Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-01-08
From the Richmond Examiner, Jan. 2.
Rebel Greetiug to Northern Peace Men

Late events have turned public attention in
the Northern States to some other conclusions
of this desolating war than that which they
hoped to gain by vaunts, menaces and dispro-
portionate evies of troops. The word 'sar-
mistice /" has lately been heard upon the hoor
Of Congress, and without its walls the pract-
cability of convention, to be composed OF
delegates from all the States of the late I'M
ion, appointed by the authorities of the States,
! to adopt some plan of general paci6cat:on, is
now much discussed.
But the time for Peace Congresses is past.
So .ong as the States were component parts of
the same Confederacy, it was both lawful and
proper that the representatives of their sover-
eighties should confer upon and discuss ques-
tons and affairs affecting them all.
| Nothing in the Constitution forbade such a
conference or deprived its recommendations OF
| responsibility and authority. But such con
| ventlon IS Impossible now. II is preuoa,od
| upon the idea that the late Union still exists
| that the Southern Confederacy does not exist
| that the men of Virginia, the Carolinas, Geor-
gia, etc.. are fellow citizens of the men inhab-
| iting Massachusetts, New York and Pennsyl-
| vania. To admit the possibility of such a
convention ignores the legitimate functions of
| the Confederate Government. The States of
| the Confederacy have delegated their authority
| over their foreign affairs to common Execu-
tive and Legislature.
| They cannot now take single step IN any
| dealings with foreign nations without violating
| the solemn compact by which they created
| that government. The States of the Union
are in precisely the same attitude toward the
! government of the Union. They have no au-
| thosity or power to treat with the Southern
! States, or any other foreign States. Such acts
| are distinctly the province of the Federal Gov
| eminent alone. No arrangement of nation
| al character, no treaty or preparation for a
| treaty of peace between the two countries
now at war is possible or lawful, except such
! as may be made by the President and Senate
| of the Confederate States, and the President
! and Senate of the United States.
The people of the North who wish to see
| the end of these hostillties and troubles, must
! first of all, agree to recognition of the Con
| federate Government. Without this the war
| must go on forever. Even an armistice sup
| poses such recognition. Northern speculation
upon general convention of the States, is
| therefore, the merest moonshine so long as the
| South remains unconquered.
If the armies of the United States were to
| succeed in driving the persons composing the
| Confederate Government entirely beyond their
| territory and destroy all hope in the people OF
| the restoration of the Confederate authority, a
| general convention of the two nations, without
regard to the constituted authorities of either
| free to form any new relations which they tho't
| fit, might then become matter of considera-
ton with the individual inhabitants of the land
Atpresent, the project of this convention
may be noticed only as symptom of strong
desire for peace among the Northern people.
Nothing will come of it for some time. So
long as the present Executive and Congress re-
main in office, their discretion has no check
They are committed to the continuation of the
war in the last extremity Passion and inter
est both bind them to it, They will undouht-
edlv prosecute the war until new members OF
Congress take their seats next year, unless the
vast army they have collected for their desper-
ate undertaking succeeds in overpowering the
South, or is itself destroyed before that period
arrives.