Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-02-23
belmont Chronicle.
Sc. Q eIsirsviIIe, ehio, Feb. a3.
The RivAi Accounts Orthe Peace
= Conferences.

transmitting to the Confederate Con-
gress the report ofhis Peace conferees,
makes no charge whatever of double
dealing or any want of good faith in
the action of our Government He
does not even say that he had been led
TO cherish hopes that his overtures
would have been more cordially re-
ceived or his ENJOYS more successful.
His Message is more remarkable for
what ID vithholds than for what it re-
veals; but it is neither violent nor re-
msrksbly bitter, and we cannot regard
il 90 intended to close the door to
Peace.
His speech at the mass meeting in
the African Church is harsher in -spir-
it, and commits himself fully against
any and every form of reunion; yet,
while he talks Of the 'insolence" of
Mr.. Lincoln's s requirements, and pledg-
es himself to stand or fall with the
Con federacy, he vindicates Mr.. Lin
coins honesty and frankness by stating
that
In the notes which passed between Mr.
Lincoln aud himself in the matter there was
one marked difference. He president Da-
vis) spoke always Of tive countries. INr.
Lincoln spoke Of a common country. lie
I'd. could have no common country with
the Yankees. His life was bound up with
the Confederncy; and if any man supposed
that under any circumstance he could be an
agent of the reconstruction of the Union,
he Mistook every element of his nature. -
With the Confederacy he would live or die. J"
This Is fair to Mr. Lincoln and frank
as to his own determination. 1t tsettles
thst any Peace which shall be made in
the interest Of the Union must be made
with some one else than Davis.
The Confederate conferees in their
report exhibit corresponding mixture
of candor and reserve. They state
that the conference continued for sew
eral hours, and was both full and ex-
plicit;" yet they strongly conceal any
and every proposition made therein by
themselves. Is not this astoundngf
These gentlemen sought the interview.
They spent two days in efforts to pen
citrate our lines. They eagerly sought
permission to visit Washington. When
met by Gov. Seward at Fortress Mon
roe, they insisted on being brought
face to face with, the President, who
thereupon went down to meet them
They promptly came together, and had
four or five hours free, earnest, famil-
lar conversation. The Richmond Ex
aminer says:
both Lincoln and Seward are described
rs having been, personally very pleasant il
their conversation with the commissioners
In parting, Seward shook
hands with Mr. Hunter with effusioD. =
He said God bless you, Hunter, and ask ed
to be remembered to all his old friends il
the South"
So much for the pretense that there
was aught Of hautour, or assumption
or insult, in the bearing or language Of
Mr.. Lincoln or Gov. Seward. They
stand acquitted of duplicity on the tes'
timony of Jefferson Davis; they are
vindicated from all imputation of dis.
courtesy by the evidence of Stephens
Hunter and Campbell.
What excuse is there, then, for thu
frantic, ferocious, screechy invectives
the Berserker rage and fury, of th'
Richmond Journalist Compare and sif
the rival (but not coniicting) report
ofthis memorable conference, and So.
whether the frothing at the mouth o
the Confederate oracles 10 not plainl,
"fetch"-msre sheet-iron thunder
designed to sour the milk of human
kindness in the breasts of the South
ern Whites, confessedly discouraged
weary ofslaughter, yearning for peace
To suppose that the Southern mass
es will not sec through these simulo
ted heroics, this strategy" perfoi
nance, is to rate their discernmen
very low indeed.
M0ssrs. Stephens d Co. come to hol
near Fortress Monroe an interview
which they had formally solicited
They como avowedly In the interest {
Peace. OF course, they taoitly b,
clearly promised to submit propos
tions which they honestly thought col
ducive to the end in question. Jphe'
are those propositions! Why do the
not set forth at least their substance
The world has right to know thi
they acted in good faith, not crossin
the lines as Rebel intriguers or spie
but truly intent on Peace, and submi
ting propositions which they though
should be acceeded to. NJ.
MIR. Lincolns Message contrasts Fl
yorably In many respects to the cour
ter-revelations; yet We think he ha
been more reticent than was polite