Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-28
( From the Progress. I
The Letters of Messrs. BOyce and stephens.

The Letters Oh MeSSTss Royce and stephens
Mr. EDITOR The above named letters have been
before the public for some days. and have created
considerable sensation, especially the latter. pro-
pose with your consent to make some comments up
on them through your bold and independent paper.
will just notice that OF Mr.. Stephens. 1t is not in
my opinion such paper was to have been ex-
pected from so great statesman Mr.. Stephens
is on all hands acknowledged to be. The fact is, |
suspect he was hampered by his situation. | have
heard the opinion expressed by eminent men that
he was made Vice President for the purpose of muz-
zing him. His spirit is high, and his hatred of
tyranny such, that the secessiousts were willing to
get rid of MIN on any terms an opponent of their
measures
Mr. Stephens avows himself in favor of peace
what kind of peace he does not distinctly inform
US, but we think any man Of ordinary intelligence
can guess. 1t must be patent to every man. that in
our present situation, no proposition which may
make for peace stands the smallest chance of being
considered by the federal government unless made
upon the basis Of reconciliation. To accomplish
this no plan promises fairer than a Convention o f
all the States-North and South. To this plan the
Vice President gives in his adhesion, and the thanks
of the country are due him for it. rs his name is
tower OF strength TO any project which he endorses
Whether such conyOcation of the States can be
Obtained must be determined by the events of the
next four weeks. We are glad however to see
that many able statesmen of the South coming
to their sufficiently to favor it if attainabe
We are afraid that Mr. Stephens expresses a con-
fidence in our prospects which he does not feel He
endeayors to convince himself and others that our
is far from being hopeless and refers to the
struggle of our ancestors in the old revolution to
Justify his opinions | hope the opinion of the Vice
President may be correct but can find nothing in
the history OF revolutionary struggle with the
mother country calculated to give US much encour-
agement. l think that no false lights should at
time like this, be held up before our people, but
that the naked truth should in every instance be
told. therefore propose to give brief history of
the circumstances under which the thirteen Colo
MES obtained their independence from Great Britain
To understand the history of that struggle fully,
it is necessary to so back twenty years to what
known as 1.-THE seven years war" In that war;
the armies Of England, guided by the vigor and ii
genius of the elder Pitt were every where success
full by sea and land On the Continent of America
she effected the conquest of the Canadas from the
French, and Florida from Spain. She also conquer
ed from Spain the island OF Mnorca in the MedILer-
ranean from France Senegal and Goree in Africa,
and several Of the West India islands. If she was
thus successful in the West she was even more so
in the East There Give, by his great talents both
civil and military, wrested FROM France all her pos
sessions and founded the magnificent English En-
pire in India. England has never before or since
been engaged in any which terminated so glOri-
ously for her. France and Spain were humbied in
the dust For twenty years they were silently
broodng over the recollections of Quebec, of Gre
veldt, OF Mlnden and Moro, awaiting day of retri-
button
At length after many years of reace and prosperi-
ty, England was torn by internal dissensions. To
discomfort in Ireland was added the rebellion of her
American colonies. English subjects took up arms
to defend their liberties against English encroach-
ments. Instead of conciliating them as she might
have done, she declared them out of her protection.
Then came their Declaration of Independence, and
their determination to maintain it by the sword -
France and Spain now saw with exultation and de-
light that the day of vengeance was at hand France
acknowledged the independence the United States
and entered into treaty offensive and defensive
with them, and her example was soon followed by
Spain. This act made them parties to the war which
now ragged with great fury in every quarter Of the