Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-16
The war fever At Richmond.

The War Fever at Richmond.
We are satisfied no more interesting
reading matter can be laid before our
readers than the following synopsis Of
the speeches recently delivered IN Rich.
moDd by Messrs. Hunter and Juhah P.
Benjamin, two Of the most prominent
men in the rebel Government No one
can read them, we think, without re-
ceiying the impression that they are the
blind rawlings Of despair Hope never
prompts her followers to say such absurd
things Benjamin is decidedly rampant
on the " "niQger question. He boasts
Of having enjoyed 'bIack NANNY
nurse What do the Northern admir-
ers think Of such candid confessions Of
miscegenalion on the part Of one who
seems to have been their ideal Of hon
esty aud ehiyalry2 The speeches are
copied from Richmond papers,
Mr.. HuxrEe's sffEoH
Mr. Hnnter, on taking The chair, ex-
planned, ia a speech Of some length, the
object and purpose for which the NEST
iug bad been convened. The most mo
mentoua Issues engross our attention,
WHICH ever engaged solieitude Of any
people. Our form Of Government, onT
social system and framo work, the pro.
lection Of life, liberty aud property, are
All involved and Rre all az stake. God
grant US wisdom 70 conceive fhe energy
our situation requires We are not Fe.
apouaible, said ar. Hunter, for the war
which has ragged for four years, aud for
the blood which has been shed. Our
skirts are clear We have contended
only for tho right Of self.government
This ought % have been az clear 10 our
enemies as 70 us. for il is an American
principle, and by education aud tradi-
zion they lad been admonishsd 10 re-
spect H. Theyought to have united with
as ia oherishing aud maintaining It, bat
instead Of that they have chosen 70 de-
clare war upon it and upon as
There had been, said Mr. H., no such
war AS that which had been waged
against US, except those OF Wallenstien
aud Attila and the thirty years war.
The fury and sbarbarity with which It
had been prosecuted were worthy of the
unhallowed objects which il eonsempla-
ted
Mr. Hunter proceeded to notice thu
legislation Of The United States Govern
meut in relation 10 the people of the
| Confederate States The Confscntion
Laws, the Emancipation Proclamation,
the constitutional Amendment &c, were
passed in review. II anything more Is
| wanted, said Mr. Il, 20 show the full
animosity which is exhibited toward us,
! IL is found in their refusal to euter into
negotiations with us. whether with our
Confederate or State Governments.
They negotiate with the meaneatIndiau
tribe, but with population numbering
between seven aud ten millions OF peo-
pie they have no terms and will enter
into no agreement. Suppose We we're
rebels, as they say we are, 40 great
civil war was ever settled without nego-
| tiation. The British Government held
the colonists, the rebels. Yet in l777
they sent commissioners hither author
lied TO confer with any government or
with individuals, and to arrange for
truce, Rrmistiee or peace. Strong Gov
ernments have always esteemed il the
pact Of duty and of wisdom, after yindi-
eating their power, 70 extend liberal
terms to those who had been in armed
opposition, 10 order to reconcile them
TO their away, aud make them contented
subjects
The President of the United States had
proposed nothing Of this sort he did
uo&hing and offered nothing to soothe
the reluctance or mitigate the seventies
Of submission. II is impossible that be
could have supposed peace attainahls
e on bic terms, with such an armed foreC
as the Confederates have in the field
He required that we should confess our
selves subjects, aud as such responsible
for the blood that has been shed; I,
submit without conditions; 70 submit Il
] laws BY which our property is declares
oou6scated and our lives forfeited. HI
promised, indeed, that be would shov
enieucy in the pardoning power, bu
could people accustomed TO be free
a consent to hold their lives, their proper
ty, their security, at the viii of one mau
and not under the guaranty of law
: Voices, Never, never. In tn
> Government to which they we're the
required TO submit Internationally,
was not presumed that they should eve
have voice; it was distinctly LETT uT
certain whether they should be allowe
r any representation. President Llncol
had told our commissioners, aud ha
l. said to him (Hunterl that should v
elect Representatives and send them
the Washington Congress, he (Presidel
So Lincoln) would be in favor OF receiviu
," them, but be was only one man, an
4 whether or not they would be receive
7 was uncertain. Such was the Undue
- ment held out to as; such the propos,
I'd basis Of paei6Caton.
Mr.. Hunter then proceeded to nohl
some Of the further consequences
submission-of surrender to the Was
rs ington Government More than thr
millions of slaves, worth from twelve
y fifteen hundred millions OF dollar
ora would at once be turned loose as idle
aud vagahonds upon our communal
ee, Il was not necessary to explain {
evils of such population. Nor weu
1t be allowed TO MS to requisite or J
O.. strain them so as to make them usei
@ssks @ or correct their viciousnesS
Vii The United States Congress is
have the power 20 regulate those au
=. tions, aud would be continually iat
fering between the white and the bla
aud this power of regulation would
e By in the hands of those who for one II
o, Grafton at least woald be extremely
tile 10 us. If Northern agitation Of P
" IN times in connection with our Afrit
.. population was intolerabls to Us, "
3 would it be under the extremely sgg
tore, waited circumstances which would OBJ
!, as to the future2 The status OF
= population would De the subject
oeaseless distraction; and what {
]. Mr. 81 is 10 hannme Of thasa Iihers