The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-08
THE RIeHr ROAR To PEACE.

Among other propositions contained in the
resolutions Of the late Chicago Convention,
was one suggesting "a cessation Of hostilities,
" with view to an ultimate convention of all
" the States, to the end that, at the earliest
practicable moment, peace may be restored
ON the basis of the Federal union of the
States" A satisfactory peace is certainly
desirable. But peace, to be valid and bind
ing on all the parties concerned, must be
regularly and legally made. Can such peace
be concluded by a convention, composed of
delegates from all the States, North and
SouthS 1t Is very important to settle this
question before the experiment is tried.
The war which it is proposed to end by ne
gotiation is a civil war-a war between the
National Government and certain revolted
subjects, whether individuals or States. The
object OF the war, on the part Of the national
authorities, is to preserve the Constitution.
Ne Government, therefore, can make no
peace which sacrifices the Constitution; nor
can the people, acting in their natural capa-
city, and independently of the constituted
authorities of the nation, make any kind of a
peace, without usurping the authority they
have granted to the general Government.
They have, in the Constitution, given to
Congress, expressly, the power to make war,
and TO the President and two-thirds of the
Senate the power to make treaties, which in
cludes, of course, the power to make peace
With the powers Of war and peace thus abso-
lutely conferred by the whole people of the
country on the General Government, can they
resume those powers and exercise them in
any other than the constitutional mode, with
out either first amending the Constitution for
the purpose, or entirely subverting it by revo-
lutionary violence?
IG then, peace can only be made constitu-
tionally by the President and the Senate, it
follows that a popular convention, composed
of delegates from all the States, can do no
more than discuss the question Of peace, and
possibly agree on the terms and conditions Of
an adjustment TO which, individually, they
would willingly assent. But such agreement
would conclude nothing, because the conven
tion, under the Federal Constitution, woulC
have no legal authority to make peace. An.
plan or basis of paciication on which the
night consent to stop the war would have :
be referred, at last, for ratification, to the Pre-
sident and Senate of the United States. An
peace otherwise concluded would be unlawfu
and worthless.
In this view Of the matter, it would seer
quite natural TO ask, what practical goo
result is to be expected from such methods @
securing peace as the national authorities ar
not likely to approvep And even if chang
Of Administration were effected by placing il
power q party that proclaims "unswervn
fidelity to the Union under the Constitution,
what reasonable hope is there that CONVEX
tion, equally representing the seeded State
would ever agree on any terms ofpeace whic
the nation, or its chosen representatives, coul
possibly accept and ratify ?
A just, legal, and valid peace can only b
nsde In the regular way. 1t must be COZ
cl, ded, at last, by the authorities to whol
Tie people Of the United States have give
exclusive power over the whole subject. A
cier methods for ending the war will onl
protract it. The Rebellion can never be sui
d cd by cancellation, and all efforts to oVe
come It by such means will only encourag
AID strengthen cause which must be cor
guered, at last, by force.