The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-06-09
The Baltimore Nomination.
Rebel Offers Of Peace.

lGlii Rebel Offers Of Peace.
The Richmond papers have lately pub
lished correspondence which took place
last winter between Gov. VANCE, of North
Carolina, and JEFF DAVIS, concerning the
,propriety of making overtures to the Fed
eral Government for peace. We clip from
DAVIS letter the following paragraphs
which have something more than mere
historical interest: ta. -lts.
We have made three distinct efforts to
communicate with the authorities at Wash.
ington, and have been invariably unsuccess-
full. Commissioners were sent before nos
tilities were begun, and the Washington
Government refused to receive them or hear
what they had to say. ia Mss.
A second timoI sent military officer, with
communication addressed by myself to
President Lincoln. The letter was recelv-
ed by Gen. Scott, who did not permit the
officer to see Mr.. Lincoln; but promised
that an answer would be sent. No answer
has ever been received. The third time,
few mouths ago, gentleman was sent,
whose character and reputation were such
as to insure his reception, if the enemy was
not determined to receive no proposals
whatever from the Government. Vice Pres
ident Stephens made a patriotic tender OF
services in the hope of being able to pro:
mote the cause Of humanity and although
little belief was entertained of his success,
Icheerfully yielded to his suggestion, that
the experiment should be tried. .tg-
The enemy refused to let him pass
through their lines, or to hold any confer
ence with them. He was stopped before he
reached Fortress Monroe, on his way to
Washington. To attempt again, in the face
Of these repeated reflections OF all confer
ence with US, to send commissioners or
agents to propose peace is to invite insult
and contumely, and to subject ourselves to
indignity without the slightest chance OF
being listened to.
1t has been persstently denied by the
Administration journals in the North that
the rebels were ever willing to listen to any
terms Of reconciliation or peace. Those
most interested in the continuance OF the
war, stoutly maintain that not only have
the rebels refrained from making any prop
ositions of peace themselves, but they
would Indignantly spurn almost any offers
short of the concession of the most extra
VACANT demands. The first of these assump
tons is authoritatively denied in the ex
tract we have given above, and, from the
tenor of other parts of the same cores
pondence we are inclined to believe the
second also untrue.
We all remember the circumstances that
attended Vice President STEVENS mission
to our Government and the very discredit-
able manner in which he was received, OF
rather, in which he was not received at all.
1t was distinctly asserted then that he came
seeking terms of peace, but the Admins
tratiou journals, acting under instructions
received from Washington City, falsely pro
claimed that his visit had an entirely diff
erent object and related to the exchange Of
prisoners or something of that kind. Al
all events be was sent back, having failed
either to accomplish the object of HE visit
or receive for himself that personal courte-
sy which the importance of his mission
u seemed to demand. ..,.
If any reliance at all can be placed in the
truth of DAVIS assertion, and we are not
inclined at this date to question their cor
rectness, upon the Federal Government
alone rests the responsibility for the con
tinuance of the war; Certainly no harm
could come from listening to the PROPOSE
fions of the rebels, and giving them that
answer which their merits might call forth.
1t is by no means impossible that negotia-
tions once begun, they might have resulted
in peace honorable and satisfactory alike
to the people of both sections, and the effu
sion of blood would long ere this have ceas
ed. Had our government heard their prop.
ositions, even although they were of such
nature as to make compliance with them
atterly Incompatible with our honor and
dignity as nation, and the war had been
continued in consequence of their refusal
we would be much stronger to day. AS it
is we are placed in the position of waging
war relentlessly and needlessly, listening to
no overtures of peace from our enemies
making no offers ourselves, and determined
npon exterminating brave people, or per-
sbing ourselves in the attempt.
EXTENSIVE WAR PREPARATIONS IN TUR-
KEY.-Great activity prevails in the arse,