Year: 1863




tinguishod member OF tho Cabinet His PROPOSAL sub
santlay isThat the South shall lay down their arms,
acknowledge the authority and supremacy OF the federal
government aud send their Senators aud Represents
tyes 10 Congress general amnesty 10 DO proclaimed.
including all who now in arms against the govern
ment except chief leaders OF tho reb,ion who are
to be banshed The Southern States 70 be secured in
their State organizations. and the question OF the dis.
memborment OF Virginia TO be referred 10 tho decision
OF the Supreme Court The Conascaiion act TO be re-
pealed. Tho emancipation proclamation, having been
adopted as nero war measure, 70 bc withdrawn the
States however to bad themselves TO adopt system OF
gradual emancipation by which all slaves hold TO
DO slaves FOR life. bat all negroes born after the year
70 be feeo ON arriving al the age OF twenty years


The substantial 70 turos OF this proposal favored by
Mr. Seward. Mr.. Usher. Mr. Blair and MIR Bates 1. Il
opposed an toto by Mr.. Chase, Mr.. Stanton and Mr..
Welles The1c three gentlemen hold the following views
on the subject


That 1t is no longer simply the rebels In arms whom
we are fighting but the whole Of the people OF tho South
orn stales That they all public enemies. aud can
only be treated such That peace based upon the
above or any similar terms could be l,stag That If the
war Is prosecuted with vigor in less than year more
the power OF the rebellion will 10 broton their armies
defeated and scattered, Richmond, Charleston Mobile
and Savannah In posaession-the whole Southern





dictate what terms please the yanqrished rebels
That would be unjust TO the loyal States Of the North
TO permit the rebeous States again to enter into
the Union footing OF equality with the former That
they to be no longer recognized as States but as con
quered Provinces and to be governed in such man
Congress shall determine. In word, tho doc
trines Of the Whiting letter and OF the recent Adnc
Monthly article of Senator Sumner adopted by these
gentlemen the principles upon which the future action
Of the government towards the South shall be regulated
far as that action be controlled by them. Although
they form minority of the Cabinet, they have really
weight than the other four membcrs-arst,
count of Mr. Chase personally, as welding the vast
power Of the Treasury and second, because they are
supported by Senators Sumner Wilson Lane and Chand
ler and the influence Of these four at the White
House Is almost Incredible


But my Information does not end here. Every one
will that the above proposal OF peace embraces
favorable the Southern people themselves could
ask II they wished to return to the Union. II Is Inn
portant then 10 know whether they would accept those
or similar TERMS If such were offered TO them I have
the facts which enable to say that il those terms
offered to the South to day they would be unhesi
tatingly rejected; and this would be done not by the
rebel leaders alone but by the whole Southern people,
This is painful and unpleasant fact but 1t is fact
nevertheless. It might not have been year ago.
Up to the middle Of september Of last year there
was still a Union party at the South; there were
still people who desired . restoration
Of the Union But since that time the has assumed
such features Of erocy since that time the acts Of the
and Of Congress have Of such NATURE
10 crush out every vestge Of Union feeling at the
South and to make the idea OF reunion abhorren TO the
Southern people, do not make this statement at ran
dom. make II on the authority OF more than dozen
gentlemen from different parts Of the South all Of them
Of veracity and intelligence Of them Of
formerly high position in their respective States, but
Of them holding any position in the rebel army The
fact sand this fact be realized later at
the North-the South united as one man, fighting for
independence and not for slavery IT, in order 70 gain
their independence, IL becomes necessary for them to
lberate their slaves part Of them they will unhesi-
tatingly do II.


The idea that the military power Of the South s broken
even that 1t has been materially weakened is utterly
delusve The South had such effective army 10
the ed thas to-day True 1t is only 400 900 strong
and ope.iourh Of these couscrips but the other
500 900 veteran troops and they have latent ee
Of military strength which politicians have mot
counted hitherto. The great error Of the administra
ton Is in making the Southern people, and NOT
merely the rebels in arms. II sad day when the


first false step that direction iaxcn by authorizing
John Pope TO forbid the placing Of guards around the
houses OF Southern people. Psge rapine and unbrdled
license often followed tho army after that; and the
result IL now seen in the state Of facts above
Kths war 10 70 60 on the hardest fighting yet to


And yet, with all these facts existing, honorable,
lasting peace ia In the power Of the administration 10 be
followed perhaps Al future period BY ultimate re-
union. Before next Christmas the path 70 such peace
will be pointed Congress By member Of the House
M Repreaepf fatives