The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-11-15

Savannah, nor Mobile, nor OF all combined, car
save the enemy from the constant and exhaustive
drain of blood and treasure which must continue
until he shall discover that no peace is atalnabie
unless based upon the recognition oil our indefeas
able rights.
Before leaving this subject it is gratifying to as
sure you that the military supplies essentially
requisite for public defence will be found, as here
tofore adequate to our needs; and that abundant
crops have rewarded the labor of the farmer, and
rendered abortive the inhuman attempt of the en-
envy to produce, by devastation, famine among the
people.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
1t is not in my power to announce any change
in the conduct Of foreign powers. No such ac
ton has been taken by the Christian nations of
Europe as might justly have been expected from
their history from the duties imposed by interna-
tional law, and from the claims of humanity. 1t
is charitable attribute their conduct to no worse
motive than indifference to the consequences OF a
struggle which shakes only the Republican por-
ton of the American continent; and not to as
cribe to design a course calculated to ensure the
prolongaton of hostilites.
No instance in history is remembered by me in
which a nation pretending to exercise dominion
over another asserting its Independence, has been
the first TO concede the existence OF such lndepen-
dence No case can be recalled to my mind in
which neutral powers have failed to set the ex-
ample of recognizing the independence of a ma
ton, when satisfied of the inability of its enemy
to subvert its Governments and this, too, IN cases
where the previous relation between the contend
lug parties bad been confessedly that Of mother
country and dependent colony not, as in our
case, that of coequal States united by Federal
compact Ii has ever been considered the proper
function and duty of neutral powers to perform
the office Of judging whether in point of fact the
nation asserting dominion is able to make good its
professions by force of arms and, If not, by re-
coguition of the resisting party to discountenanee
the further continuance Of the contest. And the
reason why this duty is incumbent on neutral
powers is plainly apparent, when we reflect that
the pride and passion which blind the judgment
of the parties the conflict cause the continuance
of active warfare and consequent useless slaughter,
long alter the inevitable result has become appar-
cnt to all not engaged in the struggle. So>long,
therefore, as neutral nations fail by recognition OF
our independence to announce that, In their Judg-
meDt the United States are unable to reduce the
Contederacy to submission, their conduct will be
accepted by our enemies as tacit encouragement
to continue their efforts, and as an implied
rance that belief is entertained by neutral nations
in the success of their designs. A direct stimu-
lous whether intentional not, is thus implied to
securing a continuance of the carnage and devas
tatlOH Wnicn ueSOlate tnlS coutintul, anu "ulcH
they profess deeply to depore
The disregard of this just, humane and Chris
san public duty by the nations Of Europe is the
more remarkable, from the fact that authentic ex
preston had long since been given by the Govern
ments of both France and England to the convic.
tion that the Cnited States unable to conquer
the Coufederacy. 1t is now more than two years
since the Government of France announced Off
ciay to the Cabinets of London and St. Petersburg
its own conclusion that the United States
unable to achieve any decisive military success
In the answer sent by those powers, no intmation
of contrary opinion conveyed and it is
notorious that in speeches, both in and out of
Parliament, the members of Her Britannia Ma
jesys Government have not hesitated to express
this conviction in unqualified terms. The denial
OF our ii eht under these circumstances is so OBJ
viously unjust, and discrimiuates unfairly in
favor of the United States, that neutrals have
sought to palliate the wrong of which they
conscious, by protesting TO consider, in opposition
to notorious truth aud to the known belief of both
L1lligerents, that the recognition of indepen-
dence would be valueless without their further
Intervention in the struggle; Intervention of
which We olsclaim the desire and mIsrust the ad-
vantage. We seek no favor, we wish no interven-
ton, We know ourselves fully competent to main
tain our own rights and independence against the
invaders of our country, and We teel justified in
asserting that without the aid derived from re-
cruiting their armies from foreign countries, the
invaders would, ere this have been driven from
our soil When the recognition Of the Confeder-
acy was refused by Great Britain, in the fall of
1862, the refusal was excused on the ground that
any action by Her Majestys Government would
have the effect of iuhaming the passions of the
beligerents and of preventing the return of peace.
1t is assumed that this opinion sincerely en-
tertaned but the experience Of two years of
equaed carnage shows that it erroneous, and
that the result was the of what the British
Ministry humanely desired. A contrary policy,
policy just to US, policy divergng from an un-
varying course Of concession to all the demands of
our enemies: is still within the power of Her
MaJestys Government, and would, it is fair to pre-
sumo, be productive OF consequences the opposite
OF those which have unfortunately follow ed its
whole course OF conduct from the commencement
of the war to the present time. 10 word, peace
is impossible without independence, and it is not
TO be expected that the enemy will anticipate
neurals in the recognition of that independence
When the history Of this war shall be fully dis
closed, the calm judgment of the impartial pubcist
will, for these reasons, be unable to absolve the
neutral nations Of Europe from share in the
moral responsibility for the myriads of human lives
that have been unnecessarily sacrificed during its
progress
The renewed instances 10 which foreign powers
have given US just cause of complaint need not
here be detailed. The extracts from the Cores
2ondence of the State Department, which accom-
pauy this message, will afford such further infor
nation as can be given without detriment to the
public interest, and We must reserve for the futurr
such action as may then be deemed advisable tn