The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-02-18
FOR STOPPING
The War,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES AT WASHINGTON,
BY
MR. CONWAY

MIR. CoNWAxl
AN ABLE REPUBLICAN MEMBER FROM
KANSAS.
lie Proposes the Acknowledgment of the
Confederates.
la RADICAL VIEW OF THE CUES
TION.
A few days since, Mr.. Conway, of Kan
sas, one of the most ultra, as we'll as one
of the ablest of the Republican, members
of Congress, made strong speech in ia
vor of peace and the stoppage of the
war. The speech is said to have the ap-
proval of Governor Andrew, Charles Sum-
ner, Wendell Phillips, Horace Greeley,
and other leading Abolitionists, who held
caucus in Washington just before it was
delivered It is very important demon
stration. We take the following extracts
from it, which show its character:
HE IS AGAINST REUNION.
Sir, 1 am not in favor of restoring the
constitutional relations of the slavehold-
ers to the Union, nor of the war to that
end. On the contrary, I am utterly and
forever opposed to both. ana in favor OF
the Union as it exists to-day. l am in
favor of recognizing the loyal. States as
the American nation, based as they are on
the principle Of freedom for all, without
distinction of race, color or condition.
believe it to be the manifest destiny OF
the American nation to ultimately control
the American Continent on this princi-
pie.
I conceive, therefore, that the true OBJ.
Iject of this war is to revolutionize the
national Government by resolving the
i North into the nation and the South into
a distinct public body, leaving US in ;
position to pursue the latter as a separate
State. I believe that the direction of tht
war to any other end is a perversion o
lit, calculated to subvert the very object i
was designed to effect.
HIS UNIONISM.
have never allowed myself to indulg
in that superstitious idolatry of the Uniol
so prevalent among simple but honest peo
pie, nor that political cant about the Uniol
so prevalent among dishonest ones.
T. have simply regarded it as a form ofGov
ernment, to be valued in proportion to it
7 merits as an instrument Of national pros
: perity and power.
Fl THE SOUTH INDEPENDENT.
The war which has come in between tn
= North and the South for the past tw
! years has made revolution. 1t has sui
9 stituted in the South another Govern
a ment for that of the Union. This is tn
U fact, and the fact in such matter is til
! important thing. 1t settles the law. N
: technicality in question of this kind ca
stand. The war has utterly dissolved th
u connection between the North and Soutl
and rendered them separate and indeper
e dent powers in the world. This is tt
e, necessary legal effect of civil war an,
where. It makes the belligerent parti'
y independent for the time being, and, III
d less the one succumbs to the other, the
IS continue independent of each other fo
It ever.
,e The principle is laid down by Vattel
ID follows:
X aWhen nation becomes divided in
IL two. parties, absolutely independent, ar
lie no longer acknowledging a common sup
Of rior, the State is dissolved, and the VI
between the two parties stands upon Il
n, same ground, in every respect, as publ
ID war between two different nations. Boo
III. chap. II, p. 42e.
r, L..
ie that so learned and profound jurist
ss the honorable member from Pennsylv
0r MIA Mr.. Stevens SHOULD express Il
same opinion. s.s.
r; 4 X
$. THE DEMOCRACY TRUE TO tn
Is $500. - UNION. ..,5s,e 81
ofI The Democrats will not, of course, Ii
ten to separation for an instant. Such
ia suggestion, in their eyes, is treason
proposition to dissolve the Union--f
which one ought to be hanged Th
y o'texpect the question whether the Uni
shallbe restored BY force or by comprol
ne ise to be submitted to the people in t
'n next election; and upon that to carry t
N country. Their plan is to oppose the A
ss - lministration simply on its anti-slave
ID policy. They put in issue the Go
er iscation Act, the Missouri Ema
ng cipation Act, and the Presidents Pre-
lamation of Emancipation. These me:
ck ures they pronounce unconstitution
of deny their validity, and every thing don
1t or to be done, in pursuance of them.
lie addition to this, they attack the Admi
Ais |istration on account of it's suspension
ut the writ Of habeds corpus, false impriso
le, ment, corruption, imbccility, &C., and
10 thousand other incidents But on t
he war and the integrity of tho Union, tb
to are like adamant itself. They claim
as favor the war for the sake Of the Unit