Year: 1864

to subject ourselves to indignity with
put the slightest chance of being listen
sd to.


No true citizen, no man who has our
,ause at heart can desire this, and the
good people of North Carolina would
be the last to approve Of such su at
tempt, if aware Of all the facts So far
from removing the sources of discon-
tent, such a course would receive, as it
would merit, the condemnation ofthose
true patriots who have given their
blood and their treasure to maintain
the freedom, equality and indepen-
dence, which descended to them from
heroes of Kings Noun
tain and other battlefelds Of the RcvC-
luton. If, then, these proposals can
not be made through envoys, because
the enemy would not receive them
how Is il possible to communicate our
desire for peace otherwise than BY the
public announcements contained in al
most every message sent TO Congress.


/ cannot recall At this time one Iu-
stance in which | have failed TO an
nounce that our only desire was peace.





sine 9ltq non were precisely those that
you suggested, namely, e demand only
TO be let alone But suppose it were
practicable to obtain a conference
through commissioners with the GOV
ernment of President Lincoln. is it al
this moment that we are to consider it
desirable or even at all admissible
Have we not Just been apprised BY that
despOt that we can only expect his gra-
eiOus pardon by emancipating all our
slaves, swearing allegiance and obedi-
enee to him and his proclamation, and
becoming in point of fact the slaves OF
our own negroes Can there be in
North Carolina one citizen so fallen be-
meath the dignity of his ancestors as to
accept, or to enter into conference on
the basis of these terms That there
are few traitors in the State who
would be willing to betray then
fellow citizens to such a degraded
condition, in hope of being rewarded
for treachery by an escape from the
common doom, may be true But do
not believe that the yilest wretch would
accept such terms for himself ] can
not conceive how the people OF your
State, than whom none has sent nObler
or more gallant soldiers to the field OF
battle tone of whom it is your honor 10
be, can have been deceived by any
thing to which you refer in 'the recent
action of the Federal House of Repre-
sentatives | have seen no action of
that House that does not indicate by
very decided majority the purpose of
the enemy TO refuse all the terms of the
South, except absolute, unconditional
subjugation or determination But If
il were otherwise, how are we to treat
with the House of Representatives ? II
is with Lincoln alone that we ever
could confer, and his own partizans at
the North ayOw unequivOcaliy that his
purpose in his message and pTOclama-
ton was to shut out al hope that he
could ever treatHgith us on any term
If we will break up our government,
dissolve the Confederaey, disband our
armies, emancipate our slaves, take au
oath Of allegiance binding ourselves to
obedience to him and to dislOyalty 90
our own States, he proposes TO pardon


US and not TO plumber us Of any more


than the property already stolen from
us and such slaves as still remaiu


In order to render his proposals so in
sulting as to secure their rejection, he
joins to them promise 10 support with
his army One-tenth Of the people Of
any State who will attempt to set up o
Government over the other nine-tenths
thus seeking 10 SOW discord and suspi-
cion among the people of the several
States and 10 excite them 10 civil war
in furtherance Of his ends / know
we'll it would be impossible to get your
people, if they possess full knowledge
of these facts, to consent that proposal
should now be made by us 10 those who
control the Government at Washington
Your own well known devotion 10 the
great cause Of liberty and independ
ence, TO which we have all committed
whatever we had Of fearthly possessions,
would induce you TO take the lead lu
repelling the bare thought Of atect
submission to the enemy. Vet peace
on other terms ia now impossible To
obtain the sole terms 10 which you or j
could listen, this struggle must contin-
ne until the enemy il beaten out Of HE
vain confidence in our subiugation
Then, and not till then, viii il be pos
sible 10 treat Of peace Till then al
tender Of terms TO the enemy viii be-
received as proof that We are ready for
submission, and viii encourage him IA
the atrocious warfare which be is w8g-
ing.


fear from the tenor Of the news j
receive from North Carolina, that an aJ
tempt will be made % inauguFate move
ments which must be considered ~
equivalent 10 aid and comfort 70 the
enemy, and which all patriots should
combine put down At any cost You
may count on my aid in every effort 10
spare your State the scenes Of civil war
fare, which will deyastate it, homes If
the designs oi those traitors be suffered
to make headway. know that YOU
will place yourself ia your legitimate
position in the lead Of those who viii
not suffer the name Of the old North
State 70 Be blackened by such p STAIN.
Will YOU pardon me for suggesting that
my only source Of disquietude on the
subject arises from the fear that you
will too long delay the action which
now appears inevitable, and that by an
over-earnest desire to reclaim by con
ciliation men whom you believe 70 BE-
sound at heart, bat whose loyalty is
more than suspected elsewhere. you
will permit them 10 gather such
strength as 20 require more violent
measures than are now needed With
your influence and position the promo
ters Of the unfounded discomfort nov
prevalent in your State would be put
down without the use Of physical forces
IL yOu would abandon policy Of con
ciliation and set them at defiance.
In this course, If frankly and hrmly
pursued, you would rally around you all
that il best and noblest in your State,
and your triumph would be bloOdless
If the contrary policy be adopted, /
much fear you will be driven 10 the
use Of force 70 repress treason In
either event. however, be assured that
YOU have my cordial concurrence and
IN maintaining with you the
honor, dignity and fair fame Of your
State, aud in your efforts 10 crush trea-
son, whether incipient, a. believe IL
now 70 be, OF more matured, as ! be-
lieye, If not firmly met, il will IN our
future inevitably become


have the honor 20 be, very respect


JEFFERsoS DAVIS


His ExceIlency. 2 b Vance Cover


r nj C.-olina Raleigh. y e.