, 1864-12-03
REBEL POLITICS.

REBEL POLITICS.
Significant Letter from the Rebel
Vice President.
WHY THE REBE1s DESIRED necLELLiy,s
ELECTION.
The following is an extract from letter of
Alexander Il. Stephens, dated Nov. $, 1861.
to Senator Semmes Of Louisiana It Is Of pe-
culiar interest in view of the result of the re-.
cent election:
In personal quarrc1s such submission ia
often made; and, to the honor Of humanity It
may be said, that in most cases Of this kind
the result is an amicable and honorable settle
ment. Whether such would be the result of
q convention Of the States in purt case, is; Of
course, uncertsin: The probabilities, l. am
At any fate, there fs,a possibility that It
might. When VIC look at the elements Of
such body, if it should be rendered on the
other side, and accepted on ours, and the true
nature of the controversy, am not without
strong hopes that it would SO result.
,<adefta 1.frf stg ne prGige s sa shaa r2e5e z % 5e
cannot b eteesed lcishoM :eurrying a suDscient
1unbtr Of The &ats, .nAteh, ifunated ,cid. iAosc
ofths Confetat4acy, ttVsld MAKE majority Of khe
States.
In such convention, then, so formed, have
we not strong reasons to hope and expect
that = resolution could be passed denying the
constitutional power Of the Government
under the compact Of 1787, to coerce Slater
The Chicago platform virtually does this alrendy.
Would not such convention most probably
reat1irm the Kentucky and Virginia rcsolu-
tions Of 1708 and 1889? Are there not strong
reasons at least to induce us to hope and
believe that they might? If even that
recognize AZ The fundamental principle Of An,eri-.
oan Institutions Tie ultimate, absolute aortreignty
Of The seteral &ales. 1Ats fully coters or lnde-
pe,sae,lec as fully az 1rt&h cetr to Sce II Covered
I seish no othc, Kind Of recognition. M.enerer It
comes, thai. 1aat Of George III, Of England, viz:
Interrogation Of the Sovereignty and dlndepen-
dence Of each State separately and By mime.
Our Confederation was formed by sovereign
and independent States. It was formed for
the defense md maintenance Of the sovereign
ty Of each. We have unity Of name and unity
Of action, simply because the cause Of each
has became tho cause Of all. II, then, ma
jority OF all the States should in solemn con-
vention settle THIS great principle, would it
not virtually settle the controversy and end
are contending2 Would not tho terms Of q
tinal treaty Of peace he easily adjusted after
tlasrc not sufficient reasons to hope that snch
might be the result In case a. convention
should be proposed as have stated, and ac~
copied Us mode Of ffnaugurnting nesot ottations
Of peace, to justify our making favorable re-
sponse to the tender Of 1t by the party at Chi
cago, in case they should be brought into
power: To my mind It seems cleaf that they
are.
You will also allow me to say, that I look
upon The e3eetion Of Mcclellan as a matter Of
saat importance to us in erery possible uic,c Of s
ease, and he'ac thought 4 .jtadieious, patriotic
and teise to do ertruthiny khat could be properly
done to aid hts e'eetion: Whatever may b his in
Rig. Is party at tie Nort+, in opposition TO he
Ct'tralIsts and ConstRMationias, arhose hobby now
Is dbo31iontsm. I hare thought .fron. the bfgin-
Ming that our true policy ,ras to build up and
strengthen such party at the North, by al mtans
II orr pouer. Not only upon thr 7ctse marin Of
Philip Of -Na:taon, 10 di,fde tte enemy as qacs-
much ne|s1 @ .otiss: 4 Eot o. only i '' sn early niy
peace, but our future safety, security and hap
piness required it. The people Of the North
are obliged 10 be our neishbors. It matters
not how this war may terminate, they arc
alongside Of us, and must, with the genera
tions after them, there remain forever. 1t Is
ta.;4. 49, .1..., FtI :" "a Auu w poe'
,ri,a;.ra1 ee@1 ~ H. W E*i Eou nt
them and us. To be good ne;ghbors they
must hare q. good government. It is
ainost as Vital 10 us tnat lucy nave
gooo eoSesnmeh1, Us tnat We nave sncn our
selFes' ~ ls 1huch bettef 70 govern, Il It can
s1aN rfsnu in Tho Establishment, permanently, Of
Me (anda'ae"tet ps1actHts ty'ng a. as Me }oundo-
tioH Of dn.cTaenH constitutional liberty, that Is;
ttS do*HatG, GtUHdte sofeTetg"tU ~ Me ofates,
ga more !Hah compensate Jof az Us sacrifice q
wow ana treasure, g'ed4 a. taese ]tdte Gee" or
may 1t. " VIII secure peace on Inc continent
tor u nave
Eisat E':;5: interest N lostetlns, chetisMas ano
Mg M4nnulhg up anu Ieisng 10 power az the
Hodtn any petson aVo!inG 1nese prlnclp1es.
