Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-10-07
letter from IA soldier.
CAMP 57TH REG'T o. V, L.,
ATLANTA, Ga. Augnst 8, 1861


DpAR FATHRE There is An
other question before us that is now claim
ing the attention OF many, very many men
1t is the refusal of President Lincoln TO en-.
tertAin peace propositions, unless they are Ac
companied with an acknowledgment that
slavery is abolished in all the States now in re-
oellion In Mr., Lincoln's inaugural address
Of March, 1861, he distinctly says that IL is
not his Intention to NEEDLE with the peculiar
institution" in any way, shape or form. He
afterwards reitsrates it through the Secretary
of State (Mr. Seward) in his ihstru ctiOns to
Mr.. DAYTON, our Minister to France, TO
make known TO the French Government the
| principles which woBld control his admins
iration on the question OF slavery He says,
! HThe condition of slavery in the several States
will remain last The same whether it (the re-
bellion) succsAd or fail There is not even
pretext for lbs complaint that the dlsahecled
States are TO be conquered by the United
States if the rwB olution fail; for the rights OF
the States, and ths condition of every human
being in them. will remain subject to exactly
the same laws AAd forms OF administration,
whether the re vOlntion shall succeed orwheth-
er il shall fail. In the one case the State
you'd be fedel rally connected with the new
Confederacy; n the other, they would, as now,
be members Of the United States bnt the con
stitutions and Laws, customs, habits and iu-
stitutions in either case will remain the
same" Furt her he says, ut is hardly neces'
sorry 10 add top this inconteslable statement
| the further ia ct that the new President, as
\ we'll as the cir jzsns through whose eutirages
he has come nto the administration, has al
ways repudi Gted all designs whatever and
wherever imI ,uted 10 him and them, Of dls'
turbing the ystem OF slavery rs it is existing
! onder the Co rnstituuoD and laws. The case
however wo aid not be fally represented If
we're to Omi to say that any sueh effort OF
his part WoD I'D be unconstitutional, and all hiI
actions 10 Il nat direction would be prevented
by the Judi cial authority, even though they
were assem- ed 10 by Congress and the people,
With this hain declaration OF the future pol
icy Of the President, l. with hundreds ofthou
sands of O theirs, rallied around the glorious
old stare a cd stripes, for the avowed purpose
(as Mr. Lii leoIn said, of suppressing the r.
belloh aga last the laws, and compelling obe
dienee TO the Constitution OF the United
States. Tire var is oW we'll on TO the las
halt OF the ioarth year, and BY the aeknowI
: sasl lics. - .A= Sct.r they are willing to re
turn to their allegiance. Commissioners ar
I appointed by them to conf " with our Govern
msnt in reference to bring Dg about the hna
solution OF our difficulties, nd Ask Tor sal
, conduct to Washington for that purpose. =
, They propose to come back Nd aeknowledg
the supremacy of the United 81 Ntes, ander III
laws and Constitution as they are. Me Lin
{ coin rays no, sir, you cant come In; aud wit
one fell swoop Of his mighty paw, he knock
, the scales from Our eyes, and shows 10 our q.
tonishSd vision the sweeping poli,y that
henceforth TO be pursued by the A tminlstr'
, ton
He says, 'To whom It may concer n An
proposition Whinh embraces the restor ution {
peace, the integrity Of the whole Uni, 'n, an
! the Abandonmeht OF slavery, and which come
/ by and with an authority thAtoan cont ol u
{ armies now at war against the United Nate
: will be received and considered by the J txe
, ntive Government Of the United States a.
1 thus compelling tae commissioners to ret 1rI
J reporting their mission void and Of non ed 'ec
: Wherefore NE, Lincoln coneudelI that D
: will "show them via have Government
: aud oalls for fvs hundred thousand new sacr