Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-04-13

ovay Granted in the army by the existence OF oassea
rrlviliged by law 10 remain IN places o' sau "H.1
their fellow citizens are exposed IN tns ""1
| the field The measure most necessarily pIoper' ~
The present time for aordingan effective measure 70
our military strength, Is general mlIl,H i"w' n'Sn GU
as the Constitution authorizes Sohsess W p"ns W
rraniin, TO II power TO provide for organizing arm
| inr and dscplinng the militia, and Tor governing
such part of them as may be emp 10 lhe service
Of the Confederate States, and the inr'h'r power
provide for calling forth tho militia 10 execute 'no
laws Of the Confederate States,
| and repcl invasions. .,,. -
| The necessity for the exercise OF TINS power can
never exist il not In tho circumstances whi1h now
surrnund MS The security Of the States against any
.rcrnoc mont by tho Con iederte Government u am
pv provided for by tho Constitution, by reser'in6 70
the States respectively, the appointment OF thor ON
and the authority OF treating tno ml,ia 8''''u'
| ing TO the discipline prescribed by Congress-
A law is needed TO prescribe not only now anu oi
what persons the militia are TO he organlzed but 70
provide the mode ofcalDg them out II instances 10
reanired to show the necessity for such general law"
Il Il snIicent to mention that in case heve Been
informed by the Governor State, that the law dOe'
not permit him TO call out the militia from one couh
y for service in another 30 thnt aSiHgo VI Is'' "
tho enemy could the State and devas'aie eHeh
county In turn, without any power on tho part ol 'hr
Executive to the military for effective defence,
while in another State the Executive refuses 70 hloW
the tia to be employed in the service Othe Coneu'
States in the abSencc of law for that purpose
have heretofore, in acontidential message 10 INV
two housss, stated the facts which induced mo 10 CON
slider il necessary that the privilege oi the VIII OF nv
hras corpus should be suspended. The CONVECTION VI
IN, necessitv of this measure has become deeper rs 'c
events OF the struggle have been developed congress
has not concurred with me in opinion IL my uH'!
q say that the time has arrived when the ssprbsOh
of the writ il not simply and eXpedient nut
almost indspcnsn TO ho successful coudnct OF tho
war On Congress- must rest the resronslhlnty OF Nv"
clining to exercise power conferred by tho Conslu
tioB as means of public safety, TO be used III periods
of national peril resulting from foreign ihHhNoh' II
our present circumstances were npt such as were con
iemplntcd when this power wts conferred con"ts
myself ut Il oss 10 imagine amy contin.hcy III "l'n
this clause of tho Constitution VIII not remain u'Ii
letter.
With the prompt adoption Of the measures nboys
recommended and the united and happy co'OleiHll"h
of Conpr ss and tho people in the execution OF TIE
laws and the defense Of ~" country, we may enter
on the coming campaign with cheerful conhirhce IN
the result. And who can doubt in the continued *,
itence Of that spirit and fortiudc Of the people nhn
of cOnstancy under rey"rscS which alone are ht'd"R
to render our triumph secure? What other r"'"nf-
remain available but the unfying, unconquel@,
BE resolve TO BE frec7 1t has become certain ory"h1
doubt or questio that must continue ms sifIy'
glr successful issue, must make alJeCt ana nh.
conditional 5ubm SsiOn 10 Huch terms NJ II sit'l
please the cunqucrnr TO impose npon after our sur
render If possible doubt could exist after the c"n'
ference between commissioners snd Mr.. Lincoln,
rs recently reported 10 yon. il would hH disprrh ny
recent occurrence of which Il is proper mat you
should be informed Congress will remember mat
in tie conference" above referred to, commission,
crs were informed that tho Government OF the Unite"
States Id not enter into agreement or treaty
whatever with the Confederate States, nor with any
single State and the only possible mode Of obtaining
peace byslaying down our arms, disbandius our
forces and Welding unconditional obedience TO lhe
laws the United Stu including those passed for
the cOnscation our property and the constitutions
| al amendment for the abolition Of slavery.
1t will further be remembered that Mr. Lincoln
! declared that he only terms on which hositiiiirs
could cease, hose stated in his mrssag" of De.
! ccnber last in which informed that in the
/ event of our penien, submission, he would temper
| justice with mercy, aud that the question whether
We would he governed dependent territories or per-
/ mitted to have representation in thci: Congress
was which he could promise nothing, buI
which would be decided by their Congress after our
submission had been accepted. 1t has not. however
been hitherto stuffed 10 You. that in the course OF the
con ference at Fortress Monroe, suggest ion wa-
made by one Of commits ion"rs that the Objection
entertained by Mr, Lincoln, TO treating with the Cow
| crninent Of the Crnfrderacy, with any separate
State might be avoided bv substituting for the usual
mode Of negotiating, through commissioners other
diplomatic agents, the method sometimes employed
of military convention 10 he entered into BY the
commanding generals Of The armies of the two beE.
| crents. This he admitted was power possessed by
| him, though il was not thought commensurate with
| all tho questions involved
As he did accept the suggestion when made, he
was afterwards requested to reconsider his
upon the subject Of the suspension of hosi,irs which
he agreed to do, but said that he had maturcly
sidered OF the plan, and nad determined that il cou
not be done. subsequently, however, an interview
| with Gen. LougStrcet was asked for by Gen. Ord
| commanding the enemy's army of the James during
| which Gen. Longstreet was informed by him, that
there possibility OF arriving sal siactsry
! adjustment Of tho present unha py difficulties by
means of military convention, and that if Gen Lee
desired an interyiew on the subject, 1t would be
declined provided Con, Lee had authority act. This
communication supposed to be the consequence
of the suggestion above referred to- and Cen Lee &C.
cording TO Instructions wrote to Gen. Grant, on the
2d of this month. proposing to him for confer.
ence on the subject, and stating that ne vested
with the requisite authority.
Gen. Grants reply stated that he had no authority
to accede TO the proposed conference that powers
extended only TO making convention on subjects
purely ofa military chRracterl and that Gen Or 4
could only have meant interview would not be re-
fused on any subject which he (Gen. Grant,) had
the right to act. IL thus appears, that neither with
the Confederate authorities Of any State through
the commanding Generals will the government of the
United States treat make any terms agreement
whatever for the cessation of hostiiies There re-
mains then for us choice but to continue this
contest to final issue for the people Of the Confeder
acy can be but little known to him who supposes it
possible they would to purchase, at the
cost Of degradation and slavery, permission to live in
a country garrsoned by their own negroes and gov
erned by officers sent by the conquerors to rule
them.
Having thus fully placed before you the information
requisite TO enable 10 Judge of the state of the
country, the dangers TO which exposed and
the Of legislation needed for ayertinG them,
IL remains for me but TO invoke your attention TO the
consideration Of those ms by which, above all
may hope to escape tn calamities that would
result from failure. Prominent above all others,
is the necessity for est and cordial cooperation
between all departments Of Government, State aid
Confederate and all eminent citizens throughout the
Confederacy. To you especially Senators and Rep
resentatives, do the people look for encouragement
and COUNSEL To your action, not only in Legislative
halls, but in your homes. will their eyes be opened
for the example Of what is BETTING men who By will
sacrifice the alter OF freedom, show that they
/ rou uorfhv IN prrfoV ffe bfeaeiucs