Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-10-26
LETTER FROM
Alexander H. Stephens,
OF GEORGIA.
OF GEORGIA.

Vice President, Hon. Alexander II.
Stephens, giving his views upon the pros
poets of peace, was written in answer TO a
letter addressed TO him by several Of his
fellow-citzens of Georgia:
CRAwFoKDsvILLE, Ga, Sept, p,
I864.-Gmtlenten: You Will please ex-
cuse Inc for not answering your letter Of
the 18th instant sooner. / have been
absent for nearly a week on a visit 10 my
brother in Sparta, who has been out of
health for some time. Your letter | found
here. on my return home yesterday. The
delay of my reply thus occasioned re-
gret.
Without further explanation or apology
allow me now TO say TO you that no per
son living can feel more ardent desire
for an end 10 be put TO this unnatural and
Enerciless war upon honorable and just
term than | do. But | really do not see
that II is in my power Or yours, or that
OF any number Of persons in our position,
10 inaugurate any movement that viii aid
in bringing about g result that we and 50
many more, desire.
! The movement by cur Legislature at It's
| last session, at the suggestion Of the TX
! ecutiye, Oh this subject, was by authority
property constituted for such purpaee.
That movement, in my judgment, was
! timely, judicious and in the right direc-
! ton. Nor has it been without results.
/ The organization Of that party at the
North 10 which you refer may Justly be
/ claimed as part of the fruits Of il, These,
! it is 10 bo ped, viii be followed bv
| others Of more marked character, If ali
/ in both sections who sincerely desire peace
! upon correct terms Will give that move
ment, thus inaugurated. all The aid in their
! power
( The resolutions Of the Georgia LcEisla-
! ture, a; It's last session, upon the suhject
Of peace, in my judgment, embodied and
/ st forth very clearly those principles upon
! which alone there can be permanent peace
! between the different sections Of this cx-
tensiye, onco happy and prosperous, but
! now distracted country.
! Easy anA perfect solutions 70 all pre-
! sent troubles. and those far more gricvous
ones which loom in prospect, and por;em-
! t3ousy threaten in the coming future. IS
| nothing more than the simple recognition
/ Of the fundamental principle and truth
! upon which al American constituli 3nal
! liberty !s fuunled, and upon the mamie
| nance og which alone It can be preserved
! that 10, the sovereignty, the ultimate
ubsolatc sovereignty Of the States. This
! doctrine our Legislature announced to the
/ people III thc North and 10 the world II
is the only keynote to peace-permapcnt
/ lasting peace-consistent with the security
! Of the public liberty.
| The old Confederation was formed upon
this principle The cid Union was after
yards formed upon this principle. No
between any State, North or South,
securing public liberty, upon any other
principle.
The whole framework OF American in
stitutions. which in SO short time had
| won the admiration Of the world, and to
| which We were indebted for such an un-
paralleIed career of prosperity and happi-
ness, was formed upon this principle All
our present troubles sprang from depar-
ture from this principle, from violation
| of this essential law Of our political Or
| ganlzatlon.
In l776 our ancestors and the ancestors
of those who are waglng this unholy cru
SADIE against Us, together proclaimed the
| great and eternal truth for the maintenance
of which they jointly pledged their lives,
their fortunes, and their sacred honor, that
governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the con-
sent Of The governed, and that whenever
any form Of government becomes dcstruc-
tive of those ends for which it Is formed,
it is the right Of the people to alter or
abolish it and institute new government,
laying the foundations, on such principles,
and organizing its powers in such form
as to them may seem most likely to effect
their safety and happiness
1t is needless here to state that by
people," and governed" in this an
nunciation, is meant communities and
bodies of men capable of organizing and
maintaining q government, not individual
members OF society. The consent of the
governed refers to the viii of the mass of
the community or State in its organized
form, and expressed through its legitimate
and properly constituted organs. 8 It was
upon this principle the Colonists stood
4 ,,.t;Sad bafora the u,orld IN affaot;pr tIrer r