Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-25


Citation, which I have said is necessary to
preserve their Republican form of govern
ment2 1t is great question. Inow ap-
proach it.
l admit in the first place that q success
full military defense is indispensable with
ont that nothing can be anticipated but
utter ruin. But is this all I think not.
There is something over and above success
il 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 in the North.
He 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-
sents madmen he cannot exercise what
Burke calls the truesG political wisdom,
magnaninnity, because he represents ma
iignants. Besides Mr. Lincoln Is commit
ted by his past career to the most violent
course. Ii he had been statesman when
he became President he could by wiso
policy have restored harmony. But in that
great crisis, when craftsmanship could
have accomplished so much, he used no
effort to harmonic, but yielded himself
q mere instrument of TIE foolish mob,
as if craftsmanship came from below up
wards. Mr.. Seward by his speeches made
III the winter of lSG0, showed that ho-
comprehended the policy Of Cancellation,
but just at the moment when it became
necessary to put ill force his fine maxims
he found no Use for them. Mr.. Lincoln's
mode of carrying on the war, his emauci-
patton policy, the license he gives his ar
my to commit the greatest outrages, shows
that he relies on nothing but force. l con-
teSs. therefore, l have no hope of Mr.
Lincoln as a pacifcatOr. should as soon
have selected Charles N. to pacify the
lIuguenots after the massacre of st. Bar
tholemew. But fortunately Mr.. Lincoln
and those he represents, are not all of the
North. There is a powerful party there
which condemn his policy. The party is
rational on the subject of slavery. 1t rep
resents whatever of amity OF conservatism
Is left at the North. This party proposes
that the war shall cease at least Temporal
rlly, and that all the States should meet in
amicable council, to make peace if posi-
bic. Ibis Is the most imposing demonstra-
ton IN favor Of peace made at the North
since the war broke out | think our onlv
hope OF satisfactory peace, one consistent
with tine preservation of free institutions.
is in the supremacy of this party a: some
time or other. Our policy, then, is to give
this party all the capital we can. You
should, therefore, at once in my opinion,
give this party all the encouragement pos
sl0le, by declaring your willingness to an
arlRstlce, and q cnnvocatinn 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 are
willing to cease hostilities, at least tempo
rarily, and meet in council to obtain peace
II possible. The theory upon which Mr.
Lincoln 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 tho theory of the Chicago
party Is tic true Ole. 10 PIT this matter
in another light, left us ask tie question,
what Is the policy that Mr.. Lincoln wishes
lis to pursue? Of course he wishes us to
verify his theory and falsify the opposite
theory. lie wishes to treat the advances
Of the Chicago Convention with cantempt
lie wishes to be able to say to the Northern
people" see. the government at Richmond
trainpigs upon your tenders of peaceful
negotiation, Mcclellan could accomplish
nothing By negotiation, war is all that is
left, don't remove me, am carrying that
OH with especial zeal" When we know
what MIR. Lincoln wants us to do, then we
know very certainly what we ought to do.
1t may be said, the proposed convoca.
ton OF the States is unconstitutional. TO
this 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
paclty Is the highest acknowledgements of
the principle of State Rights This i'm
posing assornblago is, in my opinion, tie
best, while it is the most august tribunal
to which the great question OF peace could
possibly be referred. Imagine this grand
council Of States i'll the act of converting
after the people everywhere in peaceful
possession of the right to elect their am
bassadors, had done so. What q sublime
spectacle it would present. There would
be nothing to compare with it in moral
grandeur in ancient or modern times. The
friends of humanity and progress, and
civilization, and all Christians in every
land woald rejoice at the spectacle, and
millions in every cline, the good every
where, would mingle their prayers in all
tongues for an suspicious issue to those
great deliberations. The question rests
with you. The responsibility is with you,
the consequences will be with yonr cOun.
try. You and Mr.. Lincoln can never
make peace. You may traverse indefi-
nitely the same bloody circles you have
been moving in for the last four years, but
Won will meyer annrnnrh anu nnnrnr tlnnn