The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-10-26

of men capable of organizing and main
tanning government, not individual
members Of society. The consent OF the
governed refers TO the will Of the mass Of
community or state in its organized form,
aad expressed through It's legitimate and
properly constituted organs. I; vas upon
this principle the coloDists stood justified
before the world in efecting their sepa,
ration from the mother country. 1t was
upon this principle that the original thir-
teen co-equal and CO sovereign states
formed the federal compact of The old
UIlor in 1887. 1t is upon the same
principle that the present co-equal and
CO sovereign states Of our Confederacy
formed their new compact of union.
The idea that the CID Union or any
union between sovereign states, consis-
tently with this fundamental truth, can
be maintained by force, is prepostcrous..
This war springs from an attempt to do
this preposterous thing. Superior power
may compel union of some sort, but it
would not be the Union of the old con-
stitution or of our new. It would be that
sort of union that results from despotism.
The subjugation of the people of the
South by the people of the North would
necessaril y involve the destruction of the
constitution, and the overthrow of their
liberties as we'll as ours. The men or
party at the North, to whom you refer,
who favor peace, must be brought to
full realization Of this truth in all its
bearings, before their efforts #ill result in
much practical good. Any peace grow
ing out Of union Of states established
BY force will be as ruinous to them as to
US.
The action of the Chicago Convention,
SO far as its platform Of principle goes,
presents, as / have said on another occa-
sion, ray ol light, which under Provi-
deDce, may prove the dawn of day to this
long ard cheegless night, the frst ray Of
light l have seen from the North since
the var began. This cheers the heart,
and toHards It I could almost ezclaim,
"Hail, holy light, offspring Of Heaven,
first born of the eternal co-eternaI beam,
May 1 express thee unbalanced, since God
is light"
Indeed,I could have guile SO exclaimed
bat for the sad reflection that whether it
shall bring healing in its beams or be lost
in dark and ominous eclipse ere its good
work be done, depends so much upon the
action of others who may not regard it
and view /: as I do. So at best it is but
4 ray, small and tremulops ray, enough
coly to gladden. the heart and quicken
The hope.
The prominent and leading idea ofthc
Convention seems to have been desire
to reach peaceful adjustment of our
present difficulties and strife through the
medium Of convention CT the states.
They propose 20 suspend hostilities, 20
see what can be done, if anything, By ne
gotiations Of some sort. This is oue step
in the right direction. TO such cen
yention ofthe states | should bave nc ob-
lection, as peaceful conference and in-
terchange Of views between equai and SOW
ereicn powers, Just as the Convention Of
1877 was called and assembled.
The properly constituted Authorities a.
Washington and Richmond. the drl7
representatives Of the tu0 cor
federacies of states nov at war with each
other, might give their assent TO such
proposition. Good might result from Il.
It would be an appeal on both sides from
the sword to reason and Justice All wars
which 90 not result in the extinction or
determination of one side or the other
must be ended sooner or later BY some
sort of negotiation.
From the discussion or interc,aa ye Of
views in such convention, the history
as well as the true nature of our insti.
tutiOns and the relation of the states to-
ward each other and towards the federal
head, would doubtless be much better
understood generally than they now are
but should favor such proposition only
as a peaceful conference, as the ConveD-
ton of 1877 vas. I should be opposed
to leaving the questions at issue to the
absolute decision of such Z body.
Delegates might be clothed with pow
crs to consult and agree, if they could,
upon some plan Ct adjustment, to be sub
mitted for subsequent ratification by the
sovereign states whom it affected, before
it should te made obligatory or binding.
and then binding only on such as should
so rstify it. 1t becomes the people of the
South, as we'll as the people Of the North, /
to be quite as watchful and jealous of
their rights as their common ancestors
we're.
The maintenance of liberty in all ages.
times and countries, when and where ii
has existed, has required not only con-
slant vigilance and Jealousy, but it has