Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-06-10
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,

Richmond, January otn, 1oo4
DEAR SIR II have received your letter OF the
Goth utimO containing suggestion OF the measures
Ia De auUptea - tLa purpose Of removing : the
sources Of discomfort IN North 6larolins -ine con-
tents OF The letter substantially the those
Of the letter addressed by you to Senator DoItch,
extracts Of which we're by him read to me. l re-
markell to Mr. Dortch that you were probably not
aware of the obstacles to the course you indicated,
and without expressive an opinion on the merits OF
the proposed policy, l desired him in answering
your letter to write suggestions as tn the method OF
opening negotiations, and the terms which you
thought should be offered to the enemy. felt
persuaded you would appreciate the difficulties as
soon as your attention called to the necessity
of considering the subject in detail. As you have
made no suggestions touching The manner OF over
coming the obstacles, infer that you not ap-
prised by Mr.. Dortch Of my remarks to him.
. Apart from insuperable objections to the line OF
policy "ou propose, land 20 which l viii presently
sdVert cannot how the material obstacles
are to be surmOunted. We have made three distinct
efforts to communicate with the authorities at
Washington and have been invariably unsuccessful
Commissioners were sent before hostilites were
begun, and the Washington government refused %
receive them hear that they had tn say.
second time l selt military officer with COM
municatiOn addressed by my self to President Lin
coin. The letter received by Gen. Scott, who
did not permit the officer to see M Lincoln, but
promised that an answer would be sent. No answer
has ever been received The third time, few
months ago, gentleman was sent whose position,
character and reputation were such as to ensure his
reception If the enemy were not determined to re-
ceiVe no proposals Whatever from the government
Vice President Stephens made patriotic tender Of
bis services in the nope of being able to promote
the cause of humanity, and although little belief
was entertained of his success, cheerfully yielded
to his suggestion, that the experiment should be
tried The enemy refused to let him pass through
tba linz 10 OlA with
He was stopped before he ever reached Fortress
Monroe on his way to Washington. To attempt
again Tin the face of these repeated reflections of all
conference with uS) to send Commissioners or
Agents 10 propose peace is to invite insult and con.
tuIney aud to subject ourselves to indlgnity with
out the slightest cause of being listened to-
No true citizen, no man who has our cause at
heart can desire this and the good people of North
Carolina would be the last to approve of such an
attempt if aware of all the facts So far from
removing sources o. discomfort" such course
would receive. as 1t would merit the condemnation
Of those true patriots who have given their blood
and their treasure to maintain the freedom, equality
and independence, which descended to them from
the immortal heroes of Kings Mountain and other
battle fields of the revolution. II, then these pro-
posals cannot be made through ENJOYS, because the
enemy would not receive them, how is it possible
to communicate our desire for peace, otherwise than
by the public announcements contained IN almost
every message l ever sent to Congress
cannot recall at this time one instance in which
have failed to announce that only desire was
| peace and the only terms which formed sine qua
non, were precisely those that you suggested,
namely, "a demand only to be let alone" But sup
pese it were practicable to obtain conference,
through commissioners with the government of
President Lincoln, is It at this moment that we are
| to consider it desirable or even at all admissible
Have not just been apprised by that despot that
we can only expect his gracious pardon by emanci-
pating all our slaves swearing allegiance and ooedi-
| ence to him and his proclamation, and becoming
in point of fact the slaves of our own negroes 2
Can there be in North Carolina citizen SO fallen
beneath the dignity of his ancestors as to accept or
to enter into conference the basis of these terms
| That there are few traitors in the State who
would be willing to betray their fellow citizens to
such degraded condition, in hope Of being reward
! ed for treachery by escape from the common
doom, may be true. But do not believe that the
! vilest wretch would accept such terms for himself
! I cannot conceive how the people of your State,
| than which none has sent nobler or more gallant
soldiers to the field of battle Zone of whom is your
| honor to be- can have been deceived by anything
| to which you refer in "the recent action Of the
| Federal House of Representatives" have Reen no
action of that House that does not indicate by
very decided majority, the purpose of the enemy to
refuse all terms to the South except absolute, un
/ conditional subjugaton or determination. But II
lit were otherwise, how are we. to treat with the
4 house Oh Representatives II ID Win LIinSoih
alone that We ever could confer and his own parti
sans at the north avow unequiyocaly that his pnr-
| pose in his message and proclamation was to shut
out all hope that ne would eUsr treat with on any
terms. II we will break up our government, dis
solve the Oonfederacy, disband our armies, eInan-
cpate our slaves, take an oath of allegiance, bind
ing ourselves to obedience to him and OF dsloyalty
| to our own States, he proposes tdspardon us and
not to plumber us of anything more than the pro-
perty already stolen from Us, and such slaves as
| still remain In order to render his proposal, so
insulting as to secure their rejection, No joins to
them promise toisu2port with his army one tenth
of the people of any State who will attempt to set
| up a government over the other ninetenths, thus
seeking 70 SOW discord and suspicion among the
people of the several States and to excite them to
evil war in furtherance of his ends. know well
it would be impossible to get your people, if they
possessed full knowledge of these facts to consent
that proposals should now be made by us to those
who control the governments Washington. Your
| own we'll known devotion to the great cause OF
| liberty and independence, to which We have all
committed whatever we have Of earthly possessions,
would induce you to take the lead in repeHing the
bare thought Of abect submission to the enemy