Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-06-25
Peace Convention at New York.-speech m Fernan-
do Wood.


do Wood.
FELLOW -C1T1zENs We Rave fallen upon evil timei
We have Lytd too long, if we have outved our cour
trI for, disguise it may the American Union ha
been seVert and perhaps forever and candor compel
the admission that our once proud Republic Eas fae
from it's exalfed height. 1t il now PROSTATE decreG
insulted, ano without secondrate position abroad
rent asunder by fearful civil at home ruined b.
despotIc power On principles of partisan hate and upo
theories OF Government utterly antagonistic to thos
| upon which institutions were fouuded We stanl
oeIore the world an object OF wonder, contempt al,
ridicuie hese facts referred to in a spirit
Ireproach but anticipate the record OF history, snt
shall leave to Others to fix the responsibility. / re
proach 1t is not difficult to charge error O
wrong doing after the accomp shment of results. Al
It us causes for misfortune that have occurred
better than we provide preventive. "It is human
to err I is divine TO forgive - ard while it is easy tt
commit ourselves it is difficult to overlook il
others. With these sentiments am dispo I'd to ale
vate the national rather than indulge criticism
upon the | would do something to extric Il
the country from its terrible caamties. The effort
however feeble, is er nobrg. Even the attempt, i
made in good faith, is worthy oil the highest intellect
al must alleviate patriotism.
regret that OF the many OF this character Of which
America las boasted, who have honOred in the
raj apartments OF human progress have arisen al
this time for this bess mission. Heretofore 10 every
ag, great national exigences have produced the
fog the sion. As the Almighty tempers the wind
to the shorD lamb, has He, heretofore provided the
Instrument by which great national results have been
accomplished for the advantage of humanity AS yet
He has OF voucbsa:ed this tapor US. No man equal
to this Crisis bas eppearedneither in the field in
the Cabinet in the many elevated spheres OF pri-
vae lite has The man presented hmeef with the BRAIN
the b art and the courage to seize and work the
great political problem to be solved Ia our case,
ard to utter efficiently the truths OF reason with the
force and power equal TO the pending crisis Those
who have the inte cual ability have lacked the nerve
and those with the nerve have lacked the ability But
fnHpx thafI
lation ct thirty millions-North and South
Astounding with benevoence purity, cultivation, and
enlghteled Christianity, none found to raise the
banner OF peace. Among the thousands of lofty spires
which rear their towering turrets 20 bengnant God
but one that know OF pulpit devoted to the
true pcinc piss OF Christ, and procaims "peace on
earth" 1t is that OF MIR. Pratt, preacher II staen
lslaud lOheerS for Pratt) "A yoics, Van Dyke,
record OF history, ancient and modern lutte re
gion, forgetting that is the child OF Satan; aud
that peace Is OF God, the emanation of the Divine
Spirit
That man who las the intellectual power and ability
stay this current hiss not mad the make the e
tort, and when the having the nerve has attempt
co. he has lacked the power and Influence to accom-
psh 1t. In my person, without pretending to hold
any power OF M1uence after studying and contempa-
tag the theory OF our Government, with e appre-
cation Ct tie issue, l. alone and single haLded will
hro" myself AntO this contest, let il be MY country
Dr. myself as it may be Now, my friends, l am for
peace as be only possible hope OF the restoration of the
American Union. (Cheers and applause) | am for |
peace, because war h failed. (Cries-" That's So"
Chters) Aud it has been read in letter tonight
rom distinguished gentleman lately candidate Tor
5oveFnor oi Counecticut-( cheers -" you cannot &C.
nent antagonistic elements by blood" Therefore
anl against This war, in the first place. because under
he theory Of CUR Government, there is no power to
oeTce det quent States. By careful reading OF the
ebutes Ia tongress, during the time of the formation
Il tie Federal Government, and Of the debates in the
S5E,tp n | bolin h.,
lat dare contend that the most distant authorization
| the military war power against the State can be
'tnd. GA The contrary, whtn effort was made to I
corporate such power, it denied by Jefferson
hamilton Roger Sherman, and ali the great minds n-
uding John Adams, of Massachusetts They denied n
'e power, and they finally declared to the world on
lat occasion, If there was any coeicive power at
10 the CONSTITUTION 1t Was legal -! not mill, Il
ry. =
Therefore, my friends, il there be no military war !;
IN tue Cot stulOn, 1t is necessarily an uucon-
ltutional war; and all the instruments and results of
war Al these " rious attacks upon the rights of
people, upon tie rights of the PRESS upon property
'on e are all the necessary results OF the first fatal
stake OF the assault when there no lower ia the
7deral Government to perpetrate it, (Cheers) For Of
lnLot for my e understand how those members of
democratic party can consistently asa the acts OF in
is Administration pretended be necessary for the h,
osecutIon OF the / cannot for nv lite under r
nd ho" these men, who call themselves war Demo as
ats can consistently assai the Administration in do
lrylng out what the Administration believes to be 90
ceseay Tor the war. The President of the United cd
ats is there under the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to b
provisions OF The Constitution cannot DENY
It. He is clothed with the executive powers ton 81,
ling the military and it, in his Judgment respopsi- M
10 the people, Is necessary i'll the vigorous prose I'll
ION OF the war, to commit these of which some AZ
q complain say that who favor the war who ~.
i'll favor OF Its prosecution that it is cue to tae ad ho
listraton that they at least shall not take execution 90
what the Admin 'straton deems to be necessary in
prosecution. {" that's soy ~,
ow, gentlemen, opposed TO the war, because sol
never ought to have been commercial An smcahJo enc
lstnent could have been made 10 the peace confer
2, which was voted down and rejected | am nre un,
I'll to say that uaui but recently know the TACT ed
ah amcaoe adjustment, securing the constitution "a
Snts oi Inc south was within The power of the her
Therefore, am opposed to the war
only because II never should have been commenced in
because Il could have been amcaby adjusted and ren
rmIned Again, am opposed to this war because sew
as oeen diverted from Its purposes Inste ad ces
war Tor the MON II has become war for the to az
'equeeuaou anu apontlon OF State sovereignty soo
Tor the abolition OF slavery and the abandonment
tate ana territorial limits. 1t has been used ss and
W LIZ OaseS' partisan purposes of plumber and tere
tcal power. (Cheets) And when the American the
PIE committed themselves to it two years ago. when shall
s,ale VI VIVA iretZ ca excitement our meH rushed and
the war; they little thought they were to be made Sue
uments OF despotic power that they were to be- ofc
moor 2oraed III great army to be used for ty bis
lcal anu unconstitutional purposes deprived OF ed
comforts CT htme deprived Of the rights to exercise tiers
political power they little thought to become ma Il
q 10 pe usen oy our tyrant masters at the capital eci
0leJ cope
ID, my friends am opposed to the war because She
rearing up In this country new element in the acco
'nment OF the country The military power has the
introduced, and have read history in vain if waite
u kno" that IN every country and in every age in