, or, ;hey
had pone TO make, they wovld have been, CON-
PEELED to retire in humiliations and Disgrace
The Administration at the same time would
have been secured from the charge, however
i'll founded. Of being averse to teh consideration
Of peace. '
The agent aforesaid was authorised
TO do exactly one ,hing--esco!t certain
rebel peace commissioned to Washington
notbing more. He was no diplomatist, and
could not have assumed that character
without violating certain stringent and
proper laws, and suIjsctiDg himself to very
serious penalties. Hence all the assertions
through copperhead jouinals aud otherwise,
that certain, or any. terms Of peace or re.
cons truction were offered to or Though bim
are les-wicked, inexousable lies. And, as
The Post proceeds to quote certain eondi'
tions Of peace which Messrs G. G.. Clay &
Co. are reported by Col ol[orado] Jcwet as
having offered to or through him, We warn
our cotemporary that said Col. is q gentle
man of vivid Imagination, who does not al
! ways clearly discriminate betweeu objective
realities ard Subjective conceptions--be-
tween what was said TO him and what he
thinks should have been. e1. bstga
The residue oitLe abovecita,ion agrees
SO entirely with our own view Of the mat.
ter that We heartily indorse and reiter.
a'e Il.
The Pest coniroverts OUT argument that
the Developments at Niagara will tend
though they might have been made to lend
far more-to disabuse the Sonthern people
with regard to the intentions of our Coy.
ernmeDt. and the feeling wherewith they
are regarded by the loyal people of our
country-for, II says, 20 rgairt af4ti
Nothing has stood 10 theway OF the retcrn Of
the Soui bern States TO the Union but their
own unwi'liugness TO lay down their arms
| At no moment OF the war would they have
been prevented irom resumng their ancient re-
lations TO the Government if they had been
disposed to abandon their natical attachment
to slavery. ~ u II f..s-,,,, ,,.....i
Nov we meet these assertions by call
ing attention to notorious facts: G. "a Long
street, ouly last winter. addressed formal
rsmsnstranee to oar General eougl ontipg
him in East Tenn essee against the practice
Of 'dis,ribut hg the Presidents Proclsms
tion OF Amnesty among his troops where
70 our pickets whore addicted Hundred.
of Rebel deserters have assured our @ ener
sls that fthe terms Of amnesty we're
knownin the Rebel camps. they would soon
be emptied by desertion --bat the great
mass believe that we either shoot or force
ieto our service every man that comes over
TO US. Aud The Memphis Bailetia Of the
2lst iust. has an Interesting statement from
the lips of Wm. A., AllGn, Kentseky de,
serter from Forests cavalry. which says;
Allen himself knew nothing of the Presidents
Amnesty Proclamation, and says pone of the
Confederate soldiers knew about it. Were il
known, tbousanps would desert apd come over
10 u.s. They fight because they are compelled
to. Many OF them are heartily sick of the wst
aud want to quit They are badly paid and
badly fed and clad Fuckers brigade had nob
bees paid for eighteen moHths. q s4sao fy6s
a--W bile We regret, lheD, that I1s Pest
hnds this matter ipexpressIbly .siekeaing,
and marvel that il does not therefore let IL
slone, we naintaip that no effort caiculat,
ed 70 asssre the SQpthsrn ma,ses Of kindly
regard aud good Urea tmsnt fsoni The Gov,
ernment and its loyal supporters can possi
tly provs nbortivs sed' useless. sg.s'I jass
Brig. Gen. Alfred II. Terry, aud Gen.
Ofris 81 Ferry. Conn have command NJ