Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-28
A Call for Peace.

Mr.. Greeley, and the Washington Chronicle I'M
der the direction of Mr. Forney, with much talk
Of magnamnity and of their desire to stop the
efusion Of blood are again out with editorials,
calling on the President to inform the rebels on
what terms he will accept their submission. The
occasion of this new peace talk from this particu-
lar quarter is not disclosed, but it is supposed to
be excited by the ausion, in Davis message to
his ad urning Congress, to the effort to procure
an interview between Grant and Lee with a view
to some agreement by which hostiIities could be
stopped,-We cannot possibly conceive what
these papers would have the President do, that
be has not already done. Mr., Lincoln made
haste-undigni haste, many thOught--not
long since to 60 TO Fortress Monroe to meet rebel
commissioners and talk with them about peace
lie there made every assurance he could properly
make, Of his own disposition 10 treat the rebels
Considerably il they would lay down their arms
and cease their hostility to the Government. lie
said that, SO far as the executive olemency was
concerned, he should be disposed to Tighten the
rigor Of the condscation laws and the laws against
treason. lie gave no assurances respecting the
action Of Congress in receiving members from
returning rebel states and should have given
none, as, by the Constitution Congress is the sole
Judge Of the qualifications Of its members; and he
therefore wisely left that matter just where the
Constitution leaves it. lie informed the rebel
commissioners that the Government was unalter-
ably settled in its autlslavery policy, and could
not depart from that in the least degree. What
more could he have said What would these
editors have him say or DO, that be has not al
ready said and done 10 the interests Of peace?
We confess to considerable surprise at the per-
sistency Of the Tribune in thus urging the Presi-
dent to offer the rebels new terms Of peace
Forneys course is not SO remarkable, as he writes
what is convenient or profitable for the time, but
the Tribune ought to maintain steadier front
and a more Incorporating purpose. 1t is plain
enough that whenever the rebels ask for peace
and manifest disposition to celse their hostility
to the Government, President Lincoln ought not
to postpone peace a single day by any ciptous or
technical objection. When the rebel leaders di
band their armies, acknowledge that their rebel
lion is wicked, and isa failure, they can have peace
and when the rebel people rise up against the
chiefs Of treason, and set them aside and declare
for the old tlg, they can have peace. The rebel.
all know this, and understand tha. they can, by
good behavior, attain their old place in the union.
But the lessons Of the war ought, by this time, to
have taught US all, that there can be no peace in
the country uatil the rebel army is driven, ia
some way, from the field. That Is now, as it has
always been, the front of rebellion, and Grant and
Sherman are the only peace makers who can ne
gotiate terms with that bulwark Of treason.
The Tribune purposely refuses to say what
terms ii would have offered the rebels, though il
asks the President, irrespective Of Congress, tc
tell the rebels oil about the futre how much
con6scaton and punishment for treason there
shall be, vhen'and how the returning states IN y
be reconstructed, what representation they shall
have in Congress and when and how it may be I'D
mltted. Forney, however, is, after a fashion, more
explicit He says
1t is not intended by any true friends Of the
Government, to humiiate the southern reople
to make hem Inferior, or to fetter thom with dis
abilities should they accept the generous condi-
tons OF the President Of the United States. This
done they will he welcomed to the old national
hearlh'tone as brothers forgiven By brothen-
both sides being eager TO remember only that
portion of the past which is worthy OF remem-
beranee and to forget all else.
1t may be possible that Mr.. Forney is eager to
embrace Toombs and Cobb and Hunter and Wig
fall as equals that he would welcome back to the
old hearhstone as brothers forgiven" Davis
aud Benjamin and Stephens and Mason and
Slldel, and the hundred other wicked consprators
whose treason has cost the nation 50 ieariully that
Lee and longsIeet would have tue same place in
bis heart as Grant and Sherman, aud Wheeler and
Forrest divide his love and admiration with Sbtr
laan and Fitzpatrick that the savages who have
murdered our prisoners by thousands a. Ander-
'onvllIe and Salisbury, would be covered with the
mantle Of his charity, and their terrible crimes be
forgottenj that the rebel debt and currency should
be made equal in value to ours, and the traitors
should henceiorth never have cause to remember
or regret their treason. But il this is Foruey's
programme, it is at present some consolation to
the loyal people of the country to know that
President Lincoln, and Grant and Sherman, be-
leve that the nation can have no secure peace
except in the defeat of treason by decisive
overthrow, followed by such punishment of the
leading cOnspirators and chief abettors Of rebel
lion, as shall be an example for all coming time.