Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-11-19

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while iu material iblatosl muH hnruhh
and die. But, IN addition, 'uch Awotk i'
utloty Inconsistent With The genius oi our
institutions ond could scarcely iail 10 lead
go their utter pcryeuion aud ultimate
overthrow, adding TO the cnlamiic' Of
disuuion, tho sacrifice Of free government
Conquest aud empire, however magnih
cent, could not compensate for such
loss.
70 extcrmnatc tho inhabitants Of the
South, would be- deliberate cmasoulation
Of the Union, rendering ils lcconslruction
at once lmpraclicahle and hopeless, aud
involve work Of barbarily from which
the Northern people Sould,shrink in her,
ror. Tho existence Of the Southern
States, in some form, with their inhabi~
tants, and on some terms Of intercourse is
highly essential, nay, ! will say, indispen-
sable TO the welfare OF the North | am,
therefore against determination, and a.
gainst the policy OF holding the Southern
States as conquered provinces. This
ground can DO 50 easily maintained on
purely selfish considerations for the North
which will occur to all, that | need not
trouble you with their presentation on
this occasion. | am for re-establishiuG
the Union as it was, or making a Uuion
rs similar as practicable, the States to be
equals and to bc sovereign to the extent
the States now are each to have and on
ioy such domestic institutions rs it may
choose, and, were | in Congress | should
sustain that measure of war and that oH>
lv. that would clearly tend to the accom-,
plishmeut Of these ends; but no war Of
suLiugatiou or determination.
knoy it may 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 1 would not
be willing to grant them. But do we see
any indications Of such return to reason
and duty? | can see none, and expect
to see none, so long as the sword is unac'
companied by agents for settlement and
peace. When our army went to Mexico
il was accompanied by peace commission
in order to embrace the earliest opportu-
nifty for settlement. In Gods name,
would ask should we do less when enga-
gcd in a war among ourseies? it Is idle,
Und worse than idle, to delude ourselves
about the nature of the contest in which
we are engaged. We cannot make I'm,
ion by force, alone, though we may tri,
umph over tho 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 des.rc-to have all
the Southern States back into 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 cne
believe that such n relation can be estabN
lished and maintained by the sword alone ?
Should a certain number of the States
subjugate and humiliate the others, then
!hey could not live together rs equals and
friends, for the subiugated are always the
enemies of the subjugators. When all the
States, therefore, resume their former re.
latioDs or new relations Of Union ard in
tercourse, it must be The act Of all, if the
settlement is to be complete and perma-
nent.
| have heard great deal about patching
up adishonorable peace about the humil'
iation and disgrace to the North, involved
in any and every proposition for settle
about the affairs of the country for which
| have so little respect,
1t is even heldby some that lac
is dislsyal citizen who seeks to re es'
tablish the Union by other means than the
sword. How absurd The sword has been
al work its agency has been tested, vig'
orously and terribly tested, and how stand
the States now that should be in harmony
The sad response is, where they were when
the war begun, arrayed IN grim and le'
.lentles5 hostility. Thon why spurn other
agencies to aid in the good work In the
words of Mr.. Lincoln, 1--WE cannot fight
always" and we should rot fight longer
unless we can do so as means OF ultimate
Union and permanent peace.
What, then, can be done? and regret
that all that should be done cannot be ac,
complished promptly. The States now in
the Union should be in Convention, OF
have delegates ready to 60 into Conven,
tion, in order to reatiirm the present cons
stitutional relations among the States
with explanations on cOntroverted points,
or to make such new relations as may be
found necessary to bring together and re-
tain all the States. Fhe State Legislatures
could petition Congress for such a Conven
tion, as provided by the Constitution, and
Congress could make the necessary pro-
visions for ii, before the close of the com,
ing session. Such State legislatures as dc
not meet in the regular order could be
specially convened; ard when the neces
sary number of States petition, it is oblig
atory on Congress to comply. The body
thus constituted would be competent te
adjust and settle all the complications
which now embarrass us. In the midst o
war, then, we should he prepared to make
peace. Whereas, when the time come!
for settlement, in the absence Of such
body, it might be found that we have nj
competent authority in existence to dc
the things that may be necessary. Meth
er Congress. nor the Executive nov th'
two together, have rightful authority tt
chance the old or to make new relation
among the States. Congress may submit
amendments to the Constitution for tn,
ratification of the States, and believe th,
present callmitics of the nation coulC
have been averted in that way in the win