Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-08-30
Peace, and the Way to obtain It.

giving US al insight into the opinions and prospects
of the rebels,-Mr. Gmores narrative of bis aud
Col Jacques visit to jeff Davis, and Gen. Sey-
mour's letter giving his impressions the condition
OF the Confederscy, founded Oh his observation
while prisoner in Dixie. Both these contrbu-
tons to the mass Of facts, fiction, and argument
now paraded before the public as reasons for war
or peace, are important, timely, and yeraoious
and are not, we believe, put forth with any desire
except for the public good, and are therefore
deserving of careful consideration, (which is much
more than can be said Of most that is printed
respecting the probabilities of peace and the way
to obtain it.
The conference with Davis discoses to US un-
doubleday what that arch traitor is willing should
be understood at the North and abroad, TO be bis
position in respect to peace, He desires peace
above all things, and would, on the basis OF
the independence OF his Confederacy, accept it
instantly and with gratitude. This is what be
went into rebellion for, and in the present some
what exhausted condition of the Coufederacy it is
not singular, nor an exhibition Of much self
abnegation that he should be willing to put an
end to lighting in the attainment of the object for
which he lnaugurated the War. In fact, be does
not, as far asve can discover abate one iota of his
pretensions in this conversation, and his udmatum
is" independence or 'ubugation." This is brave
talk and yet Davis could not have carried the
South so resoIuely thus far in their resistance to
the Federal armies, unless be had been man OF
iron will and mistaken determination and we
should not expect the man who had shown such
qualities would be weak enough, in free con-
versaton which he knew would be repeated and
read everywhere, to talk about peace on any other
terms. Davis has no desire for the old Union
has no hopeful future except in the triumph o
his treason and everybody, whether for peace or
for war, may as well dismiss at once from their
minds any idea that Jeff Davis is endeavorng to
bring about, or will willingly accept, any peace
that does not bring with it Confederate udepend-
snce. And 80, after all, Mr.. Gilmore's story
leaves the question of peace just where it was be-
fore, and is only useful az sort of political offset
to the Niagara conference and we are by no
means certain that his embassy was not contriyed
as method Of neutralizng the mischievous po-
lltca effect Of the Niagara afTIi'.
Gen. Seymour's letter is, however, something
to the purpose. Viewing the Confederacy from
the interior, and with soldiers eye, he discover
ed symptoms Of WEAKNESS and exhaustion, and
disposition on the part Of the people to suffer the
old Union to be restored, rather than to prolonp
a bloody and hopeless struggle for independence
These evidences of the collapse of The Confedera-
cy, however, do not lead him to advise an armis-
uce, and the appointment of peace commissioners,
after the Wood aud Vallandigham programme,
but, like sensible business man as well as a SOL
der, he believes that when the Conederacy be.
gins to crumble and totter the blows upon it
should be redoubled. lie accordingly advises
the reinforcement OF our armies, until they shall
be made numerically equal to the task Of crushing
the rebel soldiery, which is now the chief him
| N'NNNN W W. t"iilt H'hOlhuiC anu idslllk peace.
There are only two methods Of answering Gen
Seymour's logic. Those who believe that the
South cannot be conquered, and that the people,
as well as the leaders there, have no terms to
make, but insist on independence or subjugation,"
are naturally for the withdrawal Of our armies and
the recognition Of the Southern Confederacy.
Such men will deny Gen. Seymour's facts, and Of
course reject bis conclusions The other method
ls to deny that jeff Davis means what Mr. Gil.
more reports him as saying There are many men
Of influence and character at the North, who pre-
tend to believe that the South, leaders and peo-
pie, have already got tired of war; and are now
only fighting for an honorable peace,-such a
peace Us they have a right to demand, and We
ought to be ready to agree to. These men are in
favor Of so conducting the war, so shaping the
policy of the government and exhibiting such
sentiments Of amity and kindness towards the
rebels, that they shall be persuaded that they and
we can live together again in unity under one Gag
as heretofore. And the men who represent these
opinions are, OF course, ayerse to any further ex.
peudlture Of life OF treasure, to accomplish what
they declare can be attained by negotiation and
compromise.
We are as DESTROYS of peace, one that shall be
honorable and lasting-as any person can be. The
loss Of lie, the grief, the expenditure of treasure
that every days continuance of the war involves,
are too serious and terrible to be brought upon the
land except to prevent worse evil /; and the des
truction Of the Republic, or peace that would be
hollow AMI temporary would be a,vorse evil. Il
is because the people believe there is no safe way
out Of the present war except by the hardest fight.
ing, except by beating the rebel armies, and
Destroying the military power of treason that
they do not cry as one man for reace. Il we sup.
posed that the rebels were willing now to lay down
their arms and submit themselves without reserve
to the authority Of the Constitution and laws OF
the land, We would have the government give
them that opportunity at once and we should not
care whether /, was brought about by sending
commissioners to Richmond or receiving commits
'loners from there. Official pride or etiquette
should not stand in the way of such desirable
contamination single moment. But We have
not yet seen any evidence that gave the least en-
enlargement to the suppOsilion that the rebe gov.
eminent would not receive an official visit from
Washington, carrying an invitation to rebels to
submit themselves to the United States govern.
meni, with precisely the same answer which JEFF
Davis made to Mr.. Gilmore" independence or