, 1863-02-16
VOLUME XIV.

lied world. II is, however, through such de-
bates that the agreement Of fhc nation upon
any subject is liabitually attained, its rcsolu-
tions formed. and its policy established.
ular opinion aud favor concerning tho agents
who shall carry on the war, thc principles
on which it shall be wagcd, and the means
with which It shall be prosecuted, II. Dro1lyn
DE- L'Hrys has only to refer to The statute
book Of Congres= and the Executive ordinances
crto been, and yet is as efficient rs that Of
any other nation, whatever lis form If gov
ernmcnt, ever was under circumstances Of
equally grave import, to its reace, safety and
welfare. Not onc voice has been raised any,
where out # the immediate field Of the in
lurrection, in faror Of foyeign Intervention Or
mediation, OF arbitration, or Of compromise
with the relinquish1,cnt Of one acre Of The
national domain, or tho surrender Of cyen one
constitutional franchise. At the came time
ii Is manifest 10 the world that our resources
arc yct abundant and our credit adequate to
the existing emergency.
What n. Drouyn de l. auya suggests, is that
this Government shallappoint Commissioners
10 meet on neutral grounds Commissioners
Of t1sc insurgents. lie supposc5 that III the
conferences 10 be Thus held, reciprocal COM
plants could be discussed, and III Elnce Of the
aecusaticns which the North and the South
now mutually east upon each other, the con-
ftrtncc would bc engaged with discussions Of
tic interests which divide them He assumes
further That the Commissioners would seek,
by means Of well ordered and profound delib-
crsltions, whether these interests arc deflni-
lively irTeconcilablc, whether separation is an
extreme tiat eau no loDgtr bc avoided, OR
whether the memories Of 4 common existence,
the ties Of every hind which have made Of the
North and the South one whole Ftderative
State, and have borne them Oh to so high 4
degree Of prosperity are not more powerful
than the causes which have placed arms IN tic
hands Of the Two populations The suggcs-
tion is not nj extraordinary Unc,
ard It may well hare been thought By
the Emperor Of tho French, in the ear
1cstncss of Ills bencyo!ent desire,
But when II. Droayn dc L'lluys Shall come to
review it il the light in ,:hic!, if must ncces-
harily be examined in this country, think he
can hardly fail to perceive that it amounts to
nothing less tl.an Il proposition that while
this Government is engaged in suppressing an
a:nlrd instruction, with tue purpose Of
thority, aud preserving the integrity Of the
country, it shall enter into diplomatic discus
sion with the insurgents upon the questions
whether that authority shah not be renowned
and whether the country shall not be delivered
over 10 disunfon, to be quickly followed by
ever increasing anarchy.
II it were possible for the Government Of
authority, 30 far rs to enter into such debates,
it is not easy to perceive what good results
could be obtained BY llcm. The Commission.
ers must agree il recommending either that
the Union shall stand, or that It shall be vol
UNFAIRLY dissolved, or else they must leave the
fortunes Of the war. The Government has moi
shut out knowledge Of the present temper
any more than Of tho past purposes of the in
sulEents. There is not the least ground Il
suppose that the controlling actors would bt
: persuaded at This moment by any argument;
to loreg5t' tie ambition that has impcllct
them to the disloyal position 1leyare occupy
Ing.
ANY Commissioner who should be appoint
Cd By those actors, or through their dictatio1
Or influence, 1nust enter the conferences, fm
. bucd with the spirit and pledged 10 the per
soual fortunes Of the insurgeat chiefs. Til.
loyal people in The insurrectionnry Statc
would be urheard, and any offer Of peace b,
= this Government, on the condition Of TIL
; maintenance Of the Union, must nccc5saria,
be r. jccted, On the other hand, as l hav
. already intimated, this Government has no
: the le"at thought Of rclsnquiahing, the t.us
.; under thc most solemn Of all political SANG
lions; and if it had any such thought,
would have still abundant rcasons to knoy
that rcace, proposed at tic cost of lissolu
lion, wonld be Immediately, universally an
Indignantly rejected hy the American people
make, if they suppose this people arc demon
, allied. Whatever, in case Of I'm insurTection
: tic people Of France, or Great Britain, .
Switzerland, or Of the Netherlands, would dt
10 snyc their national existence, no matte
how the strife might be regarded by, OF atftc
foreign nations, Just 80 much, aud certain(,
10 less, the people Of tho United States vii
do, if necessary, TO save for tho co:nulo
tcnclt the region which IS bounded by ii.
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and by the shore
Of tie Cults Of ST. Lawrence and Mexico. tt
gcthcr with the free and common nnrigatio
of the Rio Grande, Missouri, Arkansas, Mi
fissfrpi, Ohio, St. Lawrence, Hudson, Del:
ware, Potomac and other national highway
BIZ which this land, which to them il Il! ono
q land Of Inheritance and a lind Of prornis'
is opcnrdand watcrea.
Even if 1lle agents Of the American rcopl'
thus exercising their power, should, throug
fear Il: faction, fall below the hc;ghth Of Il,
tional virtue, they would he speedily, 81
Consti1utionally, replaced ty others Of stcrn'
character and patriotism must be allowt
10 say, also. that II. Drouyn De L'Huys CT
in his acscEiption Of the l'arties to .lle prese.
no North, no South, no Northern: no sout
r,n States. We have an insurrcetiol'ary p,
,y, which. is lucated upon, and Is chiefly adj
gent to tho shores of the Gulf Of Mexico; NJ
+ WIN constitute not only Northern States, b
= Eastern, Middle, Western anu southe
" St:trs.
= have, on many occasions heretofore, su
c mitted to the French Government the Pre
. dents views Of tho interests and ideas ".hi
arc al the bottom Of the deiermi'Ga ION OF
= American Government and people to III.
T. tain the Fcdcr,l Union. The President
: done the same thing IN his messages and oti
public declarations. Irefroin, therefore, fr'
i, reviewing that argument in connection W
ID the existing question 81; Dronyn
Thugs draws TO his aid tue contereH.
y, which took place. between the c
f. War, He will allow nc TO answer, that
lc lion, in the crisis of nation, mast acc
of with its necessities, and theforc caa bc sclu
conformed to preccdcnts. Great Brit;
when entering on that negotiation, had M
fcstly conc to entertain donbts Of hcr U
mate success: and it is certain that the co
scls Of the Colonies could not have failed
take new courage, If not TO gain other ad'
tagc, when the parent State compromised
eh fsf Us to treat Of peace on the terms Of {
II ccdipg their independence. ,
Al 1t is true, indeed, that peace must G
1a some time. and that conferences must att'
nd if they are not allowed TO prccedc the ia
~ cation. There is, lowcvcra better form
a. =uch conferences tlan tho one which
;xr Drown dc Llnys suggests. The latter #t
m he falpahly Ill icrosation Of the Constitu
Re- u thc United States, md would , e:a carry
in ess:ly to bind, either to tho loyal or disl
Ind poflaoEs ol lue pGutrc., ~ ny
ne ~o constitutional forum for debates between
rs, ~ a.{cnatet parties. Senators and Re
mo ,,r. scntatiycs from the loyal people
v, ~ those already fully empowered 10
nj fer, ard ecats arc also vacant and inyitin.
ri Senators and Representatives OF the dis
- tented party, who may he constitution
! Il Of sent there from The States involved in thl
tic *nrreetloh. borrower, 'ne co4lcle
.reat advantage over any That could b
l..,. :.anized on tho plan Of n. Dronyn dell
Nv. ,lz: that Congress, If it thought wise, c
,cnt call II National Convention to adopt Its
t;,c concentrations, and give them ill tic sole
pniy II and binding f.'rce uf organic law. Suc.
III ference between tho alicnstel parties N:
nil; raid to have already begun. Maryland,
cdc. einia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Miss
r,ry. States which arc claimed by The insurG
,dt:s az IRE already represented, in Congress, al
md submitting, will! perfect freedom and
1ow ,ropcr spirit, tleir advice upon the c
.r tc brst calculated to bring a',ort, in tho sh,
f4l,n time, 4 tir7a, lasting and honorable I
t'at Representatives have been sent, also.
,t;o,, Louisiana, and others arc understood
1 ntcd coming from Arkansas.
IS of 1Hc1c y IHeponuetai".E assui1e
!, re- 4Ntl VI .Ac Sons s1:. -: aa ao ~
forts thec over tAa1 WHICH II eusetcu
n H. the latter would bring The Government
many concurrence with the insurgents in disrt
nsnr. ing and setting aside an Important part
cntrl Constitution IF the United States, q
sc.,dv would be Of rcrnicfuus example; t!iC
nc .rcsslonal Conference, on tile contrary