Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-02-21

NlScSl WOulu De SFduLeu OF dllO"oo WitiOuI
satisfactory assurance in advance OF the
complete restoration of the authority OF
the Constitution and laws of the United
States over all places within the States OF
the Contederacy that whatever eircum-
stances may follow from the re-establish-
ment of that authority mnst be accepted
out and ont Individuals, subject to pains
and penalties under the laws of the United
States, might rely upon q very liberal use
of the power contided to him, to remit
these pains and penalties, if peace be re-
stored during snch conference,
The proposed amendments to the Con-
stitution adopted by Congress on the 31st
ult., were brought to our notice. These
amendments provide that neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude, except for
crime, should exist within the United
States or in any place within it's jurisdic
ton, and Congress should have power to
enforce the amendments by appropriate
legislation. Of all the correspondence
that preceded the conference herein men,
toned and leading to the same, you have
heretofore been informed. se
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
(Signe0 A. H. STEPHENS, 81,
r. NJ. T. HUNTER, s-
.. ia. CAMPBELL.
Thus you see that neither terms nor
conditions were spoken of in the inter-
view, but only subjugation offered us, the
mere details of which they proposed to
settle. Atone blow, all our hopes in the
humanity and moderation of our enemies
were dashed to the ground. No terms or
proposals OF treaty coming either from
the Confederate States, or any one of the
States would be entertained, but a COM
sion to the Constitution and laws of the
United States, is required as preliminary
step to any, even the slightest cessation of
hostilities. Seeing then that we can treat
with the enemy, neither by the authorities
Of the Confederate States, nor by separate
| State action, what will be the result if we
submit, as we are required to dot This
we can partly judge by examining that
Constitution and those laws, to which we
are required to yield obedience. That
| Constitution is not the one we left In ad-
dltion to the, changes it has undergone by
Corrupt and violent Interpretation by
Black Republican Judges, its wording has
| been so changed as to decree Immediately
and forever, the abolition ofslavery. The
laws to whose tender mercies we are
referred, provide most infinitely and par
ticularly for the punishment of death by
the halter, of every man, soldier, sailor or
| marine, civilians and others, who have
been engaged in what they term rebellion.
| Not ceasing to punish with the death of
| the offender, the flaws" of the United
States also provide that all his property,
real and personal, shall be contscated.
The only mitigation of the rigor threatened
| by these laws, is contained in Mr.. Lin
coins proclamation accompanying his an
nual message in December 1863, in which
he proposes to hang only those above the
rank OF Colonel in the army and Lieuten-
ant in the navy, and all civil and diplo-
matte officers or agents of the Confederate
government, and various other classes
therein specified; coupled with the vague
intimatiOn to our commissioners in their
recent interviews, that whilst we must pre-
pare to accept all the pains and penalties
Of the laws, we might rely on liberal use
of the Pardoning power, vested in him.
He also informs US that the terms set forth
in his recent message Of December last,
wherein he re-endorses the above men,
toned. proclamation, will be rigid!y adj
| hered to.
Now then, we can sum up, in some sort,
the consequences of our submission. Four
million of slaves, two hundred thousand of
whom have been in arms against rs, turned
loose at once in our midst, our lands con-
tiscated, and sold ont to pay the cost of
our subjugation or parcelled among negro
soldiers as the reward of the slaughter of
their masters our women, children and
old men reduced to beggary, and driven
from their once happy homes our multi
ated and diseased soldiers, starving in rags
from door to door, spurned by even pen
stoned negro soldiers, whilst the galiows
grows weary under the burden of our wi
sest statesmen and bravest defenders; to
say nothing of universal financial ruin and
the intolerable oppression of a rapacious
and vindictive foe, in the hour of conquest
Great God is there a man in all this hon.
orable, high-spirited and noble common
wealth, so stepped in every conceivable
meanness, so blackened with all the guilt
! of treason, or so damned with all the lep-
rosy of cowardice, as to say, yes, we will
submit to all this and whilst there yet re-
mains half million men among US able to
resist And who says the enemy will
give US anything better? Not Mr.. Lin
coin and do the weak and the vacillita-
ting among us know better than he does,
| what he will do for us9
Having made therefore, fair and hon.
est effort to obtain peace by negotiation,
and knowing now precisely, from the lips
of the President of the United States, what
|. we are to expect, what are we to do next!
There is only one thing left for us to do.
We must fight, nay countrymen, to the last
extremity, or submit voluntarily to our
own degradation. Let no man mistake
the issue now. The line of distinction
will be drawn plainly between those who
are for their country, and those who are
against their country. There is no half
way house upon the road. The purifying