, 1864-02-27
The South and the War.

n
ten by Hon. T. Butler King in June last
Mr.. King, in his letter, "defnes his position. "
He claims to have always maintained the
right of State to secede from the Union,
and to have urged Georgia to exercise that
right upon the election of Mr.. Lincoln. He
says he regretted the necessity of such an
act, and even hoped, after the ordinance had
been adopted, that the Federal Government
would adopt such measures as would permit
their return. The war, however, put an
end to these expectations, and he has sus-
tanned it to the utmost of his ability-having
given every male member Of his family to
the field, and two were most dear to him,
to a soldiers grave. Mr.. King then pro-
ceeds
"But war must end in peace; and sooner
or later both parties must agree to terms up
on which they will lay aside their arms The
events of the past two years should be sufi-
cient to convince every reasonable man, both
North and South, that it is impossible for
the Federal Government to subjugate our
people; and statesmen of the South cannot
fail to perceive that the Federal Government
cannot abandon the war, except on a resto-
ration Of the Union, without danger of the
further dismemberment Of the nation.
Then, unless both parties can be influenced
by the spirit Of concession and compromise,
when in the language of one of our dis
tinguished Senators, lis this struggle to end?'
No man can answer as to the years but he
may safely answer, not until both parties are
exhausted and ruined-not until the North
fbop
would have been if she had quietly acqui-
esced in our separation, and not until the
South is worse off than she would have been
by remaining in the Union under an Aboli-
tion Administration of the Government.
These considerations would lead me to
favor any terms of peace that the South
could, with proper regard for her interest
and honor, accept.
If the people of the North would now
concede our rights, and the Federal Govern
ment secure them to US, the danger with
which we were threatened by remaining in
the Union, and the objection we had to it,
would be removed, and we might with honor
and advantage return to it.
The Federal Government has proceeded so
far with the war that these are the only terms
of peace to which we could reasonably ex-
pect it to agree; and l regret to say that l
have no expectation that such terms will be
proposed, or would be accepted by that Gov
ernment while the Presidential chair is oc-
cupied by the present Abolition incumbent.
But if, fortunately, during his administra-
tion, or within a reasonable time afterward,
such terms should be offered, l am free to
say, that should prefer their acceptance by
our people to the continuance of the war,
which must result in the desolation of our
country, and the ruin Of both North and
South. A peace on such terms would be
eminenty honorable to both parties-nei-
ther could claim the victory-while the
strength and valor each has exhibited would
command the respect and admiration of the
other.
To this extent I am 'reconstructionist.'
But it must not be understood that | would
prefer reconstruction and peace on the terms
indicated, to a speedy peace recognizing our
Independence that were possible nor
must it be understood that l doubt our abil-
ity to achieve our independence if the con-
hict is continued. But l believe it would
be better for ourselves, for our posterity, and
for mankind, that we should accept peace
with our rights secured within the Union,
than to continue the war many years, giving
oceans of blood, millions of treasure, and
running our country for independence.
And yet the North has manifested no in
clination to make peace on any reasonable
terms; and until she evinces pacific dispc-
sition, and hostilities are suspended for ne
gotiation, nothing remains for us but to de-
vote all our energies, skill and resources to
the conflict