Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-16

try villages and upon our railroads, Jealous
Of the prerogatives of the central power,
and anxious 10 maintain and extend them,
are ready by their action to deny that the
States have any thing left but the name,
or that they can have any agency in nego-
tiating a treaty of peace, or that they can
meet in convention to consider of this sub
ject without being guilty as "traitorous
States" Those minions of power, protect
ed from the dangers of the battlefield, ne
yer fail to inpugn the motives and ques-
ton the loyalty Of every one who denies
the legality Of any act Of the government,
or Questions the wisdom Of any part Of its
policy.
They very cordially adopt the maxim,
"that the King can do no wrong" Ofconrse
all such are loud and clamorous in their |
denunciations Of those who advocate con-
vention OF States to agree upon the terms
desperation and stop the effusion Of blood.
If the war should cease they must sink to
their natural level, for then "Othello occu-
pation's gone"
But the advocates of free government
may safely appeal from all such to the So
Der, sound judgment of the mass of the
American people, North and South, who
bear the heavy burdens of the war with
out the offices or patronage of either gov
ernment, whose SONS have been conscribed
and torn from them and slaughtered, ma
ny of whose homes have been destroyed,
and their farms and cities laid waste, who
are daily robbed Of their property by i'm
pressment agents or other government Of
ticials without paying them anything for it,
who bear the burdens of the enormous
taxation necessary to carry on the war, and
support all the large classes above men
toned in exHavasant indnlgencies, and
whose posterity and property must pay the
immense public debt which is constantly
augmented. And the appeal may be made.
with still greater force to the gallant SOL
der in the storms of winter and in the
weary march, while amid the perils that
surround him his thoughts recur to the sut
ierings of loved ones at home, as we'll as
to all true Christians in both countries
Shall this bloodshed, carnage and desola-
ton continue, to crafty the obstinacy of
those in power! Or shall the people Of
both countries demand of their rulers that
the war shall cease, as it is impossible that
the people OF the two sections can again
live together III harmony, that conven-
ton Of all the States be held to agree upon
terms OF separation, and upon the treaties
necessary to the happiness and prosperity
of neighboring governments at peace with
each other.
We may be told that the Northern gov
ernment will not agree to such conven-
ton. very readily admit that neither
the Lincoln government nor our own will
probably agree to ii, till stronger pres
sure of the people is brought to bear upon
both, and that the advocates Of this policy
IN the NORTH caunot control it SO long as
our presses and officials, State and Confed-
crate, denounce the movement, and there
by put wea pons in the hands of the gov
erninent a, Washington with which to
crush ont this growing sentiment i'll the
North, and more especially in the NORTH
western States. But think that recent
developments have shown that this doc
trine will Soon bear down everything be-
fore it i'll the North, ii met by demonstra-
tons Of approval i'll the South. Stop the
war and Coll i: convention of the States to
negotiate, and the people Of the North,
who are as tired OF it as we are, will agree
to proper adjustment upon the terms
above indicated sooner than resume hos
tilites.
La the meantime, till proper arrange
ments eau be made to adjust our Diff
culties and stop the etfusion of blood by
negotiation, it is the duty ofevery man in
Contedelacy to do everything possible in
his power to strengthen and sustain the
gallant ard glorious armies ofthe States
and Confederacy. Every man able to
bear arms, who can be spared from
home should be sent to the front either
in0the armies of the Confederacy, or as
a part ct the Militia of the States, and
everything possible be done to provide
for the wants and comfort of our troops
in the field and their loved ones at home
10 enable us to conduct negotiations sue
cessfully we must renew our efforts to
strengthen our armies and. maintain our
cause with ability and energy in the field,
cost what it may in blood Or treasure
We must not, however, expect the troops
to do all by hard fighting, bloodshed aud
the sacrifice of life
The statesman and the people at home
nave an Important part to act, as-well as
the General and the troops in the field,
in terminating the struggle. Ifthe troops
talter and fail to do their part in the hour
OF battle, the statesman is ready to cast
censure upon them. If the statesman
neg lects his part in conducting wise-nego-
tlat1ons to stop the war, the troops have
greater cause to eensure and condemn him,
as he has no right to trihe with theirlives,
and continue to expose them in battle ii
the object can be attained by negotiation
without the shedding Of blood. In acrisiz
like the present, craftsmanship is more