The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-21

guished Georgians, with view to q conference
upon the state of the country and the settle
ment of our difficulties that he would give
the Governor passport through the lines with
an escort, if desired, to 90 and return at such
time as might be agreeable to him that he
General Shermen recognized him Governor
BROWN as the Governor of the whole State.
and as over one hundred miles of the territory
of the State is now behind his lines, he (Gener-
al Sherman) would allow the Governor to 90
and visit his people in the rear if he desired to
look after their condition. and return at his
pleasure-that he would receive him and all
other distinguished Georgans at his headquar-
tiers and treat them with the respect and con-
sideratiOn due their positions during the con-
ference which he invited-that he did not wish
to be compelled to overrun and desOlate more
of the territory of the State, etc.
GOV. BROWNS REPLY.
After hearing the statement of n.
king, the Governor replied:
Please make to Gen. Sherman my acknowl-
edgment Of my obligation for the personal
courtesies which you say he proposes to ex-
tend to me. But as he is only general COM
handing an army in the field, and the Gov
ernor of State, neither the constitution of
his country nor of my own cOnfers upon us
any power to negotiate treaty of peace. We
probably hold but few sentiments in common;
but, if we should agree in every particular, we
would have power to bind no one by any COM
pact we might make. As our interview could,
therefore, result in nothing practical, must
decline the invitation. While the portion of
the State now in the rear of General Shermans
army is held by him, and the execution of the
laws of the State suspended by armed force, l
know of no service which l could render to
the people of that section by a personal visit.
If could better their condition or mitigate
their sufferings, l would, on their account,
| cheerfuly 60 at the expense OF any incOnve-
nience or personal sacrifice which the trip
might cost me.
To the remark that Gen. Sherman does not
wish to be compelled to overrun and desolate
! more of the territory of Georgia, reply that
| no compulsion rests upon him to attempt this,
unless it be the cruel orders of his government.
| If he makes the effort, he will find much
greater difficulties in the way of his advance
| for the next hundred miles than those en-
| cOuntered during the march from Dalton to
| Atlanta. Georgia may possibly be overrun,
| but can never be subjugated, and her people
will never treat with q conqueror upon her
soil; AS sovereign State she had the I'M
| doubted right to dissolve her connection with
| the government Of the United States when the
compact had been violated by the other States
| of the COnfederacy. and to form a new COM
pact, which she has done. She is as sOver-
eign to-day as she was the day she seeded
from the old Union, and has the same power,
by convention of ther people, which she
then had to resume all delegated powers and
all the attributes of sovereignty, and then to de-
clare war, negotiate treaties of peace, and do
all other acts which a sovereign State may do.
While this power rests in her people, who are
the original source of all sovereignty, her
constitution, formed by them, has conferred no
| such power upon her Governor.
The fact must not be overlooked, however,
that while Georgia possesses the sovereign
power to act separately, her faith, which new
| er has, and trust never will be violated, is
| pledged by strong implication, to her southern
sisters, that she will not exercise this power
without concent on their part and concert of
action with them. In league with her south
ern sister States, she entered into this contest
with full knowledge of all responsibilities
which attached to the act and come veal or
| woe she will never withdraw from il in dishOn-
| or. However unequal may be the proportion
of suffering or sacrifice which her people may
have to endure, she will never make separate
terms with the enemy which may free her ter
| ritOry from invasion and leave her cOnfedcr-
ates in the lurch. Whatever may be the opin-
ion other people as to the justice done her by
| the Confederate administration. She will tri-
umph with her Confederate sisters, or she will
| sink with them in common ruin. The intel
ligent people of Georgia already understand
| and our enemy will soon learn that the indie
pendent expression of condemnation of the ad-
ministration is one thing and disloyalty to our
sacred cause is another and quite different
| thing. While the people of Georgia think for
thems elves, and will not blndly applaud the
mismanagement OF their rulers, they will new
er violate principle for eXpediency, nor accept
| dishOnOr for reward.
The foundation of our government and the
liberties of the people rest upon the sovereign.
| ty of the States as their chief corner stone.
Destroy the sovereignty of the States and the
whole fabric falls to the ground, and central
lied power with military despOtism takes the
place of constitutional liberty.
When the passions of the people North and
South have sufficiently subsidized, we may
make peace by negotiation, but never by the
sword.
| If Mr. Lincoln would have peace and pros
perity re-established on a firm basis, let him
stop the war, and, planting himself upon the
principles of the Declaration of Independence
of 1716, let him recognize the sovereignty of
the States, and agree to leave each sovereign
State to determine for herself by convention
of her people, whose delegates shall be fairly
chosen by the legal voters of the State, with
out military interference or intimidation
whether she will remain in, or, if out, return
to the old Union, or adhere to her present
league.
There may be doubts whether Kentucky,
Missouri, and probably other States, desire to
continue their connection with the United
States or to cast their lot with the Confeder-
ate States: The only just mode of solving
these doubts is the one above indicated. If
these or any other of the southern States should
in solemn convention decide to go with the
United States, ueither the Confederate govern
ment nor the other States can object. We
cannot govern Kentucky, for instance, against
her will unless we can subjugate her. This
we have no power to do with the northern
States at her back and if we had the power.
we have no right to coerce sovereign State
into a connection which is not of her own
| choice. If this were done we must in the fu-
turc, govern her people by the bayonet, which
would convert our repubicanism into the
worst species of despotism. So it must be in
the North if Mr.. Lincoln should succeed in his
policy ofconquering US.
II we were oyerrun and for time subdued,
II .rr l. - a.al