Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-10-20

constituted organs. Ii vas upon this principle |
that the original thirteen CO equal and co-sove. |
reign Sistes formed The Federal compact of the
old Union in l7s1. II Is upon the same princi-
pie that The present co-equal and CO sovereign
States OF our Confederscv formed this new com
pact of nnion.
The idea that the old Union. or any Union be.
tween sovereign States, consistently with this
fundamental truth. can be sustained by force. is
prePosterous This war springs from sn attempt
10 do this preposterous thing. Superior power
may compel 4 Union Of some sort, but il would
no, he the Union of the old Constitution or of our
new. ltweuld be that sort ~ a Union that re
sult- from despotism.
The sabiagation of the people OF the South BY
the people of the North would necessarily in
volve the destruction of the Constitution and the
overthrow OF their Liberties az well as ours. The
men or party at the North, to whom you refer.
who favor peace, must be brought TO a full reali
cation of thIs truth in all it, bearings. before their
efforts will result in much practical good. Any
peace growing oct OF a Union OF States es-
tablisbed by force will be a. ruinous TO them as TO
Us.
The action OF the Chicago Convention. so far
as hs platform or principles go. presents. as |
have said on another occasion. a raw Of light,
which, under Providence. may prove the dawn Of
the day 10 this long and cherries night: the first
raw l have seen from the North since the war be-
gan. This cheers the heart. and towards il |
could almost exclaim: "Hail, holy light. of
spring OF Heaven. first born of the eternal, CO.
eternal beam. May ! express thee Unbalanced.
since God is light"
Indeed, | could have quite so exclaimed. but
for the sad reflection that whether it shall bring
healing IN It's beams, or be lost in q dark and
ominous eclipse ere its good work be done, de
pends so much upon the action of others who
may not regard it and view il as | do. So at best
! 1t Is but a ray. a small and Iemulous ray,
e enough only TO gladden. the heart and quicken
the hope.
=. The prominent and leading idea of that con
vention seems to have been a desire To reach a
peaceful adjustment Of our present difficulties
and strife. through the medium of a Convention
: OF the States. Thew propose to suspend b0stili
4 ties, 10 see what can be done. If anything, BY ne
: gOtiations of some sort. This Is one step in The
right direction. To such u convention Of the
States | should have no objection. as a peaceful
{ conference and interchange of views between
5 equal and sovereign powers, just as the conven
ton ofl7S7 was called and assembled.
e The properly constituted authorities al Wash
# ington and Richmond, the duly authorized repre-
sentatives of the two confederacies of States now
g at war with each other, might give their assent
I such a proposition. Good might result from it.
: 1t would be an appeal on both sides from the
e sword to reason and justice. All wars which do
not end in the extinction OF determination of one
III I IfAC - tDC OtbCas u NC w SOD0ttO u ~
e BY some sort of negotiation.
From the discussion or interchange of views
) In such "a convention, the history as well as the
true nature of our Institutions, and the relation
d o. the States towards each other and towards the
Federal head, would doubtless be much better
understood generally than they nov are-but |
: should favor such a proposition only as a peace
iul conference as the Convention of 1857 was.
q | should be opposed to leaving the questions at
issue to the absolute decision of such a body.
o Delegates might be clothed with powers to
n consult aud agree, il they could, upon some plan
of adj ustrnent, TO be submitted for subsequent
e ratification by the sovereign States whom it af-
e fected. before il should be obligatory or binding
and then binding only on such as should so rati-
fly it. 1t becomes the people of the South, as
Il we'll as the people Of The North, to be quite as
watchful and jealous OF their rights as their com
mon ancestors were.
The maintenance of liberty in all ages, times
and countries, when aud where it has existed, has
e required not only constant vigilance aud jealousy.
but it has often required the greatest privations
and suffe.ings and sacrifices that people OF States
are ever subjected 10. Through such an ordeal
we are now passing. Through a like and even
seyerer ordeal our ancestors passed in their strug
gle for the principles which il has devolved upon
Us thus to defend and maintain.
But great as our sufferings and sacrifices have
A yet been and are, TO which YOU sllude, they are
vet Tar snort OF the ike Su1efln9S ana SacriQceS
" which our fathers bore with patience courage and
fortitude in the crisis thai tried men souls. in
their day. These are the virtues that sustained
!. them in their hours of need. Their illustrious
and glorious example bid US not TO under estimate
the priceless inheritance they achieved for US at
such a cost OF treasure and blood.
Great as are the odds We are struggling against
they are not greater than those against which
they successfully struggled. In point Of re-
n verses our condition is not 10 be compared TO
theirs. Should Mobile. Savannah. Charleston,
Augusta, Macon, Montgomery, and even Peters
burg and Richmond fall, our condition would not
then be worse or less hopeful than theirs was in
the darkest hour that rested on their fortunes.
With wisdom on the part OF those who con
troll our destiny in the cabinet and in the field
K in outstanding and properly welding our re
q sources at their command, and in securing the
hearts and affections of the people in the great
e cause of right and liberty for which We are strug
Cling. we could suffer all these losses and calam-
|" tiles, and greater even. and still triumph in the
n end.
o At present. however, | do not see, as | stated
e in the outset. that you OF /, or any number Of
persons in our position. can do anything toward
inaugurating any new movement looking to a
peaceful solution Of the present strife. The war
d on our part is fairly and entirely defensive in its
y character. How long it will continue to be thus
wickedly aud mercilessly waged against Us, de-
pends upon the people Of the North.
y Georgia, our own State. TO whom We owe al
/ lesiance, has with great unanimity proclaimed
the principles upon which a just aud permanent
' peace might be sought and obtained. The Con
e gress OF the Confederate States has followed with
h an Endorsement of these principles. All you and
j, and Others in our position, therefore. can do
on that line at this time, is TO sustain the move
msnt already inaugurated. and to the utmost of
e our ability, to hold up these principles as the
surest hope Of restoring soundness to the public
IT mind of the North, as the brazen serpent was
held up for the healing of Israel in the wilder
ness.
The chief aid and encouragement We can give
y the Peace party at the North is to keep before
them these great fundamental principles and
truths which alone will lead them and US to per
manent and lasting peace, with possession and
enjoyment of constitutions liberty. With these
/ principles once recognized, the future would take
care of itself, and there would be no more war
so long as they should be adhered to. All ques
l tons of boundaries, Confederscies and Union or
q Unions, would naturally and easily adjust them
selves according 10 the interests of the parties
and the exigencies of the times. Herein lies the
true law OF the balance OF power and the harmO-
nv OF the States.
Yours respectfully.
ALEXANDER Ii. STEPHENS.
"