y nc proper tane q pot.ey had ocen pursued oy
our aat"oru.es n ta .oesaTd ne e!t7"e7a g popmar
Se''.o'e3a s:s TILL a. Ms !,orn Jro me o:g,"1g oe
triumphant at he approaching eltetioa. I6diere
an out and out Stdte R;ghts man might and tcoud
hare oet' nominated at Chicago and elected. But
I edn Judge Of IT, to Aore ben directed rrih rie.c
TO sNakan, cripple qnd ann01aate that Party.
riding ne enemy, M<l o3ject seems 10 ha.x bee.
10 unts and arungthen Mem. lido morso,yr,
,vr0p 0diere, that ii President Darts, ert7s t1er
NcClegan's non.fnation, had tnadea ,farorab'e re-
Sp0Hte to the CAicngo 7fsolulioa looking to eo1l
sVntion Of the States, AZ a mode Of inauguratay
negotiations Of peace, that It ,rouid greatly hare
add hts eatction. It might have secured it:
AL that he need have sid In some public
manner was, that II such u proposition should
be rendered By the Federal Government, he
would aceedc to 1t, With some such limitations
and restrictions rs stated By me in the letter
before alluded to. The Idea that this could
not be constitutjPually done is strange to
me, In tho most objectionable view OF the
ssnc!ect, delegates, one or more from sach
State, would be but commissioners or pleni-
lively, to initiate negotiations, SC, Their acts
would be eubject to the approval or dIsap-
proyal OF their Governments respectively.
Why commissioners cuuld not be appointed
In this way, rs we'll AS any other, without any
violation of the Constitution, do not Aec.
The treaty-making power In both Govern
1nents Is anpls for thia purpose At least 1t
seems to me so- Indeed, as / have sail oe-
fore, It seems to me that It Il ample on both
sides TO snbmlt the aucstloa n issue 10 ~:
consideration merely OF any body On earth.
o4I euo"ea u tuls.
= kno" mere are many persons among rs,
Nnose Opinions ase entitled 70 hfsa eonside-
latlon, VINO 9o n0t agree WIN me on the
question OF MGClGHan's eleetfon' lhcy pre-
IT theoh 70 McGiellan: te9haps u'f fress-
1s.4 oesong: to uos doss 'a1Hsh1J rom NJ; oets,'
@tou1 Me,l@ u!at st Ae o'u' 1Aofe q ute da1 70
:Ifont 81 M .fte1, H7u' 15tons Aase "'e9, 0snS 1as
as:@ ueV 's.W u cv'!se'pot Mttna atoh*u :, "
etetfa. o. oty 0" ue tAaeago ptMJorm ese7s, tAa1
aae4 e..ns j"a 'sao7@'o" = "f o".o' tooaaa
* 9De5eu a. or Ieolke ecotAu accept
1,ss 1ne gnon Me onlon noans Mena.