842 



UNITED STATES. 



is nothing in this letter which I shall dread to see in 

 history, it 13, perhaps, better, for the present, that 

 its existence snoula not become public. I there- 

 fore have to request that you will regard it as confi- 

 dential. Your obedient servant, 



A. LINCOLN. 



It is not known that any propositions were 

 made either hy the Federal Government or 

 that at Richmond relative to peace, or a 

 suspension of hostilities, or an amnesty, other 

 than the proclamation of the President, accom- 

 panying his message to Congress, in Decem- 

 ber (for which see PUBLIC DOCUMENTS). This 

 amnesty was subsequently explained by the 

 President as not intended to embrace persons 

 held as prisoners of war. 



Several conventions assembled during the 

 year, distinct from the local State conventions, 

 and designed to consider subjects of national 

 interest. 



The earliest in date was a convention of Col- 

 ored People, which convened at Poughkeepsie, 

 New York, about June Ifith. J. W. C. Pen- 

 nington was chosen president of the conven- 

 tion. A lengthy address and resolutions were 

 adopted among the latter were the following : 



Jksolced, That more effective remedies ought now to 

 be thoroughly tried, in the shape of warm lead and 

 cold steel, duly administered by 200,000 black doctors, 

 more or less under the direction of Surgeon General 

 John Charles Fremont, or such other person, fit for the 

 office, as might be selected. 



Baolcfd, That we, the colored citizens of this Slate, 

 re loyal and true to the Government ; that our for- 

 tunes Vise or full with it; that we are ready, anxious, 

 and willing to demonstrate that truth and loyalty on 

 the field of battle, or wherever else we can aid in re- 

 storing the nation to its integrity and prosperity ; that 

 we firmly and confidently rely on the Government for 

 the protection and treatment due to civilized men, and 

 believe that we shall receive it 



On the 23d of August a convention of "War 

 Democrats was convened at Indianapolis, Ind. 

 Gen. Nathan Kimball was chosen president. A 

 series of resolutions was adopted, of which 

 the following were among the most distinctive : 



That the Democratic principles heretofore avowed, 

 to which we stand pledged, imperatively demand of us 

 to repudiate the doctrines of secession and all sympathy 

 with them, and to give our unqualified support to our 

 country and its constituted authorities in the great 

 trial of war, until the last vestige of the present rebel- 

 lion is suppressed and destroyed. 



That the conspiracy to break up the Union of Demo- 

 cratic States, and to establish aristocracies was delib- 

 erately planned and executed by those who broke up 

 and purposely defeated the Democratic party. We 

 hare no apologies to offer for the acts of the traitors 

 who declared that the " election of Mr. Lincoln would 

 be a good cause for secession, disunion, and revolu- 

 tion," and we denounce all organizations that oppose 

 or fail with their whole strength to support the war 

 and crush out the rebellion, as anti-Democratic, fana- 

 tic, and treasonable. 



Subsequently, on November 24th, a confer- 

 ence of War Democrats was held at Chicago. 

 ReprMentatiyei were present from Ohio, In- 

 diana, Illinois, AViscon-iri, and Minnesota. A 

 declaration of principles was adopted, and 

 meiisures taken looking to a national organ i/a- 

 tion. The platform declared unequivocally in 

 favor of the Union, denied that the Constitu- 



tion afforded any pretext for secession, provid- 

 ing, on the contrary, a peaceful remedy for 

 every grievance that may occur in any part of 

 the country; denounced the rebellion, and 

 called upon the Administration to employ all 

 the power of the nation for its suppression; 

 affirmed continued devotion to the Monroe doc- 

 trine of non-intervention in the affairs of tliis 

 continent by European nations; applauded the 

 valor and unselfish patriotism of the soldiers : 

 declared in favor of the colonization of the blacks 

 freed by the war at the earliest practicable pe- 

 riod ; and protested against the incorporation of 

 the negro contingent upon the peace establish- 

 ment of the Federal army, holding that the dis- 

 bandment of that contingent, upon the conclu- 

 sion of hostilities, was " demanded by every con- 

 sideration of wise and provident statesmanship." 



The meeting recommended the War Demo- 

 crats of the several States to meet in national 

 convention on the first "Wednesday in May, 

 1864, for the purpose of taking such action as 

 appeared best respecting the nomination of a 

 President and vice-President. 



On the 19th of August, a conference or con- 

 vention of conservative Union men assembled in 

 Rochester, composed of persons invited to meet 

 "for the purpose of consultation and taking 

 such action as may be deemed most effective to 

 unite the conservative elements of the coun- 

 try in the approaching presidential campaign." 

 Representatives were present from several 

 States, including Missouri, Kentucky, Mary- 

 land, and "Wisconsin. A series of resolutions 

 were adopted, of which the following were the 

 most distinctive: 



Resolved, That this meeting favors an association of 

 conservative Union men for the next presidential cam- 

 paign ; and that we invite the union and cooperation of 

 all who are opposed to the election to any office in the 

 gift of the people of any person in political connection 

 or sympathizing with secession, abolitionism, or fana- 

 ticism of any kind; that our abiding purpose in brief, 

 is : The suppression of the rebellion, the maintenance 

 of the Union, adherence to the Constitution, fidelity to 

 the Government, the enforcement of the laws, and op- 

 position to foreign intervention. 



Resolved, That the rights of property, whether in 

 lands, personalty, or slaves in the States, is exclu- 

 sively within the authority and jurisdiction of the 

 States respectively ; and the owners of all or either of 

 these three classes of property cannot be deprived of 

 it by the Government of the United States, the Presi- 

 dent, or any military or civil officer thereof except for 

 public use and just compensation, or for crimes com- 

 mitted of which they snail be convicted according 

 to the mode and form of trial prescribed by the Con- 

 stitution. 



A committee was appointed, with authority 

 to call a National Convention for the nomina- 

 tion of a President, and make all necessary 

 arrangements. Under the auspices of this com- 

 mittee a convention was held on December 

 4th, in Cincinnati, of persons invited thus : 



For the purpose of consultation, and taking such ac- 

 tion as may be deemed most effective to secure the 

 nomination and election of conservative men in the 



