Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-10-12


hesitates to seize thasceptfe.
I think I have established my PROPOSE
: ton, that oK Republican institutions are
lost unless we have a peace accompanied
by harmony with the North. The great
question for US then is: How~are we to
obtain such peacea .s'.
Before1 consider this question, / would call
your attention to this fact, that the peace
we are to make with the North, is to be,
made by us and the North alone. There
is no probability Of any foreign interyen;
tion by that mean any armed Interior
ence in our behalf The peace between
the North and the South, when it comes,
must come then by the action Of these
parties alone. Foreign powers will not in
ateriere. The question then is: How are
these belhgerent States now so tiercely en-
gagged, to obtain this peace with reconcil.
iation, which 1 have said is necessary. to
preserve their Republican form of govern
ment9 It is great question. l now sp-
proach it. -. .--'s g.
: : admit in the first place that success
. full military defense is indispensable with
out that nothing can be anticipated but
utter ruin. But is this all l think not.
There is something over and above success
in war. That is political policy. If Mr..
Lincoln remains in power, there is no hope
Of accomplishing anything by political
policy. Mr.. Lincoln is the exponent of
the fanaticism and hatred at the NORTH
lie holds power because he is the expa,
nent of s2ese sentiments of his party in
order to be master Of others, he has to be
their slave. He cannot be rational upon.
the subject of slavery, because he repre-
sents madmen he cannot exercise what
Burke calls tho truest political wisdom,
magnanimity, because he represents ma
lgnants. Besides MIR. Lincoln is commit
ted by his past career to the most violent
course. If he had been q statesman when
he became Presi lent he could by a wise
policy have restored harmony. But in the
great crisis, when craftsmanship could
have accomplished so much, he uses no
effort to harmonize, but yielded himself
mp mere instrument of the foolish mob,
as if craftsmanship came from below up
wards. Mr.. Seward by his speeches made
in the winter of 1860, showed that he
comprehended the policy of Cancellation,
but Just at the moment when it became
necessary to put i'll force his fine maxims
he found no uso for them. Mr.. Lincoln's
mode Of carrying on the war, his emanci-
patton policy, the licence he gives his ar
my to commit the greatest outrages shows
that he relics on nothing but force. Icon
fsss, therefore, have no hope Of Mr.. Lin
coin as paciticator. l should as soon
have selected Charles TX. to pacify the
lluguenots after tho massacre Of St. Bar
tholemew. But fortunately Mr.. Lincoln
and those he represents, are not all of the
North. There is powerful party there
which condemn his policy. The party is
rational on the subject Of slavery. 1t rep
-resents whatever of anity or conservatism
is lett at tine North. This party proposes
that the war shall cease at least Temporal
rily, and that all the States should meet in
amicable council, to mako peace if posi-
bic. This is the most imposing demonstra-
ton in favor of peace made at the North
since the war broke out. think our only
hope of satisfactory peace, one consistent
with the preservation of free institutions,
is in the supremacy of this party at some
time or other. Our policy, then, is to give
this party all the capital We can. You
sho, Id, therefore, at once in my opinion,
give this party all the encouragement pos
sible, by declaring your willingness to an
armistice, and convocation of all the
States in their sovereign capacity, to enter
upon the subject of peace. The theory upon
which this party goes, is that we are will
ing to cease hostilities, at least temporarily,
ard meet in council to obtain peace if pos
sible. The theory upon which Mr.. Lin
coin goes is, that there is no uso to attempt
any negotiations with us; that the sword
is the only arbiter. Our policyis to show
that the theory of the Chicago party is the
true one. To pnt this matter in another
light, ,let us ask the question, what is the
policy that Mr.. Lincoln wishes US to pur-
sue7 Of course he wishes us to verify his
theory and falsify the opposite theory
He wishes to treat the advances of the
Chicago Convention with contempt: Ue
wishes to be able to say to the North
orn people, "see the government at
Richmond tramples upon your tenders of
peaceful negotiation, Mcclellan could &C.
complish nothing by negotiation, war is all
that is left, don't remove me, ain carry
ing that on with especial zeal" When
we know what Mr.. Lincoln wants us to
DE-, then we know very certainly what we
ought to do.
1t may be said, the proposed convoca-
ton of the States is unconstitutional. To
this reply, we can amend the Constitu-
ton. 1t may be further objected that to
meet the Northern States in Convention,
is to abandon our present form of govern
ment But this no more follows than that
their meeting us implies an abandonment
Of their form of government A Con.
gress of the States in their sovereign ca.
pacity is the highest acknowledgment OF
the principle Of State Rights This i'm.
posing assemblage is, in my opinion, the