The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-09-02
NAHANr, August rs, 1864.
(Sigued,)

Gentlemen IL have 10 acknowledge
the receipt of your letter Of the goth, ad-
dressed TO me in New York.
If your letter were i'll effect an appeal
only to my own sentiments in favor of
reunion OF parties, l ou!d not hesitate
to renonnce my personal views, but would
DC entirely ready to defer to the public
opinion which your lanes represent.
But the conditions are no longer the
same as when | expressed my readiness to
retire in the event Of Il contingency which
might have occurred at Baltimore. Hay-
ing now definitely accepted the Cleveland
nomination, | have rot the right to act
independently of the truly patriotic and
earnest party who conferred that honor
upon me. In any event, it would be ne
cessary FIRST to consult with them. 1t
might, besides, have only the effect still
further to unsettle the public mind, AMI
defeat the objects you have in view, if we
should disorgauize frs before proceeding
to organize something better. -.
To this end | suggest that direct eff
fort be made to obtain an immediate I'M
Outstanding between the supporters of the
Baltimore and Cleveland nominations, in
order that the friends of both may coalesce
and unite upon an early day for holding
such a convention as you propose am
satisfied that | do not assume too much
in saying that my friends will unite
heartily in such movement
a really popular Convention, upon a
broad and liberal basis, SO that it could
be regarded as couvoeation in mass of the
people, and not the work of politicians,
would command public confidence. Such
Convention, acting in the large and lib.
eral spirit in which it was called, without
the consideration Of persons or political
cliques, and without reference to bygone
situations, rising to the level Of the occa-
sion, aud taking the conditions of the
count y as they, present themselves to,
day. could safely be trusted to propose
such a policy and name such man as
should and undoubtedly would receive
the cordial and united support of the
patriotic masses Of the people. To the
great body of these, so far as my infor-
Ration allows me to form any opinion, /
think that the following propositions
would be acceptable. 50, ..
l. Respect for the practical liberty and
the constitutional rights and liberty Of
the citizen. ......
2. The maintenance Of the dignity of
the United States in their relations to
foreign powers. .-.
3. The re-establishment of the Union
by peace, if it is possible, by war if the
employment Of peaceful measures cannot
be mnde7to succeed.
Much has been said of late about peace,
and you width refore excuse me if | say
here what l understand by it. For me,
peace signifies the in'esral re-establish-
meut of the Union without slavery, be-
cause slavery is the source of all our po-
litical diSsensons, and BECAUSE the in titu-
ton itself is condemned by the eul'gh.en-
ed and liberal spirit of the age. These
are to NE the essential con !ilionsof peace
If it is practicable to attain this result, it
would net be paying too dearly fur it
taking into consideration the material
strength which the South has been per-
United to aquire by the conduct Of the war
to make concessions upon some points
of secondary importance, such as that Of
paying all indemnity for their slaves to
those who have remained in sort OF neu-
trail condition during the unhappy war
which has convulsed the country To ter
inmate this We are now expeud,ng life and
money; it would certainly be gain to
reduce 1t simply To question OF money.
If in spite of all these efforts to spare
the South humiliation or losses of capital
likely to be too severed y felt. the political
chiefs who direct the South persist in war,
then the policy Of lhe Convention should
be to pronounce in that case f II var with
all the force aud energy OF the uation.-
For peace, upon any terms, aud merely
because it is peace-a'peace recognizing
North and South-would not bring
about stable equilibrium 1t would only
prepare the way FIR new struggles, and
Tor condition OF disastrous anarchy.
The paramount question is the Union
BY peace, if it eau be had on honorable
aud right terms-by war, if the political
leaders who are directing the S,uth insist
upon war.
The situation of our country is unquos-
tiouably critical 1t demands the devo-
ton aud the patriotism of all men who re-
ally love their country, and it is one Of
those moments when all personal aspira-
lions should vanish 10 the face of the great
questions Of principle and national exis-
Lence which are at stake.
Thanking you, gentlemen, for the evil :