New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-01

- paramount dicGldute 10 tllc cnit'u o,osto'
owe subordinate allegiance to the State OF
Kentucky" Wish exceptions that may be
counted on one mans fingers, this ID our gen
cra., undoubtng faith. 1t has just been clearly
embodied in the new Constitution OF Free
Maryland. II is destined to be distinctly IN
eorporatcd into the Constitution OF every Loyal
State. As the Church has been said to formally
announce her dogmas respectively only when
some hercsy has arisen that disputes them, so
this step had not before been taken only because
few realized that it had been or could be q''e'-
toned. The amazing fallacy that pu's the
Nation under the heel OF even the pcttiest c'a'e
is now. in view OF the ruin it has wrought 20
be emDhatcaly scented and reprobated' IL
there was room hitherto for doubt, that INT
United States constitute Nation, there must
be none after the close OF our great struggle.
II. Mr.. Stephens thinks well Of the proposed
Convention OF the States; and so'do we; though
we cannot so readily accept 1t as the ut means
of achieving Peace. Let US have Peace hrst;
then hold Convention 20 determine and effect
the changes in our Federal pact which our re-
cen, sore experience has proved desirable. BAT
the Convention, to subseTve any good purpose
must be rather a legislative than a diplomatic
body: il must have power to act for and to bind
ali the States subject TO the ratification required
by our present Constitution. Convention oil
the States which Delaware or Florida might at
any moment dissolve or render nugatory would
be at best clumsy, costly farce.
III. Mr.. Stephens rerelS in his concert OF
Convention wherein Southern SecessioniSts and
Northern Democrats should together constitute
a majority, after this fashion:
"T2.r,,i. no prospect Of sueh proposition FOR Con-
ventiou 6sng ierdeTed H;ess NcCiaI siould esefed
n, cagrst b. fec,sd yor, c,rryiHg sufficient MINOR
oft,e S,a's Ntci ifuai,d i n0Se Of TIE Coffod.-Gey
,,oaH rueIe a nejor,iy Of he Safes In such n conycn-
ton then so formed, have not strong reasons 10
hope aud expect that resolution could be passed don!
INK the constitutional power o the Government unucr
the couipact u 1s-1 90 cocrce S'Gpt ne ChicaPo
Platform rirgoHy dos his ar,ady Would not such
convention most probably fJaiiirm The Kentucky ana
Virginia resolutions OF 1893 and 1927 Are iheTe hot
strong reasons at least TO induce 10 hope end e!!s.e
thai they might If even that conld he done, !. wouh
end tho war roHid yscogs.- as ne irda'1sraf pm
opls Of fw,ricsB Institutions n, uiiac'e obsoir's SOC.
rtgn5 fs,rGi Ss,es. THIS Hy cortrs our iad,Ptnd'
srcas fNy Tesa 10 see IL o0csrtd. Iish no osT
hind Of recognition ri,Hcrer Il eor,s fton fsGfo' Gforge
III 81 England viz: the recognition OF tne s1Vereeh
and Independence Of each State separately and by name
Oar Confederation was formed hy sovereign and inde
pendent States II formed for ,he defense and
maintenance OF the sovereignty OF ercn We nave UNITY
and unity of action Imply because the cause o
each has become the cause OF all H. tltn, nmaJo!y OF
all the states should In solemn contention settle ihIs
giei: principle would Il not virtually settle tle con.
trovcfsy and end the war. covering everything lvf
which We ore conte1dingi Would not the terms n
final treaty OF peace be easily adjusted after tho settle
mcnt Of this great principle
"Ekis ioar she'll resu he es'oJishn>H' pOflcreHi'y
oftL. fprirrs7,ai principle irg a. he fogndd'iOn Of
A~ericsn Constitutional hbsr'yfni 49, ne dbsoiN' pn-
,qrs so-,regn;y Of s Safes r more thar comp, safe
for all sacrc,s Of blood and neGsErs graz G' n,,e
haze been o. nay b. 1t will secure peace on tho coD
nent for ages Ia come We therefore have great IN
tercst in foserne ohcr.hng ana building up and rai''
ing TO power al the North any party iavoFng these Iin
c.plcs."
Mr.. Stephens, we are confident, is mistaken
in supposing that there is any considerable party
at the North ready 10 affirm in Convention the
anarchical dogma which he rightly deems so i'm
portant; but he is quite right in assuming
that if such affirmation were effected,
the essential triumph Of Secession would
in any case he complete. Between o.
recognition by the Union of the indie
yendence Of the Confederacy and CONCESSION
of the right of any State to secedc at pleasure,
there is no difference worth wasting phrase
upon. When the loyal States agree that dis
affected section may take the Nation by the
throat as was done (to 90 10 farther back by
the South in the surrender of Twiggs and the
bombardment Of Fort Sumter, ard that there
must be 10 resistance. no COERCION on the
Nations part, then the Union will be not only
dead but pntrd, noisome. and in urgent need Of
burial. Better Nation no larger than France
than a Confederacy so shadowy, so impoient, so
fleeing, so monstrous, that covered and
blghted continent.