New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-17
SENATOR FOOTE'S ADDRESS TO
THE PEOPLE OF TENNEssFE.

4
in London by Mr.. Foote, recently Senator from
Tennessee in the Rebel Congress at Richmond,
and cont staining an account OF his efforts To bring
about peace. Mr.. Foote's last speeches IN the
Rebel Congress and his subsequent escape
from the Coniederaoy have attracted such
general attention that his statements viii he re-
ceived with interest. The following Is the sub
stance of the pamphlet:
Mr.. Foote begins with reminding his consiit-
uents that when they sent him to the Congress
at Richmond. they were familiar with his former
devotion to tn Federal Union" AMI his
E" jealous and unbending opposition to every
thing in the shape of nationdhsm.' Ihey khe"
thu be refused all connection with the peru
Gus scheme Of secession in ls5l." and that. in
1860. he had as little in common with the boosted
| Secession leaders a. any other pubic man IN tho
South; that he had earnestly opposed sill the
ipcpient steps which had od Ia the fcarini STATE
of things then existing; that he had openly
denounced the conduct and motives oil
nearly all the promi nent leaders in the seees'
sion movement; and that he had never iuIly &c
quiesced in the propricty of entering INTO the
war "until the Southern Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes in the Federal Congress had, with a
want of wisdom and true moral courage unpre-
cedented in the worlds history, ingloriously va
Gated their seats in that body, and (doubt'ess IN
accordance with n plan previously agreed upon
among thcm) fastened to the city of Montgom'
cry. framed new Constitution Of Government,
and taken all the needful steps for the bringing
on of war, without the immediate commence
ment of which they well knew their scheme OF
disunion would turn out to be altogether i'm
practicable"
In the Rebel Congress Mr.. Footc claims 70
have always made {" firm and unyielding OPP
position TO the shameful efforts of Mr.. Davis
and his servitors to undermine the public liber-
ties and establish despotism upon their ruins. y
At length (three months ago. At became Gridens
10 erery man Of discernment with whom Mr..
Foote held intercourse, "that unless an carly
and an honorable peace coald be speedily ei-
fccted the South would be inevitably ruined.
Mr.. Foote then, after freely consulting with the
| best and wisest men he met, resolved IN intro
duce his wel-known peace resolutions in the
Rebel Congress-. His resolutions being rejected
by that body, he deemed it necessary to make
another somewhat unusual experiment" TO
bring about peace.
Seeing shat the Confederate Government,
in all it, departments was most rapidly losing
the public confidence and becoming positively
odious." aud that "the Confederate financial
system was clearly in state bordering upon
collapse" Mr.. Foote set out from Richmond
about December 30, in company with his wife,
who had passport from the Richmond authori-
tics empowering her to return to their residence
{ in Nashville. On reaching the Potomac, in
Westmorcland County, he addressed letter to
Thomas $. Bocock, Speaker of the Rebel House
Of Representatives, dated DECEMBER "a, stating
that he intended to visit the city Of Washington
for the purpose Of ascertainng whether OF
not it is practicable to obtain for the peo.
pie of the Confederate States an early
and an honorable peace" and that
this mission was CORDIALLY sanctioned
lbs some Of the wisest and most virtu0us men
now upholding the Confederate cause" In q
postscript to this letter Mr.. Foote made known
his resignation in Congress. Mr.. Footc did not
succeed in crossing the Potomac. but was ar.
rested and carried to Fredericksburg. where he
remained in military custody for nearly week,
when he was liberated on a writ of habeas cor
pss. lie at once proceeded to Richmond and
there made his last harangue Sin that mobbish
assemblage known as the Congress Of thu Con.
lfsderate States before o largs aud eVideaiIy