Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-10-12
VICE PRESIDENT STEPHENS VIEWS UP
ON PEACE MOVEMENTS.


ON PEACE MOVEMENTS.
The following letter from our worthy
Vice President, Hon. A. H. Stephens, Civ
ing his views upon "Peace Movements"
will be read with great interest. 1t was
written in answer to letter addressed to
him by several gentlemen in the interior
of the State:
CR4wFoRDsvHLE, TIA,
Sept 23d, 1854.
GENTLEMEN You will please excuse
me for not answering your letter of the
18th instant, sooner. Ihave been absent
nearly a week OH visit to my brother in
Sparta, who has been quite out Of health
for some time. Your letter I found here
on my return home yesterday. The delay
of my reply thus occasioned, regret.
Without further explanation Or apology,
allow me now to say to you that no person
living can possibly feel more ardent de-
sire for an end to be put to this unnatural
and merciless War upon honorable and Just
terms than do. But really do not see
that it is in my power, or yours. or that OF
any number OF persons in our position, to
inaugurate any movement that will even
tend to aid in bringing about result that
we, and so many more, so much desire.
The movement by orr Legislature a: its
last session, at the suggestion of the Exec
ntive, on this subject, was by authority
properly constituted for such purpose.
That movement in my jud gment was time
ly, judieious, and in the right direction.
Nor has it been without results. The Or
ganization of that party at the North to
which you refer may be justly claimed as
Il part of the fruits Oft. These it is to be
hoped will be followed by others ola more
marked character, if all in both sections
who sincerely desire peace upon correct
terms, will give that movement thus inau-
gurated all the aid in their power.
The Resolutions of the Georgia Legisla-
lure atits last session, upon the subject of
peace, in my Judgment embodied and set
forth very clearly those principles upon
which alone there can be permanent peace
between the different sections of this cx-
tensive. once happy and prosperous, but
now distracted country. The easy and
perfect solution to all our present troubles
and those far more grievous ones which
loom up in prospect and portentously
threaten in the coming future, is nothing
more than the simple recognition of the
fundamental principle and truth upon
which all American Constitutional liberty
is founded and upon the maintenance Of
which alone it can be preserved; that is,
the sovcreignty-tlie ultimate absolute
sovereignty OF the States. This doctrine
our Legislature announced to the people of
the North and to the world. 1t is the on
ly keynote to psace-permanent, lasting
peace-consistent with the security Of
public liberty. The old Confederation was
formed upon this principle. The old
Union was afterwards formed upon this
principle; and no Union or League can
ever be formed or maintained between any
States, North or South, securing pnblic
liberty upon amy other principle. The
whole frame work Of American Institutions
which in so short a time had Won the adj
,niration of the world, and to which we
were indebted for snch ar unparalleled CD
reer of prosperity and happiness, was
formed upon this principle. All our pres
ent troubles spring from departure from
this principle-from violation of this es.
sential vital law of our political organism
In 1776 our ancestors and the ances
tors Of those who are waging this I'M
holy crusade against us, together pro
claimed the great and eternal truth, fol
the maintenance of which they Jointly
pledged their lives, their fortunes anc
their sacred honor, that government.
are instituted amongst men deriving theil
Just powers from the consent of the gov
erned;' and that I" whenever any form O.
government becomes destructive of these
ends Chose for which it was formed) it il
the right Of the people to alter or abolish
it, and to Institute new government, lay
ing. its foundation OH such principles
snd organizing its powers in snch form a.
to them shall seem most likely to etfec
their safety and happiness
1t is needless here to state that the PEG
pie" and the governed in this annun
Citation is meant communities and bodies
of men capable Of organizing and main
tanning government, not individual lleln
bers OF society. The " consent of the gov
erned" refers to the will of the mass O
the community or State in its organizes
form and expressed through its legftilnat
and properly constituted organs.
1t was upon this principle the Colonie
stood Justified before the world in effect
ing separation from the mother country
1t was npoa this principle that the origina
thirteen co-eqaal and co-sovereign State
formed the federal compact of the oil
Union in 1897. 1t is upon the same prir
ciple that the present CO equal and co.so,
ereign States Of our Contederacv forme
their new compact Of Union. The idea til,
the old Union OF any Union between all