The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-10-28
HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM THE
SOUTH.
Vice President Stephens Address to the
People OF Georgia.

President Hon. AleXanier II. Stephens, giving
his views upon the prospects q peace, was
writtea in answer % !, letter addressed to him
by several ot Lis teIlow-citizeas Of Georgia
CIsAwfoRpsvILLE, Ga, Sept. p, 1861.
Geet5emsp. You will please excuse me for
not answering yonr letter Of the I4th instant
sooner ! ilaye been absent for nearly !; week
on visit 20 my brother in SPARTA who has
been out OF heailh.for some time Your letter !
found here on my return home yesterlay.-
The delay OF nay reply thus occasioned re-
gIct
Without further explanation or apology al
lew ne now to say to you that no person living
can feel Il more ardent desire for an end to be
put ct this Gnnatural and mcrciless war upon
honorable ard l4St Terms than | Do. But really
do not see that ii Is IN my power or yours, or
that OF any nunber Of persons in our position,
60 inaugara3e any movement that u1!i aid IN
bringing about 4 result that we and 50 .ntny
more, desire
The movanlent by cur ,Iislatlr, at its last
session, attic sugscatSoa Of the E2etutisei on
this subject, was ~ a4tIoTlty prolc. y eAnsiI-
iuysl f9r surI Il purpose.
That nov 1en', IL my Jul sletst, was time
b, jueiaJs ,ta.t ia The igat dire ;Gon Nor
has II been without results. Tue organizations
oi that party IL t.l North to which yoa refer
may Just. ~ clai,aed as Il part of Ac rails q
H. These, i. il 10 BE- h5,.el VII he rJi,5 ell
oy others of {, tners marked character if all in
both sections who siueercly desire peace upon
correct eruls ai.l gj,e t!,tt noyetAs3t, thus iH-
augarated. ali IN ,il ID hair power.
The resolutions oi tha G-jfgis r. 5slatpre,
u, It's last session. Upon the suq'' y. OF peaae in
usy juA .laruj otn1o'ied aa,hset tosth gery clear
iy ii,9-e principles upUA cA alone there c,,n
&. permanent peace between The tlifSerea: see
tions oi This extensive, once happy ami pos
perons, !rai now iisir1cte! cauatry.
Easy aud gereat solutions 10 all present
troubles, ui those fi,r alore gfierans ones
wi. IA io-m.ia IL prospect, and previously
threaten IN tie coming future, Is nothing more
than the simple recognition Of the fundamental
principle and truth upUn which all American
constitutional. Liberty is founded, aud upon the
maintenance OF which alone il can be prese v
el-that is, Tie sovereignty, the ultimate, az
soute SO re snty Of the States. This doctrln9
our Legislature announced to the people at The
North and % the world. Il Is The only kes no.d
10 opeace-IerTnaHeut, lastinq pcace-eonsis,e't.
with the setdcity vi the publc liberty.
! lie old Confederation was formed npUn this
formed upon this principle. No league can ey-
er be formed maintained between any safe,
North or Sou,li. seepriur prlli, liberty Dra1
any other pnacpc.
The v.l,ty, f,~',,,,,o.k &C A A-,ec;,.ar ins,it,-
SONS which IN :, short . tin.c Ina ,,,,,, f,,,. ~
f,irt;pn of ,hc ,y,.,i and .o,.,.; h ". wore in
aahtad ..,, s,,rT ~, ,,,,.,. fle,,l ,,,qr r ,rs
,ari,v and ba,,,,;,,,ss ,y.,s E,,.,, 4 ,,,, tt;s
rricr;iIn an ,,r n-c.a,t tr,,,bi,t .n,,r,
from = r.fart,,r. fs,n, ,j,is nr;rc;,la from =
violation of tfi. a.,o,i.. NV of o,y nn,itio.
,,r,,,;z.t;,..,
Ip l7-G our ancast and tbe ancestor. Of
those Who ,ra ya,n, ,ni, l,,bo}v crn.a.le
aaaiust ps. tua.,l,,r n,,e,.i,,al rn,, ,1r,at ard
etcrall truth tor fb. 'n,j,tei,,5c, o [v,rh ihev
i,miIy D,eIoel fhe,r i,vps t1.jr fortnn,s and
their slcred honor. that Governments are ins,i
:utod among men. deri,jlg their iast now ers
from The. consent of tl,c t,ycrn.d and fiat
whenever any f,,ru Of o.,v.-.nt.,.,t l,.,,,n,s Ie
struciiyc of fbos. end. f,r whi,.. III, f5,m.J.
Il IS The riobt OF fine people ty alter ar ah..i-b
il and institute a new rlyernment layiur tb
foundations on such principles ana orranizinr
it, pugers IN snch form as to them nav seem
most likely to effect their safety anI happi-
ness
II i, needless here to state that by "p,ople"
aud governed" in this annuntation, is meant
communities and bodies of men capable Of or
ganizing and maintaining government, not IN
Iivi3ua members Of society. The consent of
( the governed refers to the will Of the mass of
the community or State in its organized form,
and expressed through It's legitimate anl prop