North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-08-10
Lincoln VS.. Peace.


came on the part of the South to the Canada
side of the Niagara River, and there opened
a correspondence with Mr.. Horace Greeley
and MIR. Hay, the private secretary OF Mr..
Lincoln, in order, as they declared, to the
restoration Of peace that they male known
to Mr.. Greeley and Mr.. Hay their desire to
proceed on their errand under safe conduct
to Washington that Mr. Greeley and Mr..
Hay were for some days, with the knowledge
and consent of Mr.. Lincoln, in intercourse
personally and through correspondence with
these gentlemen on the subject of peace prop
ositions; that they declared to Mr.. Greeley
by letter dated the 18th July that they
were sin the confidential employment" of
their Government, and were "entirely fa-
mliar with its wishes and opinions" ON the
subjec! of proposition looking t. the es-
tablishneDt of peace )" and that they, or
other persons, when the circumstances of the
correspondence with Mr., Greeley were dis
closed at Richmond, would be at once in
vested with authority and accredited an mes
sepgers of peace that Mr.. Greeley forward
ed their offers and request Of safe conduct
to Washington; that upon receiving them,
the President telegraphed an answer, by
which he decla res the " abandonment Of sla
very" to be condition precedent--the size
qua noa-to any negotiation whatever IN
otGer words, that his terms are the aban- :
donment of the Federal Constitution, and
substituting for the great work of our fa-
theirs his own proclamation o the lst Of
January, 1863. Thus. if Mr.. Lincolu's will
is to prevail, I'VE have announced TO us, 90
the Republican programme, perpetual war
among the white races Of the country until
the miserable negro shall be made our equal
in rights and citizenship, to sit at our board,
to marry our daughters, to vote with US, to
rule over US. These are the terms on which
Peace and Union can be restored under
Republican administration. Here 10 the ab-
clifton atimdtum
All ithis authentically appears in the writ
ten and signed letter Of he 18th July, 17th
July four letters Of the 18th July, two let
tiers Of the 10Th July, one Of The Goth July,
and one Of the 2lSt July, as published in
the new spapers. Butthe fagtious attempt to
subs titute the will Of one foolish man foe the
Law and Consultation does not stop here.
The terms of the South to be proposed as q
basis for negotiation are fur nished US, not, is
is true, under the hand of the commission
ers-for no negotiator can be expected to
put his name 10 the terms he has to offer
until the Gegotiation has been opened, unit
it has been begun there has been plac-
ed before the people of the North, unauthenl
ticatcd, most obviously by the Commission
crs themselves, and not yet denied by the
presses through which We are used 20 hear
from the Adm iuistration--on the contrary,
admitted by them to be accurately stated-
the terms proposed by the South for recon
stIuction and reunion. We give them in the
words in which we find them, accompanying
the letters of the parties to the correspon-
dence, They run thus!
First. All negroes which have been &C
tually freed by the war, to be secured in
such freedom.
"Second. All Negroes ut present held as
slaves to remain so.
Thid. The war debt Of both parties to be
paid by the United States.
"3ourth. The old doctrine Of State rights
to be recognized in reconstructing the Un-
ion."
What fever may be thought Ct the proposal
to place the Confederate deb on our Treasu-
ry books, here was tender Of negotiation
which any man who loves his country ought
to enter upnn with heart full of thankful
ness to God, but which is scornfully and
rudely rejected by the President, as ifit was
an offence to his own dignity and an injury
to US all. Here was an offer to come TO
terms, to make peace aud restore the Union.
The President refused to listen to them.
He abandoned the position heretofore an
and maintained by him-t added,
Of his own motion, and without consultation
with Congress, unconstitutional conditions,
and thereby prevented negotiation,l refused
to reconstruct the Union, discarded peace;
and to all whom it may concern" announc
ed that this war shall continue, and that un-
til there is an aba adonmeut of slavery" on
the part of the South. 1t is now a war to
free the niggers; and we may we'll ask, in
the words of good republican. upon an 9TH
er occasion " Is this the Buzzards feast 10
which we were invited 2'-Er.
WoNDERFUD LIBERALTTY or Mr.. LINCOLN.
The other day delegation of Kentucky
members of Congress waited upon Lincoln
to remonstrate against the arbitrary military