Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-01-18

country, my voics is for neeoti,t;o, 49,,
The question may well be asked wha u Peace
psace do you desirsf To this inon ra.e Kind Of,
ID direct and unequivocal. will h. 10y ny Answer
any peace which the free enlightened sUa With
people of the South will say in the m. sa patriotic
power and sovereignty, is honorable 10y Of th..
best interests Of the nation. They h,u "a for tn.
the country thus far with their labor Sustained
IT, and their blood and am willing to a t,np. Proper
Mr.. Speaker, the resolutions now on ,,.
ana which am anxious should be taRR .uF ablea
consideration, propose the best method e.. up kt
ing aeoot nsgooat,ons, which have ever s..s O'ns
gested The method is plain, simple sn sSs a. sug.
letters and declarations of Mr. Davis sn messages
coin satisfy me that they will never Hu Mr. Lin.
tation for peace. Their pride Of consi ss nege
intense hatred will always prevent thsas and
ing together as peace makers, and mua, IRON act
nations continue to pour out rivers of !ae Two
tears to minister to the PRIDE ambition and glood
cy of their rulers? Successful efforts 80. y, oosns
ton can only be made by the SOVEREIGN :. aesot
they ought to act together and act imms Ss'es and
The resolutions before US propose plan Va IT,
which is free from all constitutional ob;onl action
it ought to be gladly accepted by Mr. n sus' and
desires the peace of his country. Ifthero ;N Hhe
stitutional objection, the States certanlv Con-
power to act IN this matter. They are fl. lave Tho
Of the general government and have fl. s;sat'
advise their agent upon all questions Of nnhta
portance. will enter into no grave con.'. ln
argument upon this point, as the oues,;"n 'le0us
ready been settled by frequent preced.~.a nas T.
States appointed commissioners to the paa Ihs
gress for the lrpose of presenting oar We We Cou
of North. Carolina while member of thu nso als
Union appointed commissioners to the Mon,netcaa
government, to try to reconcile national dlfSSl,ery
The cotton States by separate State action ms
drew from the Union, while under aeovernn,. Ma.
their own choice and thus brought on w.r q
they insisted that they had Constitutional ana
to do So If the States have right to adm. ilsa
sures to make sear and to prevent uar, thew csr
have the power to appoint commissioners to "ay
81 conference for negotiating peace" ''"ua
But it 10 insisted that Mr.; Davis has made tb,,
distinct propositions to the government ~ "i~
United States, and they have been rejected u !as
NIT this: Is peace worth but three efforts oe Nv
statesmen, when the war has caused three brn, O
battles, and the death of three hundred thonu.ti
of our countrymen-swept away our pronertv sna
filled the whole land with mourning Let rs sr sