Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-10-27
LETTER FROM ALEXANDER
M. gvEIsg1INE.
The vice-Presidcnfs Views on
ReCopstructiOn, state soyer-
eignity the Sole Basis Of Peace
--ltOW Peace can be Obtained.
CRAWTORDsVILLF, Ga. Sent.


inst sooner have been absent nearly a !
week on visit to my brother il Sparta, !
who has been nutc out of health for some
time. Your letter | found here on my re-
turn home yesterday. The delay Of my re-.
ply thus occasioned regret
Without further explanation or apology.
allow me now to say TO you that no person
living can possibly feel more ardent desire
for an end TO be put 10 this unnatural and
mcrciess war upon honorable and Just terms
than do. But / really do not see that il
is in my power or yours, or that Of any num-
Der Of persons in our position 10 inaugurate
any movement that will even tend to aid in
bringing about result that we and 80 many
more desire. The movement by our lepis-
lature at its last session, at the suggestion
Of the executive, on this subject, was by
authority properly constituted for such
purpose. The movement, in my Judgment,
was timely, !udicious, and in the right drec-
ton. Nor has it been without results. The
organization of that party at the North TO
which you refer may Justly be claimed as
part of the fruits of it. These, it is to be
hoped, will be followed by Others Of more
marked character if all in both sections who
sincerely desire peace upon correct terms
will give that movement, thus inaugurated,
all the aid in their power
The resolutions of the Georgia Legislature
at the last session upon the subject of peace,
in my Judgment, embodied and set forth
very clearly those principles upon which
alone there can be permanent peace between
the different sections Of this extensive, once
happyrand prosperous but now distracted
country. Easy and perfect solutions to all
present troubles, and those far more gricv-
Gus ones which loom in prospect, and por-
tcntiously threaten in the coming future, is
nothing more than the simple recognition OF
the fundamental principle and truth upon
which all American constitutional liberty is
founded, and upon the maintenance ofwhich
alone it can be preserved that is, the SOW
ercignty, the ultimate absolute sovereignty
of the states. This doctrine our legislature
announced to the people at the North and
to the world 1t is the only keynote. to
lasting peace-consist-
The old confederation was formed upon this
principle. The old Union was afterward
formed upon this principle No league can
ever be formed or maintained between any
state, North or South securing public libcr-
ty, upon any other principle The whole
framework of American institutions, which
in so short time won the admiration of the
world and to which we were indebted for
such an unparalleled career of prosperity
and happiness, was formed upon this prin-
ciple. All our present troubles sprung from
departure from this principle, from vio-
lation Of this essential law of our political
organization In l775 our ancestors and
the ancestors of those who are waging this
unhoy crusade against us, together pro-
claimed the great and eternal truth for the
maintenance of which they jointly pledged
their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honor, that governments are instituted
amongst men, deriving their Just powers
from the consent of the governed, and that
whenever any form of government becomes
destructive of those ends for which it was
formed, it is the right of the people to alter
or abolish it, and institute new govern
ment laying its foundation on such princi-
pies and organizing its powers in such "a form
as to them may seem most likely to effect
their safety and happiness.
| 1t is needless here to state that by "peo
pie" and governed" in this annuncia
ton, is meant communities aud bodies o
men capable of organizing and maintaining
a government, not individual members O
society. The consent of the governed refer
to the will of the mass of the community O
state in its organized form, and expresses
through its legitimate and properly con
stituted organs. 1t was upon this principl,
the colonists stood justified before the worlc
in ctfecting their separation from the mothe
country. 1t was upon this principle tina
the original thirteen co-equal and co-sover
eign states formed the federal compact o
the old Union in 1887. 1t is upon the sam,
principle that the present co-equal and co
sovereign states of our contederacy formed
their new compact of union The idea tina
the old Union or any union between sover
eign states, consistently with this tunda
mental truth, can be maintained by force, i
preposterous This war springs from an at
tempt to do this preposterous thing Su
perlor power may compel union OF s0m
sort, but it would not be the Union Of tn,
old Constitution or of our new. 1t woulC
be that sort of union that results from des
potism. The subjucation Of the people o
the South by the people Of the North woull
necessarily involve the destruction of th
Constitution and the overthrow of thei
liberties as well as ours The men or part.
at the North, to whom you refer, who favo
peace, must be brought to full realization
of this truth in all its bearings before thei
efforts will result in much practical good
Any peace growing out of union of state
established by force will be as ruinous t.
them as to us.
The action of the Chicago Convention, S,
far as its platform of principle goes, pre-
sents, as have said on another occasion,
ray Of light which under Providence, ma
prove the dawn Of the day to this long an,
cheerless night, the first ray of light hav
seen from the North since the war began
This cheers the heart and toward it | coul,
almost exclaim, Hail, holy light, offsprin!
Of Heaven. first born of the eternal co-eter
nal boon. May | express thee unbalanced
since God is light" Indeed, | could hav,
quite so exclaimed, but for the sad rehec
ton that whether it shall bring healing il
> its beams, or be lost in dark and ominou
ecliyse ere its good work be done, depends
so much upon the action Of others who ma,
not regard it and view it as l do. So, u
best, it is but a ray, Il small and tremulou
ray, enough only to gladden. the heart anc
quicken the hope. The prominent and lead
ing idea Of that convention seems to hav
been desire to reach peaceful adjustmen
OF our present difficulties and strife through
the medium of a convocation of the states
They propose to suspend hoStilities, to se
what can be done, if anything, by negotia
tions of some sort. This is one step III tn
right direction. To such convention o
the states | should have no objection, as
peaceful conference and interchange Of view
between equal and sovereign powers, Just a
the convention of 1877 was called and as
sembled. The properly constituted author
tiles at Washington and Richmond, thu
duly authorized. representatives Of the two
coniederacies of states, now at war with eacl