Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-08-11
PEACE Propositions.


the Presidents position in relation to
slavery, its toleration or its abolition,
I desire to fix attention upon the now
much talked Of letters between Hon.
Horace Greeley and George N. Sanders
and others, on the subject Of peace
That the President is opposed to sla-
very, and is willing to go as far as the
Ohio Democratic Convention of Jan.
8, 1s4s, pledged their party to go to
mitigate and finally eradicate the evil
of slavery, am prepared to admit
1 think, however, that what is disclosed
by the letters referred to do not COM
nit him to anything more than that, II
so much. The import of this cores
pondence seems to me not to have been
we'll considered by those who have
written and talked about it. The first
letter is from George N. Sanders, dated
July IL, 1864. 1t announces that cer-
tain individuals were ready and willing
to go to Washington, if protection were
given them; that is all of that letter.
Mr.. Greeley, July IT, in his letter to
Messieurs Clay, Thompson and Hol-
combe, in substance stated that if they
were duly accredited from Richmond
as the bearers of propositions looking
to the establishment of peace, they
could have safe conduct to Washington.
This was by authority from the Presi-
dent. He did not ask what these pro-
positions were, but it manifestly ap-
pears that he was ready and willing to
receive any propositions looking to the
establishment of peace that might be
presented by persons accredited from
Richmond as the bearers thereof
Upon being informed of this Messieurs
Clay and Holcombe, in letter dated
July Is, 1864, to Mr.. Greeley, said that
they have not been accredited to the
President as the bearer of propositions
looking to the establishment of peace.
They, however, say that they are "in
the confidential employment of our"
(their) government, and are entirely
familiar with its wishes and opinions
on that subject" These men state
they are in the confidential employment
OF their government. They are at Cliff
ton House, Niagara Falls. What was
their employment Certainly not as
the accredited agents of their govern
ment resident in Canada and accredited
by the government Of Canada. But
let that go.
The President, on learning that these
men had no authority from Richmond
and were not the bearers of PROPOSE
tions looking to the establishment OF
peace, himself made O proposition
And what is it2 1t seems to me that
it has been much misunderstood ol
misrepresented. He is dealing with 6
power that has no constitutional rights
that he can recognize, or as clothed
with legislative or treaty making pow
er He can only recognize it as power
to use his own language, "that car
control the armies now at war agains
the United States" and says that an.
proposition coming from that sourc
'which embraces the restoration o
peace, the integrity of thewhole Uniol
and the abandonment of slavery" vii
be favorably received. The integrit
. of the whole Union is to be recognize
] by that power. Slavery is to be abar
doned by that power. 1t is not requil
:: ed that slavery shall be abolished, this
: one slave shall be emancipated, ths
any act shall be done or declaratio
: made against slavery. To abando
!. slavery, leave it, letit alone, do nothin
J for or against it-this is all that is r.
!. quired, Suppose the proposition
!; have been accepted; peace would hay
q, been restored, the Union as it was b
e fore the war would have been restore
.g and all men in the seeding Stat
! would have been remitted to their leg
IT. and constitutional rights, unaffected
/ the acceptance of the proposition.
The rebels are fighting against t
integrity of the whole Union. tt
J. none will deny. 1t will scarcely
claimed by any who profess loyal
Z that o proposition should have be
. made that did not embrace an abando
ment of such purpose. That wor
on not form Union, not establish a UniC
, The Union would exist by force of I
4 Constitution as heretofore.
- We say they are fighting for slave
II That they are using the power VIII
4 slavery gives them to subvert the g.
A ernment Why should they not, tn