Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-11

for an early peace. The powers that BIO
determined upon a different line OF poll
cy. The world knows the results, and we
must acquiesce. But the misfortunes fol-
lowing the misguided judgment of our ru-
lers must not have the effect of relaxing our
zeal or chilling our love for the cause.
We may, as we have right to do, dlt-
fer among ourselves as to the wisdom OF a
certain line of policy, and of certain acts
of the Confederate administration and
some of US may deplore its errors and mis-
management, while, others may attempt to
Justify all its mistakes and defend all its
errors, and may be ready in advance to
approve everything it may do, and still we
may all, as one man, remain true to our
sacred cause, and be prepared, if necessa-
ry, to expend our last dollar and shed our
last drop of blood in its defence.
While 1 am satisfied large majority of
the people of this State disapprove many
of the acts and much of the policy OF the
Confederate administration, am of opin-
ion there are but a very small number OF
the people of Georgia who are dislOyal to
the cause, or who would consent to close
the war without the achievement of the
great ends for which we took up arms
the independence of the Confederate States
and the vindication and establishment OF
the sovereignty of the several States. :
Confederate independence, with central
lied power, without State sovereignty and
constitutional and religious liberty, would
be very little better than subiugation, as
it matters little who our master is, if we
are to have one. We should, therefore,
keep constantly in view the great princi.
Piles upon which we entered into this I'M
euual contest, and should rebuke every
encroachment made upon them by our
own government, willie we resist, with
arms III orr hands, like assaults made upon
them by our enemies. While our gallant
troops in the field arc sacrificing the COM
forts of home, property, health and even
life itself, and are enduring all the priva-
tons, harlshipS, perlS and dangers Of the
service, they should never once lose sight
of the great principles Of equality, fber-
ty, and constitutional republicanism, for
which they unfnrled freedoms banners in
the face of the enemy. Nor should they
ever consent to lay down their arms till
these principles are recognized by our foe,
and faithfully carried out in practice by
our own government. In other words,
we should never be content till we have
established upon firm basis the good old
| republican institutions of our fathers in all
their purity, and should never, under any
circumstances, consent to accept in THEN
place strong centralized government with
military despotiSm. | do not see how il
can be denied by any candid man, that
we have, in practice, made fearful strides
since the war began, towards centralized
government with unlimited powers.
The constant tendencies of the wal
seem to have been to the subordination o.
the civil authorities and laws to the mill
tary, and the concentration of the supreme
power in the hands of the Commander il
Chief Of the armies. The longer the wal
lasts, the greater the tendency to thiI
result, and the less probability at its Ter
mination of a return to the constitutional
forms and republican simplicity which ex
listed at its commencement.
But it may be asked, when is this bloody
struggle to terminate? No human fore
caste can so far penetrate the future as t
give satisfactory reply to this question
| The Northern States have resources anC
men enough to enable them to confirm,
the war for years 20 come, and we have
sufficient power of resistance and cndur
ance to enable Us to continue to battle al
their schemes Of suhjugation. The swort
can never make peace between the tw
contending parties. When this is done
it will be by megOtiati0n. The prOspec
| - Al, Al,
badly last tilFboth sections are exhausted
before the passions of the people vii
subside, and reason so far resume he
sway as to prepare the people of bot
countries for negotiation, as the only mean
OF adjustment, which can terminate tn
bloody strife. This may not take plac
till we have accumulate debt Oh bot
sides, greater than we or our posterity ca
ever pay-till hundreds of thousands NOR
men have been slain and millions of We
men and children have been reduced t
widowhoOd, orphanage and poverty-ti
our taxes have become so burdensomC
that endurance is no longer possibie-ti
the civil laws cease to be respected, an
highway robbery and murder are the dali
business of predatory bands, and till til
Federal and Confederate government
have usurped and exercised all the power
claimed by the most absolute despot
each pleading in extenuation of Its usu
paticns the necessity growing out of tn
like usurpations by the other.
; There is reason to fear that, Presider
Lincoln, ifre-elected, and President Davis
whose passions are inhamed against eac
other, may never be able to agree upo
terms for the commencement of negoti;
tons, and that the war must continue t
rage in all its fury, till there is change
administration, unless the people of bot
| countries in their arvrerate canacitu 6