Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-28

willing 10 encounter FISK OF lie, anu an
told there is man in this crowd who has ,
said that he would kill me tonight; that
he has shot Yankees and will shoot man
who is no better than Yankee.
thank the gentlemen who originated
this meeting for one thing that has been
said, in their resolutions-namely, that
they do not doubt my sincerity. feel
grateful Take from me everything-take
from me the office so long have held
but do Justice to my motives, and do JUS
tice to the honest purpose with which L
am endeayoring to serve you. If were
merely DESTROYS of promoting ambitious
ends OF my own, or prompted by a selfish
interest, l should not have supported a
policy so likely to meet with contempt and
opposition as that which has been advO-
Gated in the letter under consideration. 1t
was under the influence Of these feelings
that [ penned my letter to the President.
| intended, besides, to appeal to public
opinion, and see if l could not move the
mind of the South on this great subject.
[ felt that the great path to safety for us
was to divide the North. thought that
was our true policy, and, therefore, put
forth certain views, calculated, as L hoped,
fellow: citizens, ask you to examine that
letter. In writing it, had do what9 First,
to address the President respectfully, be-
cause every emotion of my heart prompts
me to do that. When consider that noble
man struggling under adversely and stand
ing up in the heat of this contest, with so
much nobility and fortitude of soul, / feel
irresistibly drawn towards him, and would
not, except as matter of duty, do any
thing to disturb his equanimity. All honor,
then, to him; although l cannot concede
that he has been sufficiently alive to the
importance OF strengthing our friends at
the North. Of heroic nature, competent
to die in the last ditch, and to cover your
history with honor, it seems to me he has
not looked over the wide field of duty and
exercised that policy and diplomacy best
calculated to accomplish the purpose in
view. had also to address myself to you,
and to impress upon your minds the neces-
sity Of this policy of diplomacy; the neces-
sity of being willing to meet the people OF
the North i'll negotiation, with an anxious
desire for peace, and ready to concede
much-not your Independence; but, for
instance, the navigation of ito Mississippi,
reciprocal free trade, and other matters Of
that kind. In order to impress your minds
thus, l had to say to you that, if war be
indefinitely continued, the inevitable ten
dency Of things is to fasten a military des-
potiSm on the country and destroy our
beautiful organization of States. had to
tell you that because l was forced to appeal
to the strongest motives in your minds. l
had also to address the people OF the
North. My policy was to strike Lincoln,
aud to represent that if he were removed
blood would cease to flow. l also sought
to enforce upon the peace party the fact
that if they could carry the election, they
would take great step towards the termi-
nation Of hoStilities. Therefore, l said
nothing about separate independence and
nationality, as might have done. Writing
for specific object, had to write as
| diplomatist, and the letter itself was diplo-
matte. l know, tellow-citizens, there are
many, very many, persons who contend
! and lbelieve the gentleman who acts as
the Secretary OF this meeting, the editor
OF the CGTOLln1GR, is among them-that it
is our policy to have Lincoln reelected.
| My God tellow-citizens, what can prompt
! man to desire that Is there a man in
the United States who more fully repre-
sents the tanaticism and war fury of the
North Is there a man whom we can
fear more or from whom we can hope less
Why gentlemen desire that that man con-
tinue i'll power, is passing strange to me-
have SAID it is our interest. to have Nc
Clellan elected. Well, suppose Lincoln
be defeated, what then2 Why. then you
have a condemnation of the war policy
| w |
ton of that fanaticism which has carried
on the war on so gigantic scale, and so
nearly plunged the country into ruin.
Lincoln represents a conflict of ideas. He
represents the anti-slavery feeling. He
represents all that is gross and vile in the
Northern political character. lie repre-
sents the energy and the fierceness with
which the struggle has been conducted /;
and you have, therefore, no reason to be.
lieve that the defeat of Lincoln will not
prove equally defeat of the war policy
that has been carried out under his admin
iStration.
A word now with reference to the Chi
cage platform, by which the successor of
Mr.. Lincoln, if elected, will be guided
when in power. What does that platform
says 1t says negotiate" negotiate :"
and though it does not give up the Union,
you cannot expect it to do more. That
platform has been carefully prepared, and
the sentiments of the men who support it
are known to US. 1t is true, that Mcclellan
has indicated that he cannot consent to
peace unless based upon the idea of recon-
struction; but doubtless Mcclellan was
playing for votes. When the election has
taken place and his success has been
achieved, the peace party will then dictate
his policy. He himself declares that he