The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-22
Leading Editorials from the New York
Papers This Morning.
THE SOUTHERN PEACE PRINCIPLE.

FROM ne 7iac,.
None Of the NorjLc-n "pca0e men," so called.
can detire peace more strongly than we do, pro-
vided il does not cudBnger the naiou. The man
who wants tbi, bood,hCd continued one day
beyond an sexual national necessity Is a criminal
before high Heaven. IL is the solemn dutv of
every Northern mau 10 understand precisely
what this necessity IL, and where it stops. To
Understand this, it must be known what tho
Southern peace principle is. Is Il one that can
safely be accepted
We extract from the Richmond papers two
letters on The subject OF peace, one written by
Herschel '. Johnson, formerly uaudidlte for
Nicc-President on thr Douglas ticket, now a State
senator or G orgH In the Rebel O Ingrcss, the
other IRON W. W. Boz Ce, formerly II spresenta-
tive IN our CouE,es-, Htd nos 10 tho Rebel Con
gtess from south Carolina. Every thoughtful
man will read them with great interest.
The one comes from an original opponent of
secession, lcluugiug to The A IL. Stephens, class
OF Southern pubic meni the her from an Origi-
nal advocate Of secession, and always a disciple
of John G.. Calhoun. Tre one was true repre-
sentative Uf the GC0r-la the other Ot the South
Carolina sCbeOl .Ot politics. Bon productions
are uspasSiUuatr and able; both express 4 most
earnest desire for pca"c; aud both come suDs,au-
tally to 'he ssme conclusion.
Mr.. Boy CO, in his let cr 10 jeff ID avis, SAYS -
'Our policy Is 20 give this party (tnat Of the
Chicago pHtform) all the capital we can. You
should, therefor, at ouce declare your wiling
ness to an armistice, and II convention of all the
States, in hcir SOrCretGn capacity, to enter upon
tho subject of peace " Mr.. JJhusOh also goes
for convention, founded on the basis OF Stalc
sovereignty, and Sums up BY saying :-'rGe
Precedent Of the Confederate States never
uttered anything more true than when he said
TO the unofficial messenger OF President Lincoln,
that 'we are not lighting for slavery, but for the
right of sclt-RuveTnmeut.'"
There is an abSD ute agreement in both with
the position OF Mr.. stephens, that the basis or the
convention must he the "soyCregnty, the uti-
mate absolute sovereignty of the States" Now
II is precisely this stand of Southern peace men
which makes IL impossible for trne national men
of the North to meet them. TO go into CDnycu-
tion with them On this ground would req liro the
sacrifice OF the UuiOn a. the very gate. lt Is lst
rs Mr.. Boz &c says "A convention of States in
their sovereign capacity is the highest acknDS-
ledgment ot the principle OF STATE rights" We
can make no such acknowledgement Itis incOm-
pauOle win every principle OF true nationality.
IL Is not only contrary to the "mOre perfect
Union formed by our father, hu' TO any Union
worthy OF the name. II would be restoring the
old confederation, "a rOpe Of sand" from which
nothing was realized but weakness and endless
confusion.
Even supposng tina. the result of the conven-
ton should be a return of the Southern Rtes TO
the Union in its present form, the Union would
have lost its vital national essence "The highest
Acknowledgement OF the p inripes Of State rights"
would be making il, in very fact, the mere fede-
ration which Mr.. Calhoun commended il was
meant TO he. The national men of the country
always have resisted, and always will resist any
such surrender OF the essential principle of our
Government. They mean to bcqueLth % their
posterlty The same national birhright they
ceiyed from their fathers and they will fight this
war through to the Otter end rather than irtcr
II away for the sake OF pcaC-. All other qu15
tiOns in controversy sink iniO ins gntCanCe be-
fore This. IL l., in truGh the only vital concern
at stake.
The Chicago platform declares for an "ultimate
convention" IL does not specify that this should
be a co veptiou under the Federal Cons tuition :;
and the fair inference frCm the silence l., tn
the same sort of sovereign States convention is
meant by these Northern peace men that is
insisted upon with such tenRcry by the Southern
peace men. IL is the foremost oTeuse OF the
patform-hat which above all makes its acc apL-
aIce by lOytl men ab,o ute mpossibiliy
In fidelity TO the old Uniru, they can NJ moro
recognize this sovereign independence of tue
States, than they ctn the sovereign indepen-
deDce OF the CJnfvdrrIcy itself.
ii any Southern Sac sincerely wants peace
with the F,ueral Government, the way is open,
Its people have but - express, thrO Igh their
official organs, Their rc idlaess to submit to
the FeOGIu Constitution and the laws made in
acCOTdaI ce Herewith, to receive immunity and
protectO'. The Government has neither the
POWER ror the will 10 rcpe or to degrade a state
in that attitude. IL would in gopd faith aud glad
heart welcome any suCn State, and, in conf Iuc-
zion with Congress, would adjust al questions
growing out f the war, concerning its people, ia
liberal ,pTit. be O. ly Subjug tiDn il seeks for
j. the conquest of rebellion. If tine Rebellion
chooses 10 conquer itself, by converting itself
into Constitutional obedience, there is no longer
either u war for su jucGton, or any war at all.