The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-10-19

other and towards the Federal head, would
doubtless be much better upasEstood1geo
orally, thsl they now sfe 6ee1kShould
favor such q proposition on]y asHa psaceful
1conference, al the Goyention of 4{67 was.
4 should Be opposed to leaving t6e Dues
lions at.issus 70 the absol ute Hecisioa of
5siss2l ss migtt 3 clothsd pswers
Ia. consulf and agree, II they Could upon
some plan of adjustment, to-bs-saomitted
to subsequent ratification by the sovereign
States whom it affected, before it should be
.aobligatory Of binding, and then BindlngptIy
on such as should SO ratify it. 1t becomes
the people Of the South, a. welfzs tne PEG:
pie Of the North, to be quite as watchful
and jealous of their rights as their common
ancestors were.
Tie maintenance Of liberty, in al Rage8
times and countries, whom snd where IL bdl
existed, has required not only constant Wig.
ilance and jealousy, but it has often required
the greatest p~riyations and sufferings and
sacrifices that people or States are ever sub
jected to. Through such an ordeal we are
now passing. Through a like and even
severer ordeal our ancestors passed in their
struggle for the principles which it has
devolved upon rs thus to defend sud insin
tain.
But great as our sufferings and sacrifices
have been and are, to which you allude,
they are as yet far short of the like suffer
ings and sacrifices which our fathers bore
with patience, courage and fortitude in the
crisis that tried mems souls, in their da ,.
These are the virtues that sustained them
in their hour of need. Their illustrious and
glorious example bids Us not tor under esti-
mate the priceless Inheritance they achiev
ed for US at such q cost of treasure and
blood. ,assiWgP
Great as are the odds We are struggling
against, they are not greater than these
against which they successfully struggled.
In point of reverses our. condition is not to
be compared with theirs. Should Mobile,
Savannah, Charleston, Augusta, Macon,
Montgomery, and even Petersburg and
Richmond fall, our condition would not
then be worse or less hopeful thanatheirs
was in the darkest hour that rested on
their fortunes.
With wisdom on tho part of those who
control our destiny in tho cabinets and in
the field, in outstanding and properly WELD
ing our resources at their command, and
in securing the hearts and affections OF
the people in the great cause of right and
liberty for which we are struggling, we
could suffer all these losses and calami-
ties, and greater, even, and still triumph in
the end. rU
At present, however, I do not see, as |
stated in the outset, that you or |, or any
number of persons in our position, can do
anything towards inaugurating any new
movement looking to a peaceful solution OF
the present strife The war on our part is
fairly and entirely defensive in its cbarac-
ter. How long il will continue to be thus
wickedly and mercilessly waged against us
depends upon the people of the North.
Georgia, our own State to whom we owe
allegiance, has, with great unanimity, pro.
claimed the principles upon which a just
and permanent peace ought to be sought
and obtained. The Congress Of the Cons
federate States has followed with an en-
dorsement of these principles, All you
and !, and Others in our position therefore;
can do on that line at this time is to sus-
tain the movement already inaughrated,
and, to the utmost Of our ability, hold up
these principles as the surest hope OF.
restoring %suundness to the public mind Of
the North, as the brazen serpent was held
up for the healing of Israel in the wilder.
uess. LEY 80 h-y =, sia--
The chief aid and encouragement We can
give the peace party at the North is to
keep before them these great fundamental
principals and truths, which alone will lead
them and us to permanent and lasting
peace, with the possession and enjoyment
of constitutional liberty. With these prin
ciples once recognized, the future would,
take care of itself, and there would be no
more war SO long as they should be ad-
hered to.AAA e. &BO4
All questions of boundaries, confede ra-
cies and union or unions would naturally
and easily adjust themselves according to
the interests Of the parties and the e5xigen>
cies of the times. Herein lies the true law
of the balance of power and the, harmony
Of States. .f' s"l ~
Yours, respectfully, a. La aags 81.
..s IN. ALEXANDER III. STEPHENS. a
D. ss1ya
VoTE ON THE New CONSTITUTION IN
MARYLAND.-The Baltimore Sun of Mon.
-gGr -. aLN l. Nv = A.TE HHH