ROOMS OF THE NATIONAL
UNION
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Astor
House, New York, Aug 22 1864.
My dear Sir:—
I feel compelled to drop you a line concerning the political condition of
the Country as it strikes me. I am in active correspondence with your
staunchest friends in every State and from them all I hear but one report. The
tide is strongly against us. Hon. E. B. Washburne writes that “were an election
to be held now in Illinois we should be beaten”. Mr. Cameron writes that
Pennsylvania is against us. Gov. Morton writes that nothing but the most
strenous efforts can carry Indiana. This State, according to the best
information I can get, would go 50.000 against us to-morrow. And so of the
rest.
Nothing but the most resolute and decided action, on the part of the
Government and its friends, can save the country from falling into hostile
hands.
Two special causes are assigned for this great reaction in public
sentiment, — the want of military successes, and the impression in some minds,
the fear and suspicion in others, that we are not to have peace in any event
under this Administration until Slavery is abandoned. In some way or other the
suspicion is widely diffused that we can have peace with Union if we would. It
is idle to reason with this belief — still more idle to denounce it. It can
only be expelled by some authoritative act, at once bold enough to fix
attention and distinct enough to defy incredulity & challenge respect.
Why would it not be wise, under these circumstances, to appoint a
Commission, in due form, to make distinct proffers of peace to Davis, as the
head of the rebel armies, on the sole condition of acknowledging the supremacy
of the Constitution, — all other questions to be settled in convention of the
people of all the States? The making of such an offer would require no
armistice, no suspension of active war, no abandonment of positions, no
sacrifice of consistency.
If the proffer were accepted (which I presume it would not be,) the
country would never consent to place the practical execution of its details in
any but loyal hands, and in those we should be safe.
If it should be rejected, (as it would be,) it would plant seeds of
disaffection in the South, dispel all the peace delusions about peace that
previal in the North, silence the clamorous & damaging falsehoods of the
opposition, take the wind completely out of the sails of the Chicago craft,
reconcile public sentiment to the War, the draft, & the tax as inevitable necessities,
and unite the North as nothing since firing on Fort Sumter has hitherto done.
I cannot conceive of any answer which Davis could give to such a
proposition which would not strengthen you & the Union cause everywhere.
Even your radical friends could not fail to applaud it when they should see the
practical strength it would bring to the Union common cause.
I beg you to excuse the earnestness with which I have pressed this matter
upon your attention. It seems to me calculated to do good — & incapable of
doing harm. It will turn the tide of public sentiment & avert impending evils
of the gravest character. It will raise & concentrate the loyalty of the
country &, unless I am greatly mistaken, give us an early & a fruitful
victory.
Permit me to add that if done at all I think this should be done at once,
— as your own spontaneous act. In advance of the Chicago Convention it might
render the action of that body, of very little consequence.
I have canvassed this subject very fully with Mr. Swett of Illinois who
first suggested it to me & who will seek an opportunity to converse with
you upon it.
I am, very respectfully,
Your ob't Serv't
Henry J. Raymond
SOURCE: Abraham Lincoln Papers in the Library of Congress, Washington,
D.C.: Lincoln, Abraham. Abraham Lincoln papers: Series 1. General
Correspondence. 1833 to 1916: Henry J. Raymond to Abraham Lincoln,
Monday,Political affairs. 1864. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mal3547800/.
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