Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-10-20
The Peace Question.

i
METROPOLITAN HoTEb, N. Y, Oct. II.
JOSEPH 3. BRowH, Governor Of The State o
| Georgia; ..s.-.
SIB: Ia the absence Of reliable meanI
of private communication am constrain
ed to adopt this mode Of placing before
you and the people Of Georgia important
facts bearing upon the question of peace
It was my original purpose upon leaving
Georgia as the European Commissioners Of
the State to proceed to Paris, and there, il
connection with my commercial mission,
initiate subject to your approval, negoti-
ations for the termination OF the war
through State intervention, taking the
original Stephens resolutions and your
message on the subject OF peace, as the
basis of negotiation. France as the ally
of Georgia in the revolutionary struggle
of 1776, and having formally recognized
the Independence and Sovereignty of the
State, being at the same time the firm friend
of American nationality, seemed 10 me to
occupy the proper position for bringing for
ward the Georgia plan. My former person
al relations with Mr.. Dayton, the American
Minister to France, led us to hope, that the
truly Conservative and American purpose
set forth iu your Message, and embodied
in the original Stephens resolutions, would
at least receive from him the attention
their Importance merited, and that thus
the Georgia proposition, through the ap-
probation of the Emperor and the diplo-
matte medium of the American Minister OF
Paris, would be brought officially and fa-
Vorably to the attention of the Department
of State at Washington for final consider
alton. How far the Georgia proposition
would prove admissible, or TO what extent
it should be modified by the established
facts of the Revolution, were matters Of
detail in future, 70 be adjusted in the course
of the contemplated negotiations, as we'll
as any irregularity or informslity in the
negotiation itself. ~ -
Upon my arrival in Bermuda, l sought
the earliest opportunity of communicating
my views and purposes to the American
Consul at st. Georges. desired through
him to advise the government at Washing
ton of my contemplated action in Paris,
furnishing the Secretary of State proper
evidence of my official position as the Eu-
ropean commissioner of Georgia. In the
event of the government at Washington
taking q favorable view of the proposed
negotiation for peace, such course would
have enabled the American Minister Rt
Paris to have acted with less reserve
Pending these consultations with the
I American Consul at st. Georges, the Hall
q
OF the President Of the United States upon
the subject of peace, in response to the
1 semi official oVeFtures made at Niagara by
the agents of Mr.. Davis. The Invitation
conveyed in the the Presidents proclamA-
ton determined me to change my course
and repair directly to Washington City,
i when aud where 7 snhmiltEi the 9eofgi8
propositions, subject, Of course, 70 refer
ence to and approval by yourself.
You will appreciate the reasons which
prevent my setting forth in this comma
nication the actual condition Of the negO-
tiation, But deem it necessary to place
you in possession of some of the leading
considerations which surround aud inAu.
ence this important matter, and which l
embodied in an address delivered at the
Cooper Institute, in this city. The ap-
pearance of Mr.. Stephens' letter renders
these explanations the more necessary. l
ask for them, not only from yourself, but
from the intelligent citizens of Georgia,
that calm and dispassionate consideration
TO which they are entitled. The question
of an immediate, honorable, blessed peace,
or continuing years OF desolating war, in
my opinion, depends upon the State of
Georgia, and chiefly upon yourself, as her
Executive. f
The events Of this war have clearly dem
onstrated d, that sectional consolidation
North, and South, supported by the sword,
is the inevitable result Of disuniou, and We
know there can be neither liberty, prosper
j ity or happiness in the presence of standing
armies. In other words the question for
the American people South as we'll as North
Is this: shall we have q common Govern
ment resting upon the republican principle
of CONSENT, or shall we have conflicting
nationalities resting on the monarchical
J principle of OBEDIENCE Sectional consol-
idatiou South begets and necessitates sec
tional consolidation North. These con-
tending but corresponding forces react up
on each other and can only co-exist in q
state Of perpetual strife, The scheme OF
! sectional nationality must be abandoned
1t was conceived in folly aud has mRtured
in blood and desolation- 1t must be aban-
doued in the interest Of truth and justice.
1t must be abandoned in the interest oi
future liberty. 1t must be abandoned now
as the indispensable preliminary of peace
The abandonment of this sectional heTesJ
and the resumption by the States of the
South Of their rights as sovereign Ameri'
can States, will lead to peace just as the
consolidation of those States into a distinct
; and threatening sectional nationality led tC
war. ir
A recurrence to the historical facts o.
this revolution will show how completely
the sectional disuniOnists of the Soutt
have blinded the people TO the real issueI
involved, and the actual cause Of the war
: 1t is sAid:' t.i-i.-t---
, That the United States Government il
: wsgiug war upon sovereign States. .
Is this sol
The Gulf States by deliberate State &C
. tiou withdrew from the constitutional com
. nact of 1888 The Senators of these State
!! and their representatives at Washington
in obedience to the Instructions of thei
respective States, peacefully left The capi
: tai and returned 70 their homes. Tn
United States Government did not invAd
n one of the Withdrawing States, nor did /
? molest the retiring Senators and rePresen
katives. There can be no greater eVidenc