The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-10-19
Letter Of Alexander H. Ste.
phens...His Views on the
Peace Movements.

The Southern papers publish letter
from Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, Vice
President Of the Confederacy, written by
that gentleman in reply to a letter address,
to him by several citizens Of Georgia, re-
questing him to give his views on the subs
ject of the peace movement. He sets out
by declaring that no person can feel a more
ardent desire than himself to put ian end
to this unnatural and merciless war; and
then proceeds to argue that easy and per"
feet solutions to all present and prospect
i've troubles are to be found in "the simple
recognition of the fundamental principle
and truth upon which all American consti>
tutional liberty is founded, and upon the
maintenance Of which alone it can be pre-
served-that Is, the sovereignty, the ulti-
mate absolute sovereignty of the States"
After dwelling at some length upon this
part of the subject, Mr.. Stephens gives his
views upon the question of peace as fol-
lows:
The idea that the old Union, or any Union
between sovereign States consistently with
this fundamental truth, can be maintained
by force is preposterous. This war springs
from an attempt to do this preposterous
thing. Superior power may compel Union
of some sort, but it wouldnot be the Union
of the old Constitution or of our new. 1t
would be that sort Of Union that results
from despotism.
The subjugation of the people of the
South by the people of the North would
necessarily involve the destruction Of the
Constitution, and the overthrow Of their
liberties as we'll as ours. The men or par,
ty at the North, to whom you refer, who
favor peace, must be brought to a full re-
a~lization of this truth in all its bearings, be-
fore their efforts will result in much practl>
cal good. Any peace growing out of a union
of States establish bed by free will be as
ruinous to them as to us.
The action of the Chicago Convention, SO
far as its platform Of principal goes, pre-
sents, as | have said on another occasion, a
ray of light, which, under Providence, may
prove the dawn of the day to this long aud
cherries light, the first ray of light l have
seen from the North since the war began.
This cheers the heart, and toward it | could
almost exclaim, "Hail, holy light, offspring
of Heaven, first born of the eternal coeter-
nal beam. May / express thee unbaImed,
since God is light"
Indeed, l could have quite so exclaimed,
but for the sad reflection t ,at whether it
shall bring healing in its beams or be lost
in a dalk and ominous eclipse ere its good
work be done, depends 80 much upon the
action OF others who may not regard it and
view it as / do. So at best it is but a ray,
q small and tremulous ray, enough only to
gladden. the heart and quicken the hope.
The prominent and lending idea of that
convention seems to have been desire to
reach q peaceful adjustment Of our present
difficulties and strife through the medium
of . convocation Of the States. They pro.
pose to suspend hostilities, to see what can
be done, ifanything, by negotiations of some
sort. This is one step in the right airec-
ton. To such q convention of the States
/ should have nc objection, as a peace con.
ference and interchange of views between
eqnal and sovereign powers, just as the
convention of 1887 was called aud assem-
bled.
The properly constituted authorities at
Washington and Richmond, the duly au-
thorized representatives OF the two confed-
eracies o Estates now at war with each 9TH
er, might give their assent to such a prop
csition. Good might result from it It
would be an appeal on both sides from the
sword to reason aud justice. All wars
which do not result in the extinction or
determination of one SHE or the other must
be ended sooner or later by some sort of
negotiation.
From the discussion or interchange of
views in sui a Convention, the history as
wen as the true natuie OF our institutions
and the relation Of the States toward each