Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-06-07
Peace Question I'm the Rebel
Congress.


On the 4th Of May the following occurred
in the House of Representatives of the
rebel Congress at Richmond:
Mr.. james NJ. Leach ask ed leave TO
make personal explanation
He noticed an article 10 the Examiner.
msking an attack upon the people d; North
Carolina in general; and those Of bib dis.
trict and himself, in particular. Alter
reading the article, he entered into a
lengthy criticism Upon it.
He sad the rumors and charges against
his people originated in the State they
came from clamOr gotten up by certain
disappointed parties who bad vented their
'epleen by grossly misrepresenting those
who had received the support and the
countensnce of the people. 1t originated
men who once denounced the present gov.
ernor as peace man and q traitor to the
country.
Mr.. L said he was peace mana peace
man upon the principle of recognizing the
independence OF the Southern Confec eracy.
Said be was 10 favor of the appointment
DfcQmmissieners 70 treat with the linked
States whenever they were willing to treat
with us. as had been done in the revolu-
tionary war.
lie said the people of his district were
| as loyal and devoted to the Southern cause
as thOse Of any other 10 the ConIederaey.
| He said they had sent to the army more
men 10 proportion to their population than
and district in the South. That they had
/ proved their devotion to the cause on al
most every battlefsld-had nobly fallen
! with their feet to the enemy and their
faces to the sky"
He was prepared to prove that there
had been fewer desertions from the troops
of Nor b Carolina than from those of any
other State IN the South.
He said the views he entertained upon
peace were the same that had been ex.
pressed by the Vice President Of the Con.
federacy and many other distinguished men
in the S nth.
Ill said that it was true that there wal
much opposition to the late act passed foI
the suspenson of the writ ofho6eas corpus
and since the publication of Mr.. Stephens
speech it had much increased. lie baC
intened himself to introduce q bill to re-
peal the late act.
He heard that the act had been passed
for the purpose of SURPRISING public sen
timent in North Carolina. II so. its Jb
ject had been and would be defeated -
While the people of North Carolina wer,
willing to make any every sacrifice fer tn,
honorable prosecution of the war, the,
would not quietly submit to the destruc
ton of :heir rights and Liberties.
Mr.. j. I. Leach also ros to a persona
explanation.
The article ir the Examiner he had n
doubt, alluded to him. He said be en-
dorsed every word that had been said b,
his colleague. He said be was a oeac
man-for an honorable pesce-peace tina
will do justice TO those that commence,
the war, and those who have sacrifee
their all upon the altar Of thei. country
He said he was Southern man and would
stand by the rights Of the Sunny South,
and was willing to make any proper sacri
fee for it's success
But, he said, is it any discredit to a mar
to be in favor of peace? How are You to
put an end to the war without negotiation
and how are you to negotiate without be
ing in favor of pesce7
Commissioners bad been appointed il
all wars we ever had to bring about tbt
the accession Of hostilities and put a stor
the shedding Of blood
He said We must lay aside all this spirit
of utilization and prejudice which seemed
to fill the minds If persons on the suhiect
The people of North Carolina had been
abused and villifed more than those Of eli
States of the S,uth, and why was il? Was
it because she had furnished so MANY
thousand noble and true DeO. who bad
sacrificed their all :he for cause?
He said it was true their was disIoyalty
there-a disloyalty that he was proud Of
"a disloyslty that is opposed to bad law,
and worse administration. He said tha
the recent act suspending the writ O.
haJeds corpus bad created some disloyalt,
there.
Mr.. Staples desired to ask the gentlemen
a question: Are you for peace on an,
other terms than that of Independence O
to the South?
Mr.. Leach, am for peace on the basi
of the independence Of the South lift cal
be obtained but if not, then / am 70
peace on the best terms we can get, shor
of sutjugatiOu. Is the gentleman salts
field?