Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-05-20

.v.v or adding To- Nv earnest remonstrauce against
the passage of the present act is herewith transn
ted together with divers other letters TO the Sone
crate authorities in relation to the execntion o.
civil laws, rights of the people, de-, and which WIN
convince you, trust that have been equally zeat-
Gus to guard against the inner well as tho outer
dangers which threaten US.
MANY recurring dangers of serious conflict with
the Confederate government, especially In relation 70
the seizure Of principals Of substitutes alter discharg0
by a Judge, have been upon me since your session.
Tbey were fortunately avoided however but tneir
solution would have been easy could but have had
the assistance Of the Supreme Court. greatly re-
gret that you did not proper to comply BllA my
recommendation, when you we're last IN session, 70
authorize some one to convene that body 10 cases oil
great importance and which admit OF no delay. can
but repeat it uow, for many obvious reasons
Nor have /, amid all the embarrassments aud per-
plexities of the situation been unmindfu OF the great
object of all blood and sufering-peace, or neg
lectful of all proper and honorable Efforts to obtain
it-khowiug the great desire of our people to save
the precious blood of their children, II by any pos
sbilty an opening might be found for the statesmen
to supercedc the soldier, approached the President
on the first opportunity presented by the cessation OF
hostilities last winter and urged him to appoint COM
missioners and try what might be done by negotia-
tons. had little hope, indeed, of those commits
soners being received by the government of our enc
my, but thought it our duty for humanity's sake,
to make The effort aud to convince our own sufrriug
people that their government tender of their lives
and property and happiness. ... ......-,...
. Ny letter 70 the PRESIDENT last December and his
reply are sent herewith for your Information.
| respectfully recommend that you, as the repre-
sentatives of the people OF North Carolina, should lay
down what you would consider fair basis Of peace,
and call upon our Representatives IN Congress, aud
those to whom is committed the power OF making
treaties, by the Constitution to neglect no fitting OPP
rt,ify pf pffar To fta
iu my judgment should be nothing less than the in
dependence of those States whose denies have been
fairly united with the Confederacy by the voice of
their people, aud the privilege of Tree chJce to thuse
which have been considered doubtful.
presume that no honorable man or patriot could
think Of any thing less than Independence. Less
would be subjugatOn, ruinous and dishunorable-
Nobody at the North thinks of reconstruction, sim
ply because it is impossible. With constitution
torn into shreds, with slavery abolished, with
property con6scated aud ourselves and our children
reduced to beggary, our slaves put in possession of
lands, and invested with equal rights social and
political, aud great gulf yawning between the North
and South, filled with the blood Of murdered sons,
aud its waves laden with the debris of our ruined
homes, how there be any reconstruction with the
authors Of these evils, how it be desirat lie If
it were pJsSibe2 Lincoln himself says it is not pos
sible-so does Mr.. Fillmore a man whom we once
respected, aud do nnetenths of their orators and
presses. The only terms offered US containedin
Mr., Lucon's infamous proclamation, were alike de-
grading in matter and insulting in manner being ad-
dressed not to the authorities Confederate or State
OF the South, but to Individuals who Ivy the very act
Of accepting its terms would make frum themselves
the vest OF mankind.
cannot too earnestly warn you, gentlemen, and
the country against the great danger of these nsid-
Gus attempts of the enemy to seduce people into
treating with him for peace, individually or by the
formation Of SDuriOnS States nnrts IF Stafpc In
deed might add, that l look upon any attempts to
treat for peace other than through the regular chan
nes provided by constitution long as our gov
eminent is maintained, as aim. st equally dangerous
1t is the real peril of the hour. The long continu-
auce and bloody character of the war, have so ex-
hausted the patience cf our suffering people that
many OF them are IN condition to listen eagerly to
terms of peace, without duly considering what the
results would be- or how they to be acquired
An example Of this great danger is to be found in the
attempt of the British ministry in 1778 to seduce the
loyalty of our furefathers from the cause of indie
pendence, by seRdng peace commissioners to the COL
onieS with the propositions contained in Lord Norths
"conciliating bills" These bills proposed to abolish
all taxation whatever upon the colonies except what
might be necessary for the convenience OF commerce
the nett proceeds Of which were to go to the use
oil the colonies to suspend the operations of all obrox-
ous statutes in reference to said colonies passed since
1853, and authorized these commissioners to pardon
all such persons as they proper and to treat with
"the existing governments or individuals" Here al
most all the principal matters Of dispute were cou-
ceded; but our fathers had organized government
and had set their hearts on independence. Yet the
terms offered were fair, that but for the firmues
and wisdom Of the great and good George Washing
ton, and the unfnchiDg patriotism of Congress the
fate of this continent might have been changed; So
great was the WEAKNESS of the people and gloomy
were the prospects, The danger of allowing commits
sioDers to address themselves to anybody but Con-
gress so great we'll as such q violation of the
laws Of war and international courtesy, that that
body, after promptly rejecting the propositions and
declaring that "the only solid proof" OF disposition
on the part of the crown to make honorable
with the colonies, "woud be an explicit ackuowl-
cdgement of independence of these States or the
withdrawal uf the fleets and armes"-went on SOL
emily to declare the measure "to be Contrary to the
law Of nations and utterly subversve OF that con-
dcnce which could alone maintain these means which
had been invented to alleviate the horrors of war
and that therefore, the persons employed to distribute
such papers were not entitled TO the protection of
flag"
General Washington was 30 astonshed. and indig-
nant, that on its first appearing, he was induced to
regard it as forgery, and in letter to the Presi-
dent of Congress, he used the following language
remarkable for itsseverity, coming from him: "The
enclosed draft OF bill brought to Headquarters
yesterday afternoon bya gentleman, who informed
me thata large Cargo OF them had just been sent out
Of Philadelphia. Whether this insdious pr oceeding
is genuine and imported in the pockets, contrved
10 Philadelphia, is a point undetermined and imue-
teria bat it is certainly founded in principles of the
must wicked diabocal baseness aud meant to poison
the minds of the people, and detach the waveIiug al
least front our cause" Aud again; "The necessity
of putting the army on respectable footing, both
as to numbers and Constitution is now become more
essential than ever. The enemy are beginning to
play game more dangerous than their Efforts by
arms Though these will not be remlted in the small.
est degree which threatens fatal blow to the indie
pendence Ct America and of to her liberties
They endeavoring to ensnare the people by spe-
cious allurements IF peace. 1t is not improbable
they have had such abundant to be tired of the