The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-31
rhn - nnaihn 81


last, in rtfuisfion Il the rgmor that be
VAS Il favor Of rsconslruction. Mr. King,
in bis IeiteF, tsdefines bis position" he
caiuis 70 have always maintained the
night Ct sSlaf 70 secede from The Union,
and 70 haze urged Georgia TO exercise
ihsf right upon the election Of MK. Lan-
knln. Hessyn he regretted the necessi-
ity for soeh 81 nct, sad even hoped, afler
The ordihance Of secession lad been -
dopted, that Che Federal GoveFnfnens Voc
adopt such measures IS would permit
their feturn. Tie var, however, put an
end &c these expsctslions, and be has
sustained e to the utmost Of bis ability
hnffnx eiGsn aEetT male member OF his
Family to the Gtid, AID two, who we're
most dear 70 hin, to 8 soIdier's grave.
hr. King then proceeds:
nBdf war must end in peace; and soon
cf o. -Ister both parties ntst agree to-
terms npon which they. viii lay aside,
their arms. The events Of lae past two
years should be sallicialt to convince
evefy reasonable man, both North and
Senih, thetit il impossible for the Fed
ersl Government 20 subipgateouF people;
and staiesnaen Of fLe Sohth cannot fail
70 perceive that tae Federal Government
cannot abandon aie war, except 10 res
iteration ofthe Bficn, ssFithout danger of
the farther dismeraberment Of the nation.
eThen, unless beth parties can be in.
faenced By the spiritof ceneession and
compronise. s~hen' Ia Che language Of one
Of cur Distinguished Senstors, is this
strurelefo ind? No man can answer
az 70 the yesrr; but he mey safely an
swer. not unit! both parties are exhsus
ted and ruined-not until the Mort bis re-
dnced TO a-condition worse than itswould |
have been II che had quietly acquiesced |
ineur separation, and not until the South !
Is worse 81 than She would have been |
bv remaining In tie Union under an Alb
} oiisien Administration Of the Govern
ment. ie
aThese considerations would lead me 70
favor shy tgns Of peace that Che South
could, with proper regard for her in
ferest and honor, accept.
If the people Of the North
would concedeoug rights, and the Fsde-
al Government secure them to US, the
danger With which we we're threatened
BY remaining liz the Union, and the OBJ
lection We had 70 il, would be removed,
and We might eith honor snd advantage
return 70 IT,
aThe Federal Government has proceed
ed 40 far with the war that these are the
only terms of peace to which we could
reasonably expect to agree land 1 regret
to say that have De expectation that
such terms will be proposed, or would
be accepted by that Government while
ths Presidential chair il occupied by the
present Abolition incumbent. But II, for
tunately, during his administration, or
within 4 reasonable time afterwar5, such
terms should be offered, ] am free 10 say
thst1 should prefer their acceptance By
our people 30 The conlinuance OF The war,
which must result ia the desolstion Of
our country, and the rEiD OF both North
and South. A peace on such terms would
be euiinently honorable to both parties =
neither coald claim the victory-while
the strength and vslor each has exhibit
ted would command the respect and sd-
m;rssion Of che other.
@TO this extent am q reconstr 1ctio1-
ist Bat il must net be understood that ,,
/ would prefer reconstruction and peace
on the terms indicated, TO speedy peace
secognizinv our independence--if that
were possible; nor must il be understood
that doubt our ability 10 achieve our in
Dependence If the conflict lie continued.
Bat believe Il would be bstter for our
selves, for our posierify, and for mankind,
that we should hcocpt peace with our
rights secured within the Union, than to
eantinue the war many years, giving
OCEANS Of blood, n1ilicns Of treasure, and
rusning our coentry, for Independence.
nAnd yet the North has manifested no {
inclination TO make peace on any rea-
sonabIe terms and until she evinces .
pacific disposition, and hostilities are
suspended for negotiation, nothing re-
insins Tor ne but t. devote ell our ener- 9
gies, skill and fesources to Che conflict" I
This is the fret inlimation we have
seen from any influential quarter ia the :
South of desire fSf peace on any terms 9
short Of fhe concession of Southern inde-
nendeuce. Me- Kiag does not hesitate to c
say that be would prefer peace within Q
the Union to q continuance OF the war, I
if the rights Of the Southern States could
be secured What those rights are, and
how they are 10 be secured, would probl-
bly Be points Of difference SO great and
ga. vital "a 10 defeat every attempt at re-
trnciicnon that basis. We insist
she rights Of She Soeth were never
ded by the National Government 9
ave the evidence of the rebel Vice. \
sdent Stephens thatthe South never
Arsd any wrong from the Government
Ia United States. Even Mr.. King
not assert thst Is had; bis advocacy c
#ceesion began when Mr.. Lincoln was I
I'D. and long before be had assumed /,
ersniacniias chair. Yet no man ever
intothat high Office more distinctly
bre soleMnly pledged, by bis words, j
cts, his opinions and his whole po- c
life to respect every constitutional =
fersry Southern State than he.
Kiae sees and comedies that the
al Government cannot make peace .
olher terms than submission on {
srt Of the South 10 the Constitution
avs OF the United States. he knows
can never concede Independence {
- Southern Confederaey, snd that $
tnost ID can sgres 10 is the cOnces-
sf'cf Southern rights 10 has always
Reready Ia do that. 1t has never for
laenl dreamed Of invading or with I
holar taem. The leading con- I
spisors a. tue South knew very well
tilsthey had no real ground Of CON-
pi4itt on this soore. They secuted every
profsr made in Coagssss or elsewhere 10
sssfe them whAtsveS they could reason
ably ask in the way OF security. The
most solemn assnrances-the offer to |
amend The Constitution 90 IS 10 forbid
10y interference with Slavery in the
1'ates the proposed passage Of the Crit
4pden bali, al were rejected WITH con-
npt They declared that they want
no tefns, and that If they were Offer
guarantee in blank and asked to I'll
sna they would nOs do il. They were
lndepeadenee-ihAt and nothing else.
icy began the war in order 70 gain
81 Whenevsr they choose 10 retrace
tneir steps and act on ths sentiments ut
ssTed by Mr. King they can easily do so,
ctserSlse the werswiLl go on until one
side % tho ether is too far exhausted 10
nontluue Ill Whfoh s-fff -...h a. :. - /