Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-22

siona OF our Toes are known to mankind But earnest
as has been our wish fer peace and great have
have been our sacrifices and suerings during the
the determination Of this people has with each succeed
ing month become unateraby fixed to endure any
suferngs aud continue any Sacrifices however prolong-
ed until their right to sefgovernment and the
eighty and Independence of these States shall have been
triumphantly vindicates! and firmly established.
In this connection the occasion not unsuitable
for some reference to the relations between the Coned
eracy and the neutral powers of Europe since the
alton of these States from the former Union.
-Four of the States members of the Copfederacy
were recognised by name independent sovereigntes
in treaty of peace, concluded in the year 1783 with
of the two great maritime powers Of Western Eu.
rope and had been prior to that period allies in
the other In the year l778 they formed Union with
nine other States under articles of Confederation. Dis
satisfied with that Union three of them, Virginia South
Carolina and Georgia. together with eight OF the States
members of the United States seeded from it in
1789 and these eleven seeding States formed second
union although by the terms of the Articles OF CoDfed
Grafton express provision made that first union
should be perpetual. Their right to secede not With
standing this provision neither contested by the
States from which they separated nor made the
Of discussion with any third power When, at a later
period North Carolina aeceded to that second union,
and WHEN still later the other seven States now mem.
ters of this Conederacy became also members OF the
same Union it upon the recognized footing ofequal
and independent soveregntes, had it then entered
into the minds OF men that sovereign States could be
ton into which they had entered Of their free WILL
it. at subsequent period the defense of their safety
and honor should, in their judgment Justify withdrawal
rbe experience of the past had evinced the tuty oil
any renuncation of such inherent rights and accord
pgly the provision for pepetuity ntaDed Tire Arti
cle7 Of Confederation OF l778 omitte in the Con
stitution of 1889. When, therefore, in 1861, eleven OF
the States again thought proper for sastactor
TO themselves, to secede from the second unio and to
form third one under amended constitution, THEY
exercised right WI ch be Dg inherent rq1red no
LITIGATION to foreign natio0s and which International
did not permit them 10 question be ussges of TO-
between nations do, however. require that Of
fetal communication be made 20 friendly powers OF all
organic changes in the constitution Of States and there
obvious propriety 10 giving prompt assurance OF
desire to continue amcahle relations with all man
Kind 1t was under the influence of these consd rations
mat your predec ssors the provisional government took
early measures tor sending to Europe Commissioners
charged with the daty OF visiting the capitals OF the
different powers and making arrangements for the OPEN
ing of more formal diplom" tic intercourse.
Prior, however, to the arrival abroad of those Com
mssiopers, the United States bad commenced hostite
against the ConeGeracy by despstchirg secret expe
dtion for tie reinforcement of Fort SHmter, after
express promise to the contrary, and with duplicty
which bias been fully unveiled former message
they bad also addressed communications 10 the fer
Cabinets Of Europe, in which they assumed the at
tude OF Being sovereign over this Confederacy alIeg
ing that these independent States were In rebellion
against the remaining States of the Union and threat
ening Europe with manifestations OF their dspeaure If
it should the Confederate States having IL
dependent existence Ii became known that these
pretensons not considered abroad to be absurd
they were known to be at home nor had Europe yet
learned what reliance was to be placed On the official
statements of the Cabinet at Washington. The dele
cation of power granted by these States to the Federal
Government to represent them in foreign Intercourse
had led Europe into grave error OF supposng that
their separate sovereignty and independence had been
merged into sovereignty and had ceased to
Id 1hn "a 20 81
error which all appeals to and historical fact
vany used to dispe, our Commissioners were met
by the declaration that foreign governments could not
to Judge between the conflicting representations
of the two parties to the true nature OF their previous
mutual relations. The governments of Great Britain
and France accordingly sgufed their determination to
conne themselves to recognizing the seeVdent fact OF
the existence OF war, and to maintaining strict
trality during its progress Some OF the other powers
of Europe pursued the of policy, and be-
came apparent that by understanding, express
tac Europe had decided to leave the initiative in all
action touching the contest this continent to the
powers just named. who were recognized to have the
largest interests involved both by reason of proximity
and of the extent and intimacy of their commercial
latohs with the States engaged in war.
1t Is manifest that the of action adopted by
Europe while based on an apparent refusal to deter
mine the question: to side with either party, in
point OF fact actual decision against rights and
in favor of the groundess pretenslons of the United
States. 1t was refusal to treat independent
government. If independent States the refusal
TO entertain with the international Intercourse
as was maintained with enemy unjust, and was
injurious in its effects, whatever may have been the
motive which prompted it. Neither it in accord
ance with the high moral obligations of that interna
tona code whose chief sanction is the conscience of
soveregns and the public opinion of mankind that those
eminent powers should decline the performance of duty
peculiarly incumbent them, from any apprehension
of the consequences to themselves One immediate and
necessary result of their declining the responsibility of
decision which must have been adverse to the extrays
giant pretensons of the United States the proIon
cation of hostiities which enemies thereby
and which have resulted in nothing but
carnage and devastation this continent and
of misery and suffering the other, such have
scarcely parallel in history. Had those powers prompt
Iy admitted right to be treated as all other indie
pendent nations, doubt that the moral effect
of such action would been to dspel the delus;on
under which the United States have persisted in their
Efforts to accomplish subj ugaton. To the contin
ued hesitation OF the powers in rendering this &C
of simple Justice towards this Confederacy is still due
the confluence of the caamties which mankind suffers
from the interruption of lie peaceful pursuits both in
the old and the new worlds.
There are othur matters in which less than Justice has
been rendered to this people by neutral Europe and
due advantage conferred the aggressOrs 10 wicked
var. At the inception 81 bostilitles the inhabitants Of
the Confederacy almost exclusively agricuursts
those of the Uniled States, to great extent mechanics
and merchants. We had 10 commercial Marie, while |
heir merchant vessels covered the ocean, We wert
without a navy, while they bad powerful he2ts. Tbs
advantage which they possessed Tor ind citing injury
coasts and harbors hus counter balanced in
by the exposure of their commerce to attack
oy private armed vessels 1t known TO Europe thai
within very few years past the United States had
peremporiy refused accede to proposals for abolish
og privaeerng, the ground as alleged by Them that