The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-04
NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.
Letter or Hon. Hersehel ". Fohp.
son, Of Georgia.

gia, has replied in the following terms to
several gentlemen Of bis State, who adj
dressed him on the subject which he dis
cusses:
eANDl GRovx, NEAR BARLOW p. o., Ga..1
Sept Is, 1864.
NEsrLkhhs: Your letter of the 14tL Inst.
,;, ~n ,eceiVeo several days ago. / have taken
..,h w consider The object which 1t proposes,
a. civ Inauguration Of a peace movement at
Inc south l long for peace az ardentIy az
.uc naf. pants Tor the cooling water brook
ahleT WIN you " that this unnatural strife
cannot pe terminated by arms The men. not
slIs s"oru, must at last solve our difficulties.
ana the sooner the controversy can Io trans
ferred from the field of battle to tho fo-rm of
rational and honorable negotiation the better
II VIII be TOR both governments. anrea With
you that the peace movcmen. North should he
duly encouraged at the South. To this end wn
should lose no occasion, nor omit any pr0ner
means 10 convince the North that we are SIN
as we always have been, willing to adjust the
difficulties between us upon honorable terms.
We have avowed our desire for peace and read
| mess for negotiation, from the very beginning
OF the war; in every form in which organized
communities can give expression to their will.
We have avowed it in executive messages. in
legislative resolves and congressional manifes-
fOas
l look with anxiety to the approaching Pres
idential election in the United States. For al.
though the Chicago platform falls below the
great occasion, and the nominee still lower.
yet the Triumph of the democratic party Of
the north will certainly secure q temporary sus-
pension of hostilities and an effort to make
peace by an appeal to reason. They confess
that four years OF bloody war, as q means of
restoring the Union has proven o failure. They
declare that the free principles Of American
Government have been disregarded and tram
pied under foot by the present Executive of
the United States. Their success will bring a
change of the administration, and with that
change of policy. 1t will do more aud wha,
Is OF Infinitely greater Importance, it will bring
the two contending parties face to face, In the
arena of reason and consultation. Then and
there can be discussed the history of all our
difficulties, the principles involved In the bloody
issue and the respective interests Of both Gov
ernments. Such is my conviction of the
omnipotence of truth and right, that feel an
abiding confidence that an honorable peace
would ultimately spring from such delibera-
tiOns.
In their long cherished devotion to the union.
of the States-a sentiment which challenges
my respect-the people of the North, it seems
to me, have fallen into two grave and capital
errors. On the one hand, they attach an undue
importance to the mere fact of form of union.
ignoring the principles and objects of the union.
and forgetting that 1t ceases to be valuable
when it fails to secure that object and main
tain those principles On the other hand they
think, that the States of the Confederacy have
separated from the United States, In contempt
of that Union, in wanton disposition to insult
Its flag and to destroy the government of which
it Is the emblem. Both opinions are wrong.
The old Union was an organization of States
But it was more; 1t was an organization found
ed upon great principles, in order to give the
af41n a,,rst, a. to-
those very same principles. Those principles
are the sovereignty of the States-the right Of
the people to govern themselves; and the right
OF each State to regulate its own domestic af-
fairs, to establish its own municipal institu-
tons, to organize its own system of labor and
pursue its own career Of enterprise, subject to
no restrictions except such rs are expressed in
the Federal Constitution. On these the Union
was based and constituted the solemn guaran-
tees of all, that each State should be protected
in their undisturbed enjoyment. When 1t failed
to do this or, what is worse, when the govern.
ment passed into the administration of those
whose avOwed policy and measures must lead
to the overthrow Of those principles it was viz
tually at an end. aud, in their opinion ceased to
be valuable to the people of tue Confederate
States. Hence, secession was not resorted to
merely to throw Off the Union. Cur people
loved the Union, and honored its once glo-
rOus flag for the rich memorc. that clustered
around it. They left it with a reluctance and
regret to which history will scarcely do JUS.
tice. They were as they are now wedde5 to
the principles on which the Union was founded;
they separated from it but to vindcate and
maintain them. Whether they acted wisely or
unwisely must be left in the imperial arbitra-
ment Of time and coming events. But no
people were ever prompted to SO nomentous
step by loftier devotion to constitutional
liberty. For this We are denounced as rebels
against the government of the United States.
and threatened with the bloody doom of trail
tors our country is invaded. our homes desc
lated and our people slain by hostile armies.
We ar. told that we must be conquered or
eXterDiDated. The North is fighting LIS to
maintain the mere fact or form of Union bv
force. We are defending ourselves to preserve
the great principles which lay 1T the tounda-
ton of the Union. If we are rebels against
the one, if disposed To handy .pthets. We
might reply that they who advocate and wage
this wa- against us are traitors to the other
If there is u wrong on either or both Sides let
impartial history decide who are the greatest
sinners. This is the naked truth. When thus
viewed. how cruel and unnatural is this wsr
Why should the North fight us? Especially
why should the thousands of professed cOnstl-
tutional men of the North lend their counter
ance and aid to our subjugation? We are
struggling for principles which should be rs
dear to them as they are to us. Do they not
see that our overthrow will be the downfall OF
coiisLituuOnal llDcrLy-1atal TO their freedom aS
well as ours-the Inauguration of an irrespon-
sible and unlimited despotism. Correct ideas
are slow in their progress of leavenng the
mass of mind truth is ever trampled upon
when passion gains sway. But the ultimate
prevalence of the one and the ascendcncy of
the other, is only question Of time, and their
end peace. The light already begins to break
in upon the thinking and better portion of the
Northern people. They begin to see this war
is not waged to restore the Union in good faith
the Union of the Constitution; but either to
secure disunion, byavowing impossible and de-
grading terms of peace, or to convert it into q
despotism by subjugating the South Hence
the Chicago movement. Hence the note OF
discomfort that is being sounded by portion
of the press and statesmen of the North God
open the light, that the people OF the North
may understand The position we occupy, and
discern the volcano that threatens to engulf
their liberty. Then they will consider nego-
tiation not only politically but absolutely ne
cessary. Then peace will come, predicated on
those principles so essential to both govern
ments, and all our strfts and difficulties solved
in conformity to the best interest OF the par
ties,
The North can have 'cace at any moment.
All that they need to do is to let us alone
cease to fight us; or, if they prefer, agree to
neuotiate Deace on terms honorable to both