Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-11

t"SH NGAOSo NC nave d p0dC0 dCC0ItfTT1ASH
0y harmony with the North. Tn reat
question for US then is: How artAFe to
obtain such peace2
Betore1 consider this question, I VIZ q call
your attention to this fact, that thE peace
we are to make with the North, ITO be
made by Us and the North alone. s. There
is no probability of any foreign inafven-
ton; by that mean any armed iHerfer-
ence in our behalf The peace b5ween
the North and the South, when it ZONES,
must come then blythe action & these
parties alone. Foreign powers wi!lnot in
terfere. The question then is: Hb w are
these belligerent States now SO fierIely en-
gagged, to obtain this peace with RI concil-
latlon, which | have said is necessary to
preserve their Republican form IF govern
ment9 1t is great question. dow ap-
proach it.
admit in the first place that AZ uccess-
tul military defense is indispensable with
out that nothing can be anticiPj ID but
utter ruin. But is this ALI think not.
There is something over and above success
in war. That is political policy. If Mr..
Lincoln remains in power, there is no hope
OF accomplishing anything by political
policy. Mr.. Lincoln is the exponent of
the fanaticism and hatred at the North
lie holds power because he is the expo
nent OF these sentiments of his party in
order to be master of others, he has to be
their slave. He cannot be rational upon
the subject Of slavery, because he repre-
SCENTS madmen; he cannot exercise what
Burke calls the truest political wisdom,
magnanlmity, because he represents ma
lgnants. Besides Mr.. Lincoln is commit
ted by his past career to the most violent
course. If he had been statesman when
he became President he could by wise
policy have restored harmony. Butin the
great crisis, when craftsmanship could
have accomplished so much, he uses no
effort to harmonic, but yielded himself
up mere instrument of the foolish mob,
rs If craftsmanship came from below up
wards. Mr.. Seward by his speeches made
in the winter of 1860, showed that he
comprehended the policy of Cancellation,
but just at the moment when it became
necessary to put i'll force his fine maxims
he found no use for them. Mr.. Lincoln's
mode Of carrying on the war, his emanci-
patton policy, the licence he gives his ar
my to commit the greatest outrages shows
that he relies on nothing bat force. Icon
fc5s, therefore, l have no hope of Mr.. Lin
coin as pacifcator. / should as soon
have selected Charles TX. to pacify the
Hugnenots after the massacre of st. Bar
thOlemew. But fortunately Mr. Lincoln
and those he represents, are not al of the
North. There is powerful party there
which condemn his policy. The party is
rational on the subject of slavery. Trep-
resents whatever of amity or conservatism
is LETT at the North. This party proposes
that the war shall cease at least Temporal
rily, and that all the States should meet in
amicable council, to make peace if posi-
bic. This is the most imposing demonstra-
ton in favor of peace made at the North
since the war broke out. l think our only
hope of satisfactory peace, one consistent
with the preservation of free institutions,
is in the supremacy of this party at some
time or other. Our policy, then, is to give
this party all the capital we can. You
shou Id, therefore, at once in my opinion,
give this party all the encouragement pos
sible, by declaring your willingness to an
armistice, and convocation of all the
States in their sovereign capacity, to enter
upon the subject of peace. The theory upon
which this party goes, is that we arc will
ing TO cease hostilities, at least temporarily,
and meet in council to obtain peace if pos
siblG. The theory upon which Mr.. Lin
coin goes is, that there is no use to attempt
any negotiations with US; that the sword
is the only arbiter. Our policy is to show
that the theory of the Chicago party is the
true one. To put this matter in another
light, let US ask the question, what is the
policy that Mr.. Lincoln wishes us to pur-
sue2 OF course he wishes rs to verify his
theory and fabify the opposite theory
He wishes to treat the advances of the
Chicago Convention with contempt. He
wishes to be able to say to the North
ern people, "see the government at
Richmond tramples upon your tenders of
peaceful negotiation, Mcclellan could &C
complish nothing by negotiation, war is all
that is left, don't remove me, am carry
ing that on with especial ZEAL" When
we know what Mr.. Lincoln wants rs to
do, then we know very certainly what we
ought to do.
It may be said, the proposed convocs-
ton of the States is unconstitutional. To
this l reply, we can amend the Constitu-
ton. 1t may be further objected that to
meet the Northern States in Convention,
is to abandon our present form of govern
ment. But this no more follows than that
their meeting us implies an abandonment
of their form of government. A Con-
gress of the States in their sovereign ca
pacity is the highest acknowledgment of
the principle of State Rights. This i'm
posing assemblage is, in my opinion, the
best, while it is the most august tribunal
to which tie great question of peace
couId possibly be referred. Imagine this
Grand council of States in the act of con-
vening after the people everywhere in
peaceful possession Of the right to elect
their ambassadors, had done so. What a
sublime spectacle it would present There
would be nothing to compare with it in