Daily national Republican., 1863-02-13


thomtelyea forth as organs Of public opinion
here, and has gwen 70 them 40 undue import
| anoe Il d 10 10 romembcfud thai this Il ma
ton of lhlfly mlliiona clvilly divided into forty
one Slaioa md Territories, which cover an cx-
panse hardly less than Europe; that the people
arc pure democracy, exercising everywhere
the utmost freedom of speech and suffrage;
that great crisis necessarily produces yeho-
ment as well as profound debate, with sharp
collislons of individual, local, and sectional
interests, henuuients and ambitions, and that
this heat of controversy is increased by the in
tervention speoulationa, interests, prejudicee
and passions from eycry other part Of the civ
llized world.
II is, however, through such debates that the
agreement OF the nation upon any subject il
habitually attained, It's resolutions formed, and
Its policy established. While there has been
much difference of popular opinion and favor
concerning the agents who shall carry on the
war, the principles on which Il shall be wagod,
and the means with which Il shhll bo proseeut
ed, NJ. Drouyn do l'Huys has only 70 refer TO
the statute book OF Congress aud tho Executive
ordinances, TO learn that the national activity
has hitherto been, and yet is, efficient as that
OF any other nation--whateyer Its form of gov
ernment-eveT was, under circumstances Of
equally grave import TO its peace, safety, and
welfare. Not one voice has been raised any
where, out of the immediate field Of the insur-
rection, In favor OF foreign Intervention, Of
mediation, of arbitration, or of compromise,
with the relinquishmont Of one acre OF the na-
tional domain, or the surrender OF even one
constitutional franchise. At the same time, II
Is manifest to the world that our resources are
yet abundant, and our credit ADEQUATE To the
existing emergency.
What NJ. Drouyn de PHuys suggests is that
this Government shall appoint Commissioners
TO meet, on neutral ground, commissioners Of
the Insurgents He supposes that In the con-
ferences TO be thus held reciprocal complaints
could be discussed, and In place Of the accuss-
tions which the North and the South now mu-
tually cast upon each other, the conferTecs
would be engaged with discussions Of the in
terests which divide them. He assumes, farther,
that the commissioners would seek, by means
Of well-ordered and profound deliberation,
whether these interests are definitely irrecon-
eilable, whether separation Is an extreme that
can no longer be avoided, or whether the me
morles OF common existence, the ties Of every
kind which have made of the North and the
South one whole Federatiye State, and have
borne them on to so high a degree of prosperity,
are not more powerful than the causes which
have placed arms In the hands Of the two popu-
lationB.
The suggestion Is not an extraordinary one,
and 1t may have been thought by the Emperor
Of the French, In the earnestness Of his benevo-
lent desire for the restoration Of peace, fcasi-
BILE one. But when NJ. Drouyn de pHuys shall
come to review il In the light In which II must
necessarily be examined in this country,
think he can hardly fail to perceive that ii
amounts to nothing less than proposition
that, while this Government Is engaged in sup
pressing an armed insurrection, with the pur-
pose Of maintaining the constitutional National
authority, and preserving the integrity of the
country, II shall enter Into diplomatic discus.
sion with the Insurgents upon the questions
whether that authority shall not be rcnounccd,
and whether the country shall not be delivered
over to disunion, to be quickly followed by ever
increasing anarchy.
If it were possible for the Government of the
United States TO compromise the national au-
thority so far as 10 enter into such debates, Il
is not easy to perceive what good results could
be obtained by them. .t'
The commissions must agree In recommend
Ing either that the Union shall stand, or that
II shall be voluntarily dissolved; or else they
must leave the vital question unsettled, to abide
at last the fortunes of tho war. The Govern
ment has not shut out knowledge of the pres
ent temper, any more than of the past proposes
of the insurgents. There Is not the least ground
TO suppose that the controlling actors would be
persuaded at this moment, by any arguments
which national commissioners could offer, tC
forego the ambition that has impelled them tC
the disloyal position they arc occupying. Any
commissioners who should be appointed by
these actors, or through their dlctation or In
huonce, must enter the conference lmbued Will
the spirit, and pledged to the personal fortunes
Of the insurgent chiefs. The loyal people In
the insurrectionary States would be unheard
and any offer OF peace by this Government, on
the condition Of the maintenance OF the Union
must necessarily be rejected.
On the other hand, as have already inti
mated, this Government has not tie least
thought OF relinquishing the trust which haI
beer conhded TO i by the nation, under thI
most solemn Of all political sanctions; and Il
It had any such thought, It would still have
abundant reason 10 know that peace proposed
at the cost Of dissolution would be Immediately
uureseryedly, and indignantly rejected by til,
American people. II is a great mistake tina
European statesmen make, II they suppose thi
people demoralized. Whenever, in the case o
an insurrection, the people of France, or o
Great Britain, or OF Switzerland, or Of tn
: Netherlands would do to save their natlona
existence, no matter how the strife might b.
regarded by or might affect foreign nations
just SO much, and certainly no less the peopl
of the United States will do, II necessary /,
save, for the common benefit, the region wIllcl
is bounded by the Pacific and Atlantic coasts
and by the shores Of the Gulfs of St. Lawrenc
and Mexico, together with the free and com
! mon navigation Of the Rio Grande, Missouri
/ Arkansas, Mississippi, Ohio, 81. Lawrence
Hudson, Delaware, Potomac, and other natura
highways by which this land, which to them
/ at once a land Of inheritance and land O
promise, Is opened and watered. Even II tn
3 agents OF the American people now exercising
D their power, should, through fear or faction
r. fall below this height of the national virtue
they would be speedily, yet constitutionally
= replaced by others OF sterner character an
( patriotism.
d must be allowed TO say, also, that NJ
. Drouyn dc pHuys errs in his description of til
Q parties TO the present conflict We have here
In political sense, no North and South, n
Southern and Northern States, We have a
lnsuTectlonarY party, which Is located chief
5 upon and adjacent to tho shore of the Gulf O
Mexico; and we have, on the other hand,
/ loyal people who constitute not only Norther
States, but also Eastern, Middle, Western an
Southern States.
have on many occasions heretofore sui
mltted to the French Government the Pres
dents views of the Interests, and the idea
more effective for the time than even interests
which lie at the bottom Of the determination {
the American Government and people To maiI
+ tain the Federal Union, The President ha
done the same thing in his messages and otht
I public declarations. refrain, therefore, fror
= reviewing that argument In connection wit
the existing question.
Mr.. Drouyn do rHuyB draws TO his aid Ih
5 conferences which took place between the Co
/ onies and Great Britain, In our Reyolutionar
War. He will allow us TO assume, that actio
' in the crisis Of a nation must accord with II
Y necessities, and therefore can seldom be col
! formed to procedents. Great Britain, whe
, pntarInp on the neQOLiatiOnB had manifeatl