The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-01-08
From the Washington Express, December
oath
A Missing Proclamation.

A Missing Proclamation.
The communication which we
print below, contains a most re-
statement, which cannot
fail to create a marked sensation.
Tho writer is well known to and
esteemed by us, and we have eve
ry confidence in tho reliability Of
his statement:
"The Now York Sun ventilntes II
statement by f. \. Pollard of the
secret existence Of confidential rec
ords OF the Confederate Govern
ment. That this is 50 may be read
lily believed and that they will ul-
timately be discovered is equally
probable. But this mere statement
and belief is not my purpose. l de-
sire TO call attention to other MISS
ing records from the archives Of
the Government of tho United
States or it they be not missing, TO
the fact that the public seems to
have no knowledge Of them, and |
am but too well convinced that tho
statement / am about 70 make will,
in some quarters, awake q smile of
incrcdulity in others, a foar of
further disclosures, while the gen
eral public will give neither thought
nor attention 20 it.
1t will be remembered that on
the Inauguration Of Mr.. Lincoln,
South Carolina deputed three com
missionerS to negotiate, to be con.
else, terms of separation, and set
tIe up the business of the partner
ship. as far as that STATE was con-
corned. OF course, Mr. Seward
sought 10 gain time for the new
administration. and refused to see
or acknowledge them officially, &c
but still lured them to remain. AT
last they dispatched TO the Exccn,
tive Of their State belief in the utter
hopolessncss of peaceful solution,
and announced their purpose tc
leave the capital. THIS resolve was
not executed, simply because judge
Campbell was authorized TO say
that # their departure was delayed
results might be obtained they liltI,
hoped for. On this hint they liI-
gercd, but only to be disappointed
and then took their departure.
If tho reader has noticed the
overture Of Judge Campbell TO de
lay the commissioners, he will sup
pose that gentleman had some
ground tor his opinion, and haG
reasonable assurances that happy
issue, in his judgement, would grow
out Of the delay he cravod, Wha
those grounds aud assurances wer,
can be only eonjecturcd but they
must have proceeded from high off
cial sources and, viewed in tn
light of what am about to say
and which is true as demonstration
makes conjecture reality.
Shortly after the breaking off o
effort to avert the dire catustroph
of war, gentleman having fre
access to the private Office Of Presi
dent Lincoln, repaired to the cap
tai of South Carolina and deposite
with a high official Of that State
manuscript proclamation by Presl
dent Lincoln, duly prepared an
ready for his signature, announcing
to the American people that, ratho
than plunge tho country INTO civ
war, the Executive Government (
the United States acquiesced in tb
dlsmembermen of tho UmoT
With this was II column editoria
in clip form, with corrections, sup
posed TO be Mr., Linculn's, recl tin
freely the words Of the instrumen
vindicatlng the executive act, an
challenging for it the approval I
the American people.
This is my statement OF the mil
sing record. That ii was not issue
was due to the intense feeling evol'
ed by the firing on the Star Of Il
West.
, A few questions and I have don
, 1st, Was the knowledge Of Il
preparation Of tins dlcHmeEts Il
! foundation of .ho request of Judd
a Campbell that the eoRmissione
y should not depart?
\ I'd. DOes the State DEPARTING