Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-10-26

cilia,ion, which have said is necessary to
preserve their Republican form of govern
,nenta 1t is great question. l now ap-
preach it. -
/ admit in the first place that success
full military defense is indispensable; with
ont that nothing can be anticipated but
utter ruin. But is this ala [ think not.
There is something over and above success
in war. That is political policy. If Mr..
Lincoln remains in power, there is 40 hope
of accomplishing anything by political
policy. Mr.. Lincoln is the exponent of
the fanaticism and hatred in the North.
He holds power because he is the expo
nent Of these sentiments of his party; in
order to be master of others, he has to be
their slave. He cannot be rational upon
the subject of slavery, because he repre-
sents madmen he cannot exercise what
Burke calls the truest political wisdom,
magnanimity, because he represents ma
lignants. Besides Mr.. Lincoln IS commit
ted by his past career to the most violent
course. Ii he had been a statesman when
he became President he could by wise
policy have restored harmony. But in that
great crisis, when craftsmanship could
have accomplished so much, he used no
effort to harmonic, but yielded himself
a mere instrument Of the foolish mob,
as if craftsmanship came from below up
wards. Mr.. Seward by his speeches made
in the winter of 1860, showed that he
comprehended the policy of Cancellation,
but Just at the moment when it became
necessary to put in force his fine maxms
he found no use for them. Mr.. Lincoln's
mode of carrying on the wa-, his emanci
patton policy, the license he gives his ar
my to commit the greatest outrages, shows
that he relies on nothing but force. CON
fess, therefore, l have no hope Of Mr..
Lincoln as a pacifcator should a. soon
have selected Charles TX. to pacify the
Huguenots after the massacre of St. Bar
tholemew. But fortunately Mr.. Lincoln
and those he represents, are not all of the
North. There is powerful party there
which condemn his policy. The party is
rational on the subject of slavery. 1t rep
resents whatever Of amity or conservatism
is left at the North. This party propose,
that the war shall cease at least Temporal
rily, and that all the States should meet in
amcable council, to make peace if posi-
bic This is the most imposing demonstra-
since The war broke out. l think our only
hope OF satisfactory peace, one consistent
with the preservation of free institutions,
is in the supremacy of this party a: some
time or other. Our policy, then, is to give
this party all the capital we can. You
should, therefore, at onco in my opinion,
give this party all the encouragement pos,
sible, by declaring your willingness to an
armstlce, and convecaton of all the
States in their soverei gn capacity, to enter
upon the subject of peace. The theory
upon which this party goes, is that we are
willing to cease hostilities, at least tempo
rarily, and meet in council to obtain peace
if possible. The theory upon which Mr..
Lincoln goes is, that there is no use to
attempt any negotiations with us that the
sword is the only arbiter. Our policy is
TO show that the theory of the Chicago
! party is the true one To put this matter
in another light, left rs ask the question,
what is the policy that Mr. Lincoln wishes
us to pursue9 Of course he wishes rs to
verify his theory and falsify the opposite
theory. lie wishes to treat the advances
of the Chicago Convention with contempt
lie wishes to be able to say to the Northern
people" see, the government at Richmond
'rampIes upon your tenders of peaceful
negotiation, Mcclellan could accomplish
nothns'by negotiation, war is all that is
left, don't remove ME, am carrying that
on with especial ZEAL" When we know
what MIR. Lincoln wants us to do, then We
know very certainly what we ought to do.
1t may be said, the proposed convoca
tion OF the States is unconstitutional l.,
this reply, we can amend the Constitu
ton. 1t may be further objected that t,
meet the Northern States in Convention
Is to abandon our present form of govern.
ment. But this no more follows than that
their meeting us implies an abandonment
OF their form OF government A Con.
gress Of the States in their sovereign ca
pac'ty Is the highest acknowledgement Of
the principle Of State Rights This i'm
posing asselntlage is, in my opinion, tn
best, while it is the most august tribuna
to which the great question Of peace could
possibly he referred. Imagine this CRANE
council OF States in the act of convenins
after the people everywhere in peacefi
possession OF the right to elect their am
bassadors, had done so. What sublime
spectacle it would present. There woul.
be nothing TO compare with it in mora
grandeur in ancient or modern times. Tht
friends Of humanity and progress, ane
civilization, and all Christians in ever,
land would rejoice at the spectacle, ant
: millions in every cline, the good every
where, would lningle their prayers in al
tongues for an auspicious issue to those
!, great deliberations. The question rest
r with you. The responsibility is with YOU
t the consequences will be with your conn
3 try. You and Mr.. Lincoln can neve
: make peace. Yon may traverse indefi