The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-13
The Blair mission.

Mr. Blair has not been sent TO Richmond
with any hope or expectation on the part Ut
the authorities at Washington that his mis-
zion would effect the Conclusion of an early
aud honorable peace. lie has been sent there
with proposals which they knew would be re-
iected lie has been sent there in al inform
al manner, clothed with no power to offer
positive teens, but authorized, perhaps, IN
an indiret aud round about method, after the
fashion OF Jacques and GILMORE. To- Indicate
what :he government, would or
would not 10 IN given contingencies The na-
ton is becoming alive ~ the tact that peace
may be secured ana the Union restored If the
administration will consent 10 torege tne par
tiz An negro policies which 1t has adopted
1 he leaders OF tine ab,IitlUn party realize the
necessity Of seeming concession to
the peace end Union sentiment which de-
mands sfoIt by negotiation tor the conclusion
of the war. This Is the sec.et ut the Blair
mission. Ii il an attempts To delude the peo-
PIE. Ii Is another Of those artihces which
have been employed from time IL time to
| stimulate tine MILITARY spirit of .he nation
aud pare it for fresh sacrifices IN the pros
ecutIun Ut the war
There are Gully two questions which stand
In the way of peace. These are, the DISPOSE
ton to be made of the public debt of the
south, aud the settlement OF the slavery ques.
ton. The defeats winch the c1hfedsrates
| have met ia the field within the past six
mon this have been serious and unexpected
| that only the most hopeful and sanguIne OF
them imagine that they can maintain their
dem nj tor a separate government, if fair
terms should be offered t.y Us to the southern
people The president ia his a. TO whom II
may concern" manifesto, intimated that it
the south would consent 20 q the abandsn-
meDt OF slavery generous terms would be
conceded to her In relation TO the adjustments
of the public debt. His statement was that
her consent TO this proposition and her re-
| turn to the Union would be met by liberal
terms on other subetantiai and collateral
| points" Oh course the public debt would,
after these. be the FIRST and most important
subject presenting Itself for confederation
ana the just inference is thar Mr.. Lincoln in
tended TO convey the impression that he would
| not ask the soulh to repudiate her own wSr
debt while assisting to pay oure. We have
nothing to offer al present upon tho justice or
| policy Of the generosity which the presidents
insimatiyn involved. When she question
| shall be presented for decision, we shall dis.
euss il. and We have only alluded TO it here
| for the purpose Of showing that it il cot re-.
gsrded by the administration as an insup-r a-
BILE obstacle to peace when coupled with the
condition hat IL shall he ack now led .e6 as a
| part of the nationsi liabilities.
l. If she obs.inacy with which the preside. I
and his party cliog 70 their negro policies
arose from sincere philanthropy. or an hon.
| e.t belief that the Union could not ba persna
neutly maintained with slavery u il, we
might pardon their mistaken but honeet fan
| aticlsm. and love for the U"ion. We have re-
peated and daily proot that ouch is not the
fact Taere is NOT an xboliioa newspaper
in the Uaited States which ha- not asserted
that slavery j. either dying ~ dead. There
il mot one Of them but has cemonstratsd. 70