Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-31

the opponents of the views of President Davis then
heis the most gigantic and wholesale abolitionist
the world ever saw.
But they will humiiate themselves in vain. En- |
gland and France will never render US any assis |
lance. They have no sympathy with US, and by
thus a6asing ourselves before them we only excite
their derison. With all these facts before their
ewes, the question arises, "What shall the States
dor Ny answer is, let them make peace INNS
diatety or as soon as they be assembled in Con-
vention, and then demand their Trlgkts under the
'ConstitutiOn of our Fathers.
Ii am asked what kind Of peace, answer in
the language of Mr. Boyce, "any peace consistent
with the preservation of Constitutional liberty
any peace that the people the States willing
to accept With Mr.. Boyce, see no hope of max
ing such peace except by compromise and recon
Citation with the North. If this Continent is to
be Divided into two hostile nations, each will keep
up standing army and sooner or later will become
military despotsms. We should have an intermna-
I ole warfare along our borders. This view of the
case is sustained by all history. All the nations
/ founded upon the downfall of the Old Roman En-
pre were very limited-in fact very free. England
was, perhaps the least free of any of them. They
= all maintained their free Constitutions until the sys-
" tenn OF standing armies established on the Con-
tinent. Then, one after another they became absO-
lutte, and liberty ceased to exist the Continent of
! Europe forever. except among the mountains of
/ Switzerland. England saved by her insular stua-
not only retained her ancient liberties but extended
them. Her monarchy has become more and more
4 limit until since the revolution of 1888 the Dem
ocr ale branch ST her government, the House Of
: Commons has become supreme in the State. If the
Continent of Amerca sh,Nld be divided into two or
] more hostile aud indep sAden, powers, wha guar
nntee have <thst the same condition of ihinss
will not obtau that have obtained on the Continent
-, of Europe? None whatever! Indeed as Mr.. Boyre
says. tn" events of the list thr years prove con
clusively that such will be the case" But will
not continue the argument any further this point.
It has already been exh lusted by Mr. Boyce.
mos, cordially endorse every part OF his letter, and
I here in my place. as member of this House, re-
! turn him nv thanks for having written it, But even
if there danger to liberty from the act of sep
aration it would be well enough 10 inquire if it were
! prac icable. Now that much Of the i'll feeling be-
tween the two sections has expended itself in wIr,
would it not be well enough for US t. investigate
this QIestion? When we take view of the country
which nnce comp rsed the United States, it is diff
cult resist the conviction that nature intended it
10 contain but great nation, at least that it
could never be divided in the way in which it is
' being attempted Nature certainly never intended
that the mighty Mi sisSippi and its tributaries should
water drain but nation. Close 'he Mississ-
ppi to the Northwes ern States by transferring its
no"th to another nation, and they become the most
ompte'ey Iendocked country of any considerable
limInSions in he world.
oeope of that section would ever consent under
my circumstances, tn any such transfer. In''he
very act If giving surh consent they would he sign
ny their own death warrant 1t is useless for u, to
promise them the free NAVIGATE IN OF that rlVrr.-
They would replyi "fQu give US no stronger
guarantee than treaty stipulation. and like all
treaties it will be liable be violated abrog
whenever the party making it shall of its own mere
,oli:ion choose to do so. And though may have
40 particular to doubt your good faith, yet
nothing can ever induce to place ourselves in
your power And besides, we have not fOrgp ten
how many wars have been produced in Europe by
he violation of Just such treaties, especially OF those
j relating to the Navigation OF the Schaldi."
! If my premises correct, Mr.. Speaker, this
country can be divided so IS to separate the
! Nmrthwes'e rn States from the Gulf Sta'es without
reversing an inc xor lble Inv of nature. The only
hope that have of success in this strug-
gle was that the Northwestern States might be in
! dured 10 rim our Coniederacy. The manner m
which those States voted in the late Presidential
election has dlspaled that hope forever, and in my
humble iud gme7t has sealed the fate of this Confed-
eracy. Why, then should this struggle he continued!
| Why not make peace at once upon the basis of re-
concililtiOn? / am met here by declaration on
the part of that they would prefer aDnihilaon
to reconciliation with the government OF the Uuitrd
States. | reply to this class Of Men by saying that
if they were sincere, they would at once 20 the
'front.'" where they would stand at least me
! chance o. meeting with the annihlation which they
profess to de. ire. YET Mr.. Speaker, it is an obser
vab fact that few none OF them ever 90 there.
There is another class Of men who say that they
would have objection 20 reconciliation If 1t were
possible. They say that there has been so much
strife and blOOdShed 6etwe the two sections that
reconciliation is impossible In this however, they
are in my opinion greatly mistaken. All history
refutes this ilea There was the case of England
AMI Scotland, which was in some respects similar to
ours Nature never intended that the Island oil
Great Britain should comprise more than
! ton. Yet for many centuries 1t was divided into
the two Kingdoms of Englandand Sc t'and. The his
tory OF these two countries dnring the period 81
their separation is a history of constant wars be
tween them. Even during the short periods in
which peace said to exist between them by
virtue of evanescent treaties there constant
warfare along the borders, crrried on between the
Northern B,rons of England, and the rowing despe
radoeS of Scotland, sometimes known the Moss
! troopers of the Border" Then, there was the
strongest possible anmosity between the two ma
tons. They regarded e1ch other as natural enc
mics. Scotland the constant ally of Fra~ce
who was the natural enemy oil England. at length
they fell to the inheritance of the same monarch
and this led to a union between the two countries
The chief argument urged at the tine of the nego
tlatiOns that the union would lay the iounda
ton of lasting peace; and such in fact was thu
result. Tie reconciliation oLs complete. No wa
has since occurred growing nut of animostes be
tween the two peoples. Scotland at once started
upon a new career of prosperity and glory. Sht
rose above the Standard of her former self He
people, from being one Of the most turbulent hay
become one of the most quiet and refined, wei
as one of The most conten'ed and happy in the world
There too. Mr. Speaker the great civil strife n
England between the two great par les known =
the Cavalier" and the " Roundheads.' Il con
inued for nu nber. Of years until having Tough
out their difficulties, reconciliation took place. :
Charles the IL restored hy union OF the tw
parties. James the II WIS afterwards expelled, AM
William and Mary called to the throne py unio
of the two parties. | might mention other ease
which occur in history, but it l. unnecessary r,
cancellation is much easier in our case than it wa
in theirs Here, there is feeling between III
p rite growing out of religious differences. We hav
the same common origin. speak the same langua.,