Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-23
Len naria ON Pence.


JEFF. Davis has found it necessary to
address letter to certain citizens of the
State of Georgia, counseling them against
any sttempts to make peace by separate
State action. BE hiss not contemplated"
the use Of any agency to obtain peace ex-
cept the one provided in the rebel Consti-
tuition, and urges his objectious to separate
State action in the following language:
The objection to separate State action
which you present in your letter appears to
be 60 conclusive as 70 admit of no reply.
The immediate and inevitablsr esult of
distinct action by each State is to create dis
cordsnt instesc of United counsels, 10 sug-
gest to our enemies the possibility of q
dissolution of the Confederacy, and to en-
courage them by the spectacle of our d.
visions to more determined and united &C
ton against us. They would readily adopt
the false idea that some Of the States Of the
Confederscy are disposed to abandon their
sister States aud make separate terms Of
peace for Themselves: and if such suspi-
cion, however unfounded, were once en-
gendered among our own people, it would
be destructive Of that spirit of mutual con-
hdence and luppoIt which forms our chief
reliance for success in the maintenance of
our cause.
Mr.. Davis has a lively appreciation of
the difficulties in the way of convention
Of the States which some of the peace ms
kers of the North, during the recent Presi-
dental campaign, did not fully appreciate.
He says it would be very difficult to sgree
on time and place, and thus states the d.
lemma;
The proposed convention must meet on
the basis either that no State should against
its own viii be bound by the decision of the
convention, or that it should be so bound.
But it is plain that an agreement on the
basis that no State sLonld be bound, with
out its consent, by the result Of the delib-
erations, would be an abandonment on the
part of the North of its pretended right q
coercion-would be an absolute recognition
of the Independence of the several States
of the nfederacy-would be in word
so complete concession of the rightfulnesi
of our cause that the most visionary can
not hope for such an agreement.
In advance of the meeting of conven.
tion, the only other possible basis Of meet
ing is that each State should agree before
hand to be bound by the decision of tht
convention; and such agreement is but an
other form of submission, Of Northern do
minion, as we well know in such conven
ton we should be outnumbered nearly twt
to one on the very threshold Of the schemt
/ proposed, Therefore we are met bv an OBJ
stacle which cannot be removed. Is no
the imprscticable character of the projec
} apparent.
} Davis declares that the impossibiliiy Q
) an agreement among the States is a fata
f objection to an attempt for peace in ths
manner, snd declares that the only obsts
Gle now in the way of peace is that tn
enemy l0iH not treat at all or entertain an,
other proposition than that we should sui
! NIT to their yoke, acknowledge that We 81
: criminals, and appeal to their mercy fc
! pardon"
= Another difficulty he sees is in the conhio
T ing gpretensiOns of the two belligerents in IT
gard to such States as are claimed by boil
g as Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Louis
: ana and West Virginia. Davis says b
: lays claims to these States, and hence th
s difficulty about delegations from tho'
t States would be great barrier.
}, From all this it is quite evident that D.
i Wis is much alarmed at these movement
, for peace in the different States an
thst, 10 save his own neck, he is veI
Is axious to keep the reins in his own han
T. If he can negotiate peace and escape wit
; a whole hide, he will no doubt, before Ion
J. be deyoutly grateful. Davis has man
/ troubles on his hands. Accused by mo
At than one half the Press of being 8
, imbeoile and the author of all their woe
s he finds, in addition, that States are gettiI
re rebellious, and that even in the Congress
7e Richmond there is formidable party, an
le timid or time serving men," as Mr.. Orr,
y Mississippi says, but men bent on endir
l. this "carnival of death" by sending pea
n commissioners to Washington to act ind
'e pendently of Davis.