The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-12-12

South was so held, their hate of the = oTsh
would increase, and while the North -
held the South it could do but little else;
meanwhile its material interest must Ian
guish and die. But. in addition, 5such
work is utterly inconsistent with the
genius of our institutions. and could
scarcely fail to lead to their utter peryer7
sion and ultimate Overthrow, adding to
the calamities of disunion the sacflhee OF
free government. Conquest sfd empire,
however magnificent, could not compen-
safe for such a loss.
To exterminate the inhabitants OF the
South would be deliberate emasculatlon
of the Union, rendering its reconstruc-
ton at once impracticable and hopeless,
and involve q work of barbarity from
which the Northern people would shrink
in horror. Che existence of the South,
ern States iGinn7le form, with their Eii-
abiteJudgment ane come tarons. -
course, IS = s sala y lessential-nay, l wdl
say indispensable-to the welfare of the
North. l am, therefore, against extAr-
ing the Southern States as conquered
provinces. This ground can be main
tanned so easily on purely selfish conside-
ratlons for the North, which will occur
to all, that need not trouble you with
their presentation on this occasion. l
am for orre-establishing the Union as it was,
or making Union as similar as practical
BILE, the States to be equals and to be
sovereign to the extent the States cow
are, each to have and enjoy such domes-
tic Institutions as it may choose; and
were l in Congress l should sustain that
measure of war and that only that would
clearly tend to the accomplishment of
these ends, but no war of subjug CATION or
determination.
know it will be said in reply to all
this: Then let the Southern people lay
down their arms and come back into the
Union, and all will be right again.
Would to God they could be induced so
to do? There is no guarantee in reason
that l would not be willing to grant
them. But do we see any indications of
such return to reason and duty? l can
see none, and [ expect TO see none, so
long as the sword is unaccomcanied by
agents of settlement and peace. When
our army went to Mexico, it was accom-
| panied by peace commission, in order
| to embrace the earliest opportunity for
tssettlement. In Gods name l would ask,
should we do less when engaged in a war
among ourselves? It is idle and worse
than idle, to delude ourselves about the
nature of the conflict in which we are
engaged. We cannot make a Union by
force alone, though we may triumph
over the South in the field, and we may
as well look the complications square in
the face as not The first question is. do
we intend, do we desire to have all the
Southere States back in the Union on
the terms of the Constitution? If we do,
then it is seen that they are to be the
| equals of the Northern States in rights,
| sovereignty. and dignity. Does any one
| believe that such relation can be estab:
/ Gshep and maintained bX- the ssSs o. o.
| States sublugate and humiliate the otf
ers, then they could not live together a
equals and friends, for the subiugated ar,
always the enemies of the subjugators.-
When all the States, therefore, resume
! their former relations, or new relations
| of union and intercourse, ii must be the
act of all if the settlement is to be com
plete and permanent.
l have heard great deal about patch
| ing up dishonarable peace-about the
humiliation and disgrace to the North
involved in any and every proposition fol
settlement-andt there is nothing that i:
said about the affairs of the country fol
which / have less respect. 1t is ever
said by some that he is a disloyal citizer
who seeks to re establish the Union by
other means than the sword. How alb
surd! The sword has been at work; Its
agency has been tested, vigorously ano
/ terribly tested-and how stand the States
now that should be in harmony? The
sad response is, where they were wher
the war began, arrayed in grim and re
lentless hostility. Then why spurn othel
agencies to aid in the good work? In the
words of Mr.. Lincoln, we cannot fgh
always. and we should not fight longe
unless we can do so as a means of ulti
|
What then can be done? and l reere
that all that should be done can not bt
accomplished promptly. The States nov
in the Union should be in convention
or have delegates ready to go into con
vention, in order to re-affirm the presen
constitutional relation as may be foun,
necessary to bring together and retain al
the States The State Legislatures coult
: petition Congress for such convention
as provided by the Constitution, and Con
gress could make the necessary provis
; ions for it before the close of the comm
session. Such State Legislatures as d
not meet in the regular order coul
specially convene; and when the necessa
ry number of States petition, it is obliga
tory on Congress to comply.
The body thus constituted would b
compelled to adjust and settle all com
; plications which now beset US. In tn
, midst of war then, we should be prepal
: ed to make peace; whereas, when tn
time comes for settlement, in the at
sence of such a body, it might be foun
e that we have no competent authority i
I existence to do the things that may b
Y necessary. Neither Congress nor tn
: Executive, nor the two together, h"y
2 rightfdl authority to change the old @
: make new relations among the States
Congress may submit amendments to tn
l Constitution for the ratification OF tn
; States, and believe the present ealaml
2 ties of the nation could have been avert
ed in that way in the winter of 1861; gu
now the disorders of the country ar
: probably too complicated to be reaehe'
: in that form.
, Meanwhile, the President and ConsTes
/ should prepare the way for settlement
S Indeed, by consulting the people througl
: the ballot-box, they might make settle
E raent, to be ratified by the States tbereal
9 ter. Let the President propose an arms
D tice, for the purpose of considering sonl
r programme of re union and settlement 20
. in which the feelings and rights OF tn'
. masses in the South shall be duly appre
e ciated and provided for. Invite them @ L
g come back on the conditions OF the con
: stitution, with explicit definitions on con
: troverted points, or on new conol'ions