There was a Cabinet-meeting last evening. The President had matured a
scheme which he hoped would be successful in promoting peace. It was a
proposition for paying the expenses of the war for two hundred days, or four
hundred millions, to the Rebel States, to be for the extinguishment of slavery,
or for such purpose as the States were disposed. This in few words was the
scheme. It did not meet with favor, but was dropped. The earnest desire of the
President to conciliate and effect peace was manifest, but there may be such a
thing as so overdoing as to cause a distrust or adverse feeling. In the present
temper of Congress the proposed measure, if a wise one, could not be carried
through successfully.
I do not think the scheme could accomplish any good results. The Rebels
would misconstrue it if the offer was made. If attempted and defeated it would
do harm.
The vote of to-day in the House on the renewed effort of Winter Davis to
put the Navy Department in commission was decided against him. He and his
associates had intrigued skillfully. They relied on the Democrats going with
them in any measure against the Administration, and, having succeeded in
rebuking Seward for his conduct of our foreign affairs in not conforming to
their views, Davis and his friends now felt confident that they could
indirectly admonish me. But a portion of the Democrats became aware of the
intrigue, and declined to be made the instruments of the faction. It seems
to have been a sore disappointment.
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