Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-02-08
Aurtb-Ca&uliaa Stanaar1
REMARKs OF HON. JOSIAH TURNER,
OF NoHTH.CARoLINA,

of the rules introduced the following fesoiutionS'
Rescued, That the President of the Confederate
States, By and with the advice and consent OF the
Senate, be and he is hereby requested to appoint
thirteen commissioners, one from each OF the Cons
;ederate States to tender to the government OF the
limited States conference for negotiating an honor
able peace; aid, faihag in this, the commissioners
be instructed to use all proper efforts to obtain an
immediate exchange of prisoners, and, II Possioe'
10 come to such understanding with the enemy re.
garding he future conduct Of the war as may tend
in sohie derree to mitigate its horrors and atrocl-
ties. =.
Nj. na.wer said he had weighed we'll the conse-
uuences st this resolution both to himself and to his
country The scorn and Indignation OF the Demo
cratic par,y in North Carolina would DC his pofuon
He thought he had sufficient fortitude TO sur
1--WE it.
Wien he attempted in 1860 to rouse the people |
and put them on their guard against the decisions
and dangers Of peaceable secession, this same party
were indignant and not sparing in coarse denuncia.
ton such as "submssionst,' "aboitonist," traitor
nd "coward,"
The history Of this wsr had proven that such ar
cunients were used only by towards for those WHO
had proudly stratted into peaceabe secession, de-
nouncing aisx as a coward. lad meany meaked out
aud set themselves down at hcme Infamous and con
,enued manifesting no zeal for the war except now
10 keep out oft.
When Young man he uswisely thought that no
o,e but coward could refuse challenge to single
combat now lie was satisfied that it required more
Courage to decline aaalenge, than 1t DID TO acceps
,fe. And .aff TIE dues fought were the result OF
%-snt of morsl eoezage.
He was prepared for indignation and denunclatlon,
e, en- for Kisses from the gallery, such as he heard
w,eu his colleague, the other day moved to negotl-
alta With the enemy.
Thecountry noso undersood such demonstrations
a "a such denuncations the arguments OF the 'uE
I: II coward When his colleague introduced at the
Inst session. resolutions for negotiations, Twenty-Five
qa5) memb' rs voted against laying them on the ia:
be. The gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.. Marshall
s.id - It was not respectful TO the member from
North Carolina to lay his resolutions on the table
without debate" He (Mr. IT, voted against laying
lis colleagues resolution on the table and he voted
syainst rejecting them the other day. As the con
sitution points out but one way OF making peace ne
Ind never declared for any other. Separate State
action WAS one of the many great errors OF the De-
.ocracy, and as he thought it unwise he had never
declared for it, If it be cowardy 10 proffer to ne
iate according to the constitution then he claim
Il no exemption from such cowardice.
Ii it be eowardly to propose to mitigate the hor-
TOT of war then he claimed no exemption from such
cnwardiee. Mr. Turner said the President had
given him the bes! argument for one more effort to
exchange of prisoners. He read from the
Presidents message as follows:
On he subject of the exchange of prisoners
greatly regret to be unable to give you satisfactory
information. The Government of The United States
while persisting in fanre TO execute the terms OF
the cartel, make occasional deliveries of prisoners
and then suspend action without apparent cause.
confess my inability to comprehend their policy or
purpose. The prisoners held by us, in spite of hu-
name care, perishng from: the inevitable effects
%fiuprsonment and home sickness produced by the
sopeiesssess Of release from confinement. The
spectacle Of their suffering augments our longing
,,esire to relieve from similar trials our own brave
men, who have spent so many weary months in a
cruel and useless Imprisonment, endured with heroic
censtancy The delivery, after suspension of some
weeks. has just been resumed by the enemy; but,
they give of intent to carry out the
crte an interruption of the exchange may recur at
aay.moment
The President has given us the best argument
s7hy he; should attempt to mitigate the horrors ofthe
s@ar. Mr. I. read from the Presidents message as
follows:
The unjust war commenced against us, in viola
ito ct the rights of the States and in usurpatlon of
power.not delegated to the Government of the Uni
led States, is still characterized by the barbarisrn
with which it has heretofore been conducted by the
enemy. Aged men, helpless women and children,
appeal in uainto the humanity which should be in
spired by the.condi,ion for immunity from arrest,
incarceration er Punishment rom their homes plum.
ser aud devastation of the property of non-combat
:nts, destruction of private dwellings, and of
ciifces devoted to the worship of God, expeditions
organized fer the sole purpose Of sacking cities
,consgning them TO the flames, killing the unarmed
iuhabitants.and inhicting horrible ou;rages Oh wo-
and children are of the constantly recur
rring atrocities of the invader.
Mr.. Turner said judging from Lineoln's message
rand TIE nature of man, he wouG not negotiate upon
=the basis Of independence either with the Confeder
late States any one of the Confederate States act
ing separately. President Davis would not make
peace witaout independence.
With these two it is question of endurance as to
who can suffer the longest.
1t ia not in their nature, or the nature of any two
men similarly situated, to make peace as long as
they able to fight. President Davis is now pre-
pairing the public mind to Continue the struggle
when he is not able to command white army suti-
clent for his wants.
Negotiation between the two Presidents Is then
out of the question for each demands terms that the
other would never concede.
IT either could be convinced that humanity and
the best interests of his country demand peace upon
.stnaP terms than that which he had laid down, and
ortfosr Years had been fighting for, his pride would
forbid dis making peace on any other than his own
aerms ..,-
$50 far as the two Presidents are concerned the
seris indsGnie, and has no end 80 long they can
con,naand armies.
M. Turner desired to see the pnblic men of the
two governments come together and reason with
'ensh other, statesmen backing Gen. Lees blows
with arguments. e..
Some good might come of it; certainly no harm
could. He had heard iks, Gen. Grant had express.
cd desire tortalk with Gen. Lee or any Of the
leading. rnenof the Soutf..
lie, Mr.. T., had always been for cultivsting the
peace men ard peace tesIing at the North. and ma.
hing the war strictly defensive with view to con.
chate them.
But let us edmitthst Lincoln would not negotiate,
and upon that pointhe had no doubt Shall we do
nothing terest"re quiet to The public mind at home
Shall we do nothing to remove the gust complaint
no open and uaeguivocal tender of negotiation?
Thousands of honest and true men in North Caro-
lima and Georgia lhiak that Lincoln would negoti-
ate, and that there is hureity in government
taking the 6rst step in that direction. >