Year: 1864

/
! for peace otherwise than by the public AN


nounccment contained in almost every mes
| sage | ever sent TO Congress? ] cannot
recall at this time one instance in which |


have failed to announce that our only desire


was peace, and the only terms which form


cd a sine qua non were precisely those that
you suggested, namely, "a demand only TO


be let alone.


| But suppose it were practicable to obtain


conference through commissioners with
/ the government of President Lincoln at


this moment that we are to consider it de-
! sirable or even at all admissible? Have we
hot just been apprized by that despot that
We can only expect his gracious pardon by


einancipatinG all our slaves swearing allcgi-


ance and obedience to him and his procla-


nation, aud becoming, in point Of fact,
! the slaves Of our own negroes? Can there
/ be IN North Carolina one citizen so fallen
/ beneath the dignity of his ancestors a. 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 their fellow citizens to such de-


graded condition in hope of being rewarded


for trcacheiy by an escape from the COM


mon doom may be true. But | do not be-
! ieve that the vilest wretch would accept
! such terms for himself | cannot conceive
| how the people of your State, than which


none has sent nobler or more gallant sol
! diers to the field of battle, tone of whom
| it is your honor to be, can have been de-
ceived by anything to which you refer in
! the recent action of the Federal House of
Representatives. have seen no action of
/ thyt House that does not indicate, by a very


decided majority, the purpose Of the enemy


to refuse all terms of the South except all


soutc unconditional subjugation or exter-


mination. But if it were otherwise, how


can we treat with the House of Represent


atives? 1t is with Lincoln alone that we


ever could confer, and his own partisans at
>. the North avow unequivocaly that his own
purpose in his message and proclamation


was to shut out all hope that he could ever
treat with us on any terms If we will


break up our government, dissolve the con-


fcdCracy, disband our armies, emancipate


our slaves take an oath of allegiance bind


ing ourselves to obedience to him and OF


disloyaty to our own State, he proposes to


pardon us, aud not to plumber us Of any


thing more than the property already stolen


from Us; and such slaves as still remain.


In order to render his proposals so insult


ing as to secure their rejection he joins tC
them Il promise Of support with his army


to one tenth of the people Of any State
who will attempt to set up a government
over the other nine -tenths, thus seeking to


sow .discord and suspicion among the people


of the several States and to excite them to


civil war III furtherance of his ends.


| knew well it would be impossible to get


your people, if they possessed iull knowl-
edge OF these facts, to consider that propo-


sails should now be made by us to those who
: control the government at Washington
Your own well known devotion to the caus,


Of liberty and independence, to which W,


have all committed whatever we have o
, earthly possessions, would induce YOU t,
! take the lead in repelling the bare though
y Of abject submission to the enemy. Nc
: peace ON other terms is now impossible
, To obtain the sole terms to which you or
I could listen this struggle must continu
/ until the enemy is beaten out Of his vail
confidence in our subjugation. Then AM
not till then, will it be possible to treat O
, peace. Till then all tender Of terms to th
| enemy will be received as proof that we ar,


ready for submission, and encourage hin
:, in the atrocious warfare which he is wag
: ing.


1 fear much, from the tenor of the new,
/ received from North Carolina, that al


attempt will be made by some bad men tC


inaugumte movements which must be con


sidercd as equivalent to aid and comfort t.


the enemy, and which all patriots should


combine to put down at any cost. You


may count upon my aid in every effort to


spare your State the scenes of civil warfare


which will devastate its homes if the de-


sign Of these traitors be suffered to make
f hcadway. | know that you will place your.
t self in your legitimate position in the lead
, of those who will not suffer the name OF
l the Old North State to be blackened by
= such stain. Will you pardon me for sug
f gesting that my only source Of disquietudt
r on the subject arises from the fear that yor
1 will too long delay the action which now
I appears inevitable, and that an over ear
e nest desire to reclaim by conciliating mel
whom you believe to be sound at heart but
; whose loyalty is more than suspected else
4 where you will permit them to gather
5 such strength as to require more violen
measures than are now needed? With YOU
e influence and position, the promoters Of
= the unfounded discomfort now prevalent il
your State would be put down without the
, use of physical force if you would abandon
+ policy Of conciliaton and set them at de
t fiance. In this course frankly and firmly
: pursued, you would rally around you al


that is best and noblest in your State, anC
Q your triumph would be bloodess If the
| contrary policy be adopted, | much feal
g you will be driven to the use Of force to re-
press treason. In either event, however
= be assured that you will have my cordia
: concurrence and assistance in maintaining
with you the honor, dignity, and fair nam,
$ of your State, and in your efforts to crusl
: treason, whether incipient, as l believe i
t now to be, or more matured, as L believ
a if not firmly met, it will in our future inev
/ itab.e become.


. | have the honor to be, very respectfully
:, yours,


:. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
d His Excellency, 5. b. VANCE, Goyerno
. of North Carolina. ...


:, What MI. Chase Thinks.