Washington telegraph., 1864-11-23

4
tween the two governments regards only the
basis upon whieh negotiations ere to be COM
lnenced.
The Only considerable body OF statesmen at
the North who talk of any peace 3. all short OF
our subjugaton are the Democrats. They WISH
to institute nego tsIions on the suppos.tlen that
the Southern States arc still rightu!ly parts
and parcels Of the cid consolidated Federal
Union. They wholly ignore the eEistense OF
the Southern Csntedsracy as righttal govern
mert, aud propose to the Southern States 10 40
the same, aRd colne into convention 81 States
fer tie purpose of endeavoring to adjgs; aihl-
cul.ies between di6erent provinces, as It were
Of the same general government. They would
lot recognize Davis and cur Congress IN tleli
official capacities, as forming departments OF a
lust and legally constituted government, but as
a mass of leading men who had acquired inau-
epce and s.cendancy over parcel Of reyolted
subjects. and who might be noticed only 50 far
as to Be made use of 10 induce the people Of the
/ secsded States TO &C into convention tCr the
| purpose of reeonciling difficulties arising under
the civil government Of one whole, unitsd soun-
try. We cannot, of course, honorably accede
to such propositions. 1t would be a total sbsnd-
onment 9: all our cause, bass yielding o. sy-
erythi1g for which so Msny brave heroes OF
the South have laid down THAR lives, and for
which all our people have already suffered the
hardships OF four years war. No State gov
eminent in the Confederscy is accessible to the
approaches Of foreign government. The Cen
| fedcrste States Of America, instituted by thei5
own authority and Of their OWE free viii, stands
as a bar between them, with full power TO ne
gotiate terms of peace.
This negotiation with the States and the pco-
pie, over the head Of the Confederacy, and by
| ignoring It's existence, IS all that the Democrats
| of the North have ever proposed. However
/ dssirous one might b. for peace, o. however
hopeful Of the resul. Of MI effort tho part Of
the South in that direction, ne must see at once
that it IS utterly impossible under the Demo
! cratic profcr, without s previous abandonment
! and dissolution Of cur own goyeynme n. He
! who is willing 10 that is already conquered. 1t
is not too harsh expression TO say Lat nc
| fJrleits At oncs all claim - influence &--91gst
patriots who recognize thzir ail9gisoeo 20 -.
| ConfederacY, and, however ra--l ne nsy ir
respected tsr honesty or pitied for weakness, is
to BE viewed, srom that time forward, as ons
whose counSrls are dangerous to the honor
safety, and happiness CT his country. Let aL
such be avoided. sE only noticed 70 be held up
to tseir felIos-citlseng IS ls1urnsul examples Of
| the weakness Of mankind, even amausat those
who have besn honorad by the country, and
but for the fsry trals to which their patrio;i7ra
became exposed, might have passed to their
graves, lofty and hoaored names.
Not that We are opposed to negotiations for
| Peace. Il is the moat earnest longing Of the
heart of every Christian, patriot, or friend Of
human Kind. Way Is horrible in any OF its as
peets;
| " But tbs lrsst fezl, strange and unnatural"
and should be brought 70 end b. the only
posslbls mode, and that is by negotiation. But
no negotiations are possible until there are par
ties nu.ialIy recognized as competent to nego-
tia:e They must know saeh other as nations,
capablee Of rightly binding The citizens of each,
respectively Hence, recognition must, Of ne
csssisy, prece5e negotiations There csn be 40
| treaty of peace made as Ar. Lincoln expresses
It must be with the President Of the Conf-dsra-
| c7. as such, asd by and with the advice and
/ conssn. of she Senste, recognized as a rightrul
power capable of ratification. Ia other words,
when our government becomes recognized BY
| the enemy, war does not necessarily cease. Bat
it places US in position be able to make peace
| The questions to he discussed viii not be con-
] L.. Tl,a-- ~-ia4 IN
boundaries, and the adjustment Of iRdsmniti-s,
and the regulation of future terms Of intercourse
/ between the nations. Peace will mos. assured
ly follo7T recognition, and all patriots will long
! fer negotiations to commence at once. Oar IL
/ dependence as government being once cones
ded, all is accomplished for which weight. We
might safely accept truce At once without fear
Of letting the boon elude eur grasp.
| L fellows that, whilst we keep these two class
es Of negotiation clearly defined in eur minds
that is to say, with or without previous recog-
nitior-1s will no: be led away by any who
may be heard. here and there, saying. speciOusly,
tb4t negotiation mus! close tks war st last.
This is true. But wklst negotiation sf.er re-
| eegpition will lead to lssting and AoRorasls
peAGC E-EolidslCG bC-C4C - Is POaS-t4V WAN
hozor, and may cost rs She boon fer which the
struggle hnz been so loSg raainssinod. no ezs
ssa kzswsr for tbs zemoral!zing consequences
Of paAes party IA oar midss before IRaePead-
enee may be achieved.
It is well, too, that we shosld &c. clearly the
work which lies most directly before us, and
what, especially and srst OF all we must DO.
singlsrass Of purpose is a great power Il is
best that eur thoughts should nat become dis
tracted with vagso schemes and false hopes
br eaking up that singleness Of PsrPose. The
wo9dman with never SO kssn an axs. and labor
ng never 50 vigorously, would scarcely fell a
giant Of the forest by experiments st random,
cutting in al manner Of places, where q weak
sPst ssslned to invite. 1t il only BY stead Y and
concentrated blows upon single kor> that sha
hugs trunk is bFaugh: crashing 10 the sarth.
We have, also, one possible thing It is to
maintain the war with ndi1inishsd vigcr un-
til the neeessities sf the enemy compel thsn to
desist. Rscognition will follow and thrn the
deer will become ePen for negotiations. Not
antll then, if we would preserve our homer TO
our posterity, and tTaRsmit them q free govern