Lincoln recognized the Confederacy!

[oldreb816]

I have been doing some reading on Mr. Lincoln and the Emancipation proclamation.
I found that Mr. Lincoln was willing to meet with representatives of the Confederacy in NY state, to "sue for peace" if the Confederacy would agree to return to the union, and ratify the 13th Amendment.
Is that not an interesting factoid, considering that for about 3 years, Mr. Lincoln publicly NEVER recognized the Confederate Government.

I look forward to discussing this with any who will.

Regards

[blackirish]

While I can't be absolutely certain, I believe you are referring to the infamous "To whom it may concern" letter issued in the summer of 1864. Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, contacted Lincoln with information that 3 representatives of the Confederate Government were in Niagara ready to treat for peace. Greeley urged Lincoln to talk to them and in fact threatened to go public with information that Lincoln was unwilling to settle for peace unless Lincoln talked to them. Lincoln named Greeley himself as the emissary to deal with these "peace commissioners" by authorizing him to bring to Washington under safe conduct "any person anywhere professing to to have any proposition of Jefferson Davis in writing for peace, embracing the restoration of the Union and abandonment of slavery." When Greeley balked at the suggestion, Lincoln sent him another letter, "I not only intend a sincere effort for peace, but I intend that you shall be a personal witness that it is made."
Greeley still balked at getting personally involved so Lincoln sent another letter: "I was not expecting you to send me a letter, but to bring me a man, or men." Along with this letter he sent his assistant John Hay to accompany Greeley to Niagara and hand deliver a letter he wrote to the emissaries. The letter was addressed, "To Whom it may concern" and read as follows: "Any proposition which embraces the restoration of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment fo slavery..... will be recieved and considered by the Executive government of the United States."
I think you can plainly see that "the integrity of the whole Union" doesn't leave much room for recognition of a separate Confederate Government.
When the Confederate representatives spurned the offer and had the "To whom it may concern" letter printed in the newspapers, Lincoln countered by publicizing a recent report he had recieved from James R. Gilmore and James F. Jaques who had attempted and independent effort at the same goal. In this report Jefferson Davis had told the two unofficial peace commissioners: "The war....must go on till the last man of this generation falls in his tracks....unless you acknowledge our right to self-government. We are not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for Independence,-and that, or extermination, we will have." These words of Davis' at least temporarily ended the calls for a negotiated settlement.

[iron_brigade]

Ronald may I ask what book you are reading?

Regards
Greg

Good afternoon Greg.
Sorry to take so long getting back to you, but I haven't visited in a while.
I am not certain of the title, it is a biography of Lincoln. I will try to remember to get the title tonight and send it on.

Regards
Ron

I was indeed referring to that very letter.
Its context indicates that Lincoln did admit the Southern Confederacy -- "Any proposition which embraces the restoration of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment fo slavery..... will be recieved and considered by the Executive government of the United States."

The integrity of the Whole Union...before this letter he only considered the people of the areas of the Confederacy to be in rebellion. A rebellion he augmented and empowered by refusing to remove Federal troops from Confederate soils, and by invading Florida.

Or so I think.
Best regards
Ron

[blackirish]

Ron,
"The integrity of the Whole Union...before this letter he only considered the people of the areas of the Confederacy to be in rebellion."

Actually, what Lincoln was saying was that any proposition which first recognized the integrity of the union would be recognized. Any recognition of the "integrity of the Union" would, by definition, disavow the Confederate Government as a separate government. Rather than being a reversal of Lincoln's position that the south was "in rebellion" it is a explicit re-affirmation of it.

blackirish