The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-12-12

RICHMOND. VA,
APPEAL FOR PEACE.
ASesses ef kxsssnAssR Dlglee, sf Pa. llis Plea
Ter Psacs-The Sword Net - Decide fhis
sssugsle-A Plan fsr aestlemsns
IL Senator Bielor, Of Psnnsylvania, hss writtsa
letter which. had not The oppodtioa party in the
North bssn saecsssfdl. would liksly have consigned
he writer 70 Northern prison. II h dated At
Clsar6sld, Pa, and addrssusd 10 g. d. Anderson, Of
PhilaaslphiA r.. Dlsisr sommsasss by declining
IL san1dasy fsr The ssnatoeship; thinks that thu
question:, sWhas en- b 1oas 10 save ths country.
y very diAcalt q snlatlon; snd that II d doubtfnl
whether lhs Aaninhtrasien q Washinston evan
has any clearly dsAasd policy to that sud The
wr " insumeienS to restore the Union, b ssys: Il
may oaastse and silence the rsbsls in the aeld bat
II cannot make Union Of States At Arst, Il wa
thought the conflict at the South was only a.. inst
ne lsaders, bat II turns out that Il II with the
whole mass Of the people Of the United Sta.ss end
with such power, SOONER or latsr, We Qhs NORTH
VIII have TO trest or negotiate; the sword alone
Will never restore this people 10 the Union. He
was Tor peaesfal means when the present calami-
ties first thrsatsnsd and he stI thinks that other
means bssidss war are nsosssary to save the coun.
try.
He kDows how cosy Il h 70 talk about the war
stfaasgiel posltioss, victories, "a, and hoy.
pasaanstt = ~ 16s6s - aoaa alone Win 1alis por.
ular current; but The time 10 coming when some
one must strike for the right regardless of conss.
quences
he alludss to the duration Of the war, the Yan.
kee national debt, the numbers killed, wounded,
and deceased, and thinks these things demonstrate
the fntility Of war alone to extrcats the country
from its difficulties.
He agrees with Linsolns prophetic remarks In
his inaugural address, that after the war was over
"the identical old questions a. to terms of inter
course" would be up for settlement; and although
the time 70 cease fighting may not yet have ar.
rived the period has surely come when other means
besides the sword should be employed to save the
Government and country.
he next denounces the subjugation of the South,
and tho determination Of her people and express
O. himself In favor Of reestablishing tho Union as
1t WAS" or - near like 1t - practicable If he
were In Congress, he would support no war which
had any other object for it's accomplishment.
When war was waged ag ainst Mexico, peace com
missiolers followed the army; why he asks, should
the same thing not be done now with our own Poo
plet If Is desired to bring the South back to the
Unon 1t must be that they are to be the equals
Of the North in rights. sovereignty, and dignity
He then repeats his bslsfin the impotsncy Of the
sword alone to settle the difficulty. and recommends
a Convention Of the States In the Union. As this
Is the sist Of the whole letter. give his 'pan of
settlement" In his own words:
What. then, can be done and regret that all
that should be done cannot be accomplished prompt
ly. The States now In the Union should be In con,
vention or havs delegates ready to go into conv.n-
tion IN order to reafirm the present constitutional
relations a. may be round necessary TO bring to-
seher and retain all the States. The State Lesis.
istures could petition Congress for such a conven-
ton as provided by the Constitution, and Congress
could make the necessary provisions for 1t before
the close Of the coming session. Guch State Legis-
latures IS do not meet In the regular c-der could
specially convene; and when ,he necessary number
OF States petition, |. Is obligatory Congress to
comply.
.KGs body thus constituted would be compelled
to just and settle all complications which now
bese. In the midst of war, then, we should be
prepared to make peace; whereas, when the time
comes for settle ment, in the absence of such
budy, it might be found that we have no competent
authority In exis to do the things that may be
necessary. Neither Congress nor the Executive
nor the two together, have rightsEl authority to
Statea Congress may submit amendments to the
Constitution for the ratification Of the States and
/ believe the present calamites of the nation could
have osen averted In that way In the winter Of
1861; but now the disorders Of the country sre
probably too complicated to be reached in thst
form.
Meanwhile, the President and Congress should
prepare the way for settlement. Indeed, by con
sulting the people through the ballot.box, they
might make q settlement, to be ratified by the
States thereafter. Let the President propose
srmistice, for the purpose of considering some pro-
grsmme Of reunion and settlement, in which the
feelings and rights Of the masses in the South shall
be duly appreciated and provided for Invitethem
to come baSk on the condition of the Constitution,
with explicit definitions on controverted points.
on new conditions, with the fullest assurance of
justice and equality wher they do 20 come. Let
him do this, and challenge the rebel authorities to
submit such propositions ~ may be agreed upon to
an unrestrained vote Of the Southern States, be
will at tho same time, such proportions to q vote
of those of the Northern States, with the under
standing that II majority Of slave States and q
majority of free States accept the proposition, Its
conditions should be binding until ratiaed or super
ceded by the States. Suppose the Confederate
thorities rejected this any similar proposition
no harm could ensue to the Northern cause. Such
action would only leave them In a worse light be.
fore tho world, and the Governmsnt at Washing.
ton IN the better The prelimlnaries for such y
movement could be readily arranged by commis.
sioners selected for the purpose"
Some guarantee, he adds, must be given the
South before It will come back to the Union. He
il we'll aware Of the contempt and indignation with
which these propositions will be received by some
IN both sections but he cares not He counsels
ffaternal feelings between the Unionis.s CT both
sections; and would like to vote taken in the
Northern States, particularly In New England, on
proposition to receive all the States back into
the Union on the OLD TERMS to recognize the In
dependence of the Southern Oonfsderacy. He
thinks it would unven the hypocrisy Of some poll
t;cians and show that they would prefer the inde-
pendence of tho South to its coming back into the
Union with it, constitutional rights guaranteed
he concludes ~ follows:
"Do not understand me that would yield tho
sword or any other means calculated to FENDER the
Union what It was. What mean ls, that II the
Union, and that only, s the object the sword will
never find the belligerents In Letter condition to
on that work than now, and that
,ther agencies should be promptly employed. I
vield to no man in devotion and loyaltR to the
Union a. 1t Was, and to the principles o. govern
nent transmitted to ~ BY our fatherA The main
enance and PEI petuation Of these shall be the OBJ.
ects nearest my heart, whether / be In private or
public life With much esteem,
Il remain. yours truly
'WM. BI6LEA"
Such is the substance Of Ex-senator Bigler's let
or, and such the proposition for peace which he
,ravely submits to the people Of the North What