The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-25
REBEL NEWS.


~ 7
. TgoMAs d. sEl,tEs, or LOUISIANA, IN ENrLh-
NATION OF ms POSITION.
from ils Richmond gsntuel NorsmbsrN.
The Augusta C0nstitvtiotalst contains o long
letter from vice.President Stephens, addressed
TO Senator Semmcs, Of Louisiana. Thelcterwa3
sent to the press by Mr. Stephens, in order to
correct the misapprehensious Of his position, !
which. he says, are TO some extent entertained, !
and 90 which M sammes iu his spcechat Mobile, !
showed thai he shared. Not having room for the |
whole letter. We present the following extracts !
"CaAwroRDsyuLr, Ga, November 8. lsji-
Ny Dear Sir.-l have just read report OF your
speech at Mobile From that report am per
tuad,d yuu are greatly mi taken ls 70 my views
uIou the subject Of convention Of the states,
and I uu.t you viii excuse ana pardon me Tor
this letter upgn ihlt subject l have by no
means invited such q convention by anything
that / have said or written upon the subject. 10
is not at all d fayorite ide1 with me as mode OF
inguguutuW negotiations Tor peace. see many
difficulties amending IT, But as so respectable %
budv as The Chicago Convention, representing so
large portion Of tho enemy, had pledged tuein-
selves, 10 Brought into power To- tender such "a
proposition, did Think ana do 5till thiuki tuaJ
It was highly pO lie and wise ON our part TO re-
spOnd f4yOrably 20 that proposition, in
asmuCh as / saw no insup5raDle ObcC-
tions to il, with the limitations aud rcstric.
uons stated in my letter. Indeed, with those
present circumstances, 10 aCcedng to such pro
position (fitshould be made) as tho initiation OF
6It would be the first step, and in All such
cases the first step s often the most difficult. II
the Federal Government should propose to ours
a convention OF the States, I DO not see why il
might not be accepted, simply as an advisory
body as | suggested. / see no constitutional diff
fCulies in the way, The treaty making power
in both Governments is ample to provide
for IT, The treaty-making power on both sides
might agree to submit the questions 20 issue to
the consideration of any body Of men on earth, If
they choose, and hear the report without any
pledge in advance TO be bound by that report.
I'm personal quauels such submission is often
made and in the honor Of humanity II may be
said that in most cases Of this kind The result is
al amiCablc and honorable settlement. Whether
such would be the result OF a Convention OF tha
States in our case is, Of course, uncertain. The
probabilities, am free TO say, in my Judgment,
are that it would. Al any rate, there is probs-
bility that il might. When we look at the elc-
ments Of such body, If II should be rendered on
the other side and accepted ON ours and the true
nature of the controversy, Am not without strong
| hopes that 1t would so result
MIR. Stephens then proceeds 70 say that there /
no prospect of the proposition referred to being
offered, except in The event OF MCCellan's cleo
tOn He proceeds 10 state, Mt considerable length
! the advantages which he supposed or hoped would
result tiom the oleCtng OF that citizen lie thinks
| that favorable response % the Chicago resolu-
| tiOn, looking tC a convention OF the States, by
| President Davis, would have greatly aided and
might have secured McClcllan's election. lie
| continues
| "An that he need have said in some public
| manner was, that If such proposition should be
| rendered by the Federal Government, he would
uCcCdC to II, with some such limitations and re-
| sriCtiOns as stated by me in the letter before
alluded TO. The idea that this could not he con-
sritutOnally done Is strange TO me. In the
most Objectionable view OF the subject, dele.
gates, one or more from each State, would be
but commissioners or plenipOtentaries from
each Government respectively, to initiate
| negotiations, &c. Their acts would be subject tC
the approval or disapprOyal of their Government
respectively. Why commissioners could not b
appointed in this way rs well as any other, with
ont any violation Of the Constitution, do no
see. The treaty -maling power in both Govern
ments is ample for this purpose. AZ least it st
seems TO me. Indeed, as l have said before, i
seems to me that it is ample on both sides tC
submit the question in issue to the consideration
merely of any body on earth.
81 know there are many persons among u
whose opinions are entitled to high consideration
who do not agree with me on the question o
/ McCellan's election. They prefer Lincoln T.
| Mcclellan. Perhaps the President belongs T.
that class. Judging from his acts, should thin
| that he did. Those Of the class to whom rete
G | with whom i have met, think that il what the
, term a conservative man should be elected
or any on the Chicago PLATFORM, even, th.
such t-9 terms for & resignation OF The Union WonI
| ghost of the Union haunts them. The spectre c
| reconstruction TeaTs It's ghOsty head ut ever
, corner 10 theirimagination. Their apprehension
| / doubt not, are sincere. But l entertain non
! such myself | am no believer in ghosts OF an
o. kind. The old Union and the old COnSttusiO
are both dead-dCad for ever, except in so far
Z the Constitution has been preserved by Il
n There is for the Union as it was
NJ resurrection by any power short of tn
! which brought Lazarus from the tomb. The
u may be, and doubtless are, many at the Mort
n and some at the South who look forward to
restoration of the Union and the Constitution
= it was but such ideas are rs vain aud illusOry
y, the dreamy imaginings Of the Indian warrior wi
~ in death clings to his weapons, in fond expect
is tiOn that he will have use Tor them beyond q
10 grave in other lands and new hunting ground
These fears Of voluntary reconstruction are b
chimeTas of the brain"
v Mr.. Stephens then explains how he thong
'e the election Of Mcclellan would bring abo
,p armistice, negotiation, and peace, on the basis
% Confederate Independence and State sOyereignt
North and South, thus laying the foundations
c., peace and security in the future. We cOnclu
,o with the following extracts, defining n
- Stephens position -
III "From the report of your speech I am led
infer that you entertained the opinion that "
tayoTing and inUitiag a convention of the Stat
is in some outside way, and not through the orga
ized channels of the two Governments. No su
s. idea was In my mind and never can be, until
le am prepared for another revolution, if secessi
nv be a revolution. For the States could not 60 il
- such a convention as yOu seem, from the rep
'- Of your speech, TO think favored, without ii
Is / seeding from their present alliances.
of "Tbis 10 my mind, is as clear as il is TO you
Upon the subject OF reconstruction stand n
justwhere did IN October, 1861. Then l wrt
nl TO a gentleman in answer 60 n letter from hi
st stating that l was charged with su
ol sentiments and desiring me 10 make a pi
- lie denial of it. / told him in reply d
III l looked upon such charge rs that
at an imputatiun upon my intelligence and up
mt my integrity. The issue of this war, in my ju
- meut, WAS subjug1tiOn or independence.
= understood it when the State OF Georgia secod
ne aud it was with full consciousness Of this f
gh with all its respuns nsibilites sacrifices and per
nt that pledged myself then and there 10 stand
,t her and her fortunes, whatever they might be
MS the course she had adopted. AS for making
public denial OF such n charge, feel too m
EelirCspGCt to do H.. Yours truly,
ALEXANDER Il. STEPHEN
., "ITon. lros. SENuiEs, G. S. Senate, Richmo
Ill Va"
>e- BrCckimrldge's Victory over GIIIem
- ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS OF THE FICHT
ear NOVEMBER l3 AND IA.