The Portland daily press., 1865-02-07
Tba Peace Negotiations.

i
Some philosopher has said that nations are
neyermurdered, butthey sometimes commit
suicide. This may be true, and itseems Tue
Southern Confederaey is bent on suiciual
process, That the leaders Of inc re spE
are anxious for peace there can 20 NO ques
ton. And strange as it may seem k " q -
telligent minds in the present aspect :.
strnoole thew are foolish and demeneeu
enongf to hope that our GoVernmens WIZ
grapt them peace on the basis oil disunlon ana
=, ,ndanendent Confederacy. Such an indie
nendsnce they saysthey are now fighting for,
land not for the perpetuation OF slavery.
Since the war commenced they have changed
their base of operations, and now are anxious
to have the civilized world understand that
81 they care nothing about their @pecaliar ipsti,
-.stution,D but continue the struggle for the
'',sright 10 govern themselves. This movement
As made in reference to the anti slavery senti-
--meut Of all civilized nations, but enlightened
!. anations are not quiteso easily deceived by
such an artful dodge as they may dream OF in
their philosophy.
We believe good will eventually result to.
q the Union cause from the meeting recently
Sslheld between President Lincoln and Mr.. Sew
5zsard. and the Confederate peace Commission
ers. Although these Commissioners did mot
come as the accredited agents of JEFF. Davis
Government, for the very good reason that it
was well known to the arch traitor they would
ksanot be received in such a character, yet they
.eame under the sanction of the bogus Presi-s
dent No doubt they were selected by him
with the advice of his Cabinet, and sent with
-, in our lines with the hope that they might pull
the wool over Mr. Lilcoln's eyes and negoti-
ate peace on the basis Of Southern indepen-
denee. But they mistook tLeir man. Presi-
dent Lincoln has put his foot down and all
- the arts OF rebellion cannot move it.
The whole affair has been admirably man
aged by1our fPresidentand Secretary, and its
results will tend to placate the Democratic
party and draw it closer to the support ofthei
Government 1t was well that these Commits
sloners were met on the way and not permit
ted to visit Washington. It shows that Mr..
Lincoln was willing to meet them half way
as and hear the propositions they had to- make.
Inthishe exhibited his good sense as well as
his desire for peace ON fair and honorable
- terms. What propositions were made we
know not, but the general impression is that
they contemplated Southern Independence
= which the Commissioners must have known
~ could not be granted on any conditions.
Some have supposed these peace gentlenlt n
from Dixie were sent for the purpose of pla-
50, eating the peace party in Jeff's doninions
q which has recently become quite troublesome
to the leaders in rebellion. If.this was one
of the objective points Of the fnissicn. we
- think it will avail nothing. and the cause of
tue rebeliopswill receive no good from such
demonstration. The people Of Dixie are not
: "a all fools whatever the leaders may think. AZ
fairs have now arrived at such point, and
"a the rebellion apparently in the last throes of
dissolution, that it will be an up hill business
- for JEFF. Davis to convince Southern people
tat he can establish an independent Confec.
s., sracy on the ruins of the Union. n The Rich,
mond journals too well And such q task quite
beyond their powers, however much they may
iss have influenced public opinion in the past.
e s,,a JeRa Davis and his coadiutors can never
I have peace on the basis Of separation, indie
I'll pendence and recognition, and the people Of
the South know it as well as we do. The le-
climate result of this attempyat negotiating
peace will be much more likely to unite the
North in more vigorous prosecution of the
3 war than to foster aud cherish . hopei IN the
hearts Of Southerners that an Independent
ConSederacy win be established. In the pres
ent crisis Of the rebellion that hope In Sonth :
ern hearts has died out and JEFF. Davis has no
q power 10 revive it. stgaI q u
We may never know the details of what
2passed at this meeting but enough will leak
out to show our people that the leaders are
- fully bent on .disppien, and especially if no
other meetings OF this kind are spoken of as
none have been. We may safely come to lhe
y conclusion that the war will go on, and GRAFT
q withhold on, and Sherman viii march on, and
at last, Richmond be poupced on, Then, and
not till then, will come the Jubilee of Peace.
90 ca , tiraos LII - liz Iii - z---E--IA
'aAf4A Date lio<snu