The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-03-02
South to the old Government when it says,

South to the old Government when it saws
IA new Government founded upon the
equality and sovereignty of the States.
| Iu the same proposition it is declared that
eff this cannot be done"-that is, if re-
cognitiop of their independence and the
formation Of such "new Government y
as above cannot be accomplished, they
are then to consider-.what? Mark how,
by seeming to disguise their real mean
ing, they really express themselves in
favor of the old basis In case they can
not be recognized as independent, they
would ''agree upon treaties offensive, de-
fensive aud commercial;" meaning clearly
if they do not obtain recognition they are
ready to accept under the old Government
such an accommodation of our difficulties
as will draw US together, politically and
commercially, as against all the world
Could We expect more as the initiative of
a negotiation fo- peace, based upon Union?
To what would not negotiations begun in
this spirit lead! Is it not worth the while
to make the experiment?
Now | propose to the gentlemen on the
other side to meet that proposition. Pass
j your resolution, either to receive from or
send a commission to Richmond. Send
the distinguished gentleman from New
York. Mr.. Fernando Wood, who you
assert is with the South in sympathy
laughter and if he does not como with
in sixty days with proposition of peace
based upon the old Union and the ''eqial-
ity and sovereignty oil the States he will
agree to join you in fighting the rebellion
to its overthrow. | cannot speak for the
peace Democracy, not being recognized
as one of them, Ct am simply Demucrat;I
but | ran speak for the gentleman from
New York; who is u representative man
eli that element, and who sits behind me
that he will i'll case of failure join you in
every proper war measure until the rebel
lion is ended. Dare you do it? Dare yor
try this experiment for peace and Union
: Will you not hear will you not receive
commissioners with view to end the hor
rors ofthis war aud this species Of legis
! Iaton
want to know whether gentleman o,
the other side are willing to restore th'
old Union, and whether they are willin;
to receive such commission here aud lis
t;n to proposition to restore it upon tina
; busis, OF State equality and suvcreigniy J
Or are they in +, vo OF stl con nuins
the shi Without any effort al concn. tiol
: and accommodating pains and I.cnaties un
ii our statute book sroans with them >
y re they still determined tn make this
war Of eXtcrmInation and OF eVeriastin
separation? Will you continue this W.
TOR suhju2atiOn when there is at least
scintiila Of bore held out by the Sout
that they are ready to retrace their stcp
and return 10 their Allegiance? Have yo
D imagnanim ty enough, i'll the midst Of ou
/ successes and their depression, to stop thi
piling up of debt and taxation, and to sta
: the iuture ciiusiDn OF blood?
| am for restoring this Union of equ;
Z and sovereign States as it was in the pea
i fu! days Of the Republic; and If we can
e not succeed i'll that, if we cannot tres
d W tn those men on the basis of the oil
Union and the equality and spvereignt
G nt' tie States, then after fair trial of tn
: peaceful remedy, never yet tried, heley
e every true man, of whatever name in pol
/ tics, in the North will be, as when Sum
c ter tell, thoroughly united to fight dow
e the rebellion.
Dut. SIT, you nave not tried peacefl
u settlement. My proposition falls upo
/ sodden hearts. You will not Try it. Yo
dare not try it. Your object is not, as
G lea / ia'iar from the rcmark. of the gen
II tleman frcm Pcrssyl, ania, Mr.. Kelley
so frankly srcken ju> now, to restore I'll
Union. 1t is to blot out domestic il
!, stitution with which you never had an
d business, and which was recognized b
e the Constitution, bul which in dia. gin
e down, you are dragging down our syste
E, of local soverisaties nj constitution;
y freedom.
) There the hummer fell.