The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

STATE PAPERS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 581
aMu Whd advatageous to the North and to the South, exacting no condition, but that we should be " duly accredited from Richmond as bearers
of propositions looking to the establishment of peace," thus proffering a
basis for conference as comprehensive as we could desire. It seemed to
us that the President opened a door, which had previously been closed
against the Confederate States for a full interchange of sentiments, free
'discussion of conflicting opinions, and untrammelled effort to remove all
causes of controversy by liberal negotiations. We indeed could not claim
the benefit of a safe-conduct which had been extended to us in a character we had no right to assume, and had never affected to possess; but the
uniform declaration of our Executive and Congress, and their thrice repeated and as often repulsed attempts to open negotiations, furnish a
sufficient pledge to assure us that this conciliatory manifestation on the
part of the President of the United States would be met by them in a
'temper of equal magnanimity. We had therefore no hesitation in deolaming that if this correspondence was communicated to the President,f the Confederate States, he would promptly embrace the opportunity
presented for seeking a peaceful solution of this unhappy strife. We feel
confident that you must share our profound regret that the spirit which
dictated the first step towards peace had not continued to animate the
counsels of your President.
Had the representatives of the two Governments met to consider this
question, the most momentous ever submitted to human statesmanship, in
a temper of becoming moderation and equity, followed as their deliberations would have been by the prayers and benedictions of every patriot
and Christian on the habitable globe, who is there so bold as to pronounce
that the frightful waste of individual happiness and public prosperity,
which is daily saddening the universal heart, might not have been terminated, or if the desolation and carnage of war must still be endured
through weary years of blood and suffering, that there might not at least
have been infused into its conduct something more of the spirit which
softens Ynd partially redeems its brutalities? Instead of the safe-conduct
Which we solicited, and which your first letter gave us every reason to
ippose would be extended for the purpose of initiating a negotiation in
which neither Government would compromise its rights or its dignity, a, dqcument has been presented which provokes as much indignation as surJf.pe. It bears nA feature of resemblance to that which was originally.fered, and is unlike any paper which ever before emanated from the constitttional Executive of a free people. Addressed " to whom it may concern," it precludes negotiation, and prescribes in advance the terms and
conditions of peace. It returns to the original policy of " no bargaining,
no neptiations, no truces with rebels, except to bury their dead, until every
ma~ ahall have laid down his arms, submitted to the Government, and sued
for oercy." What may be the explanation of this sudden and entire

Qhange in the views of the President, of this rude withdrawal of a courteous overture for negotiation at.the moment it was likely to be accepted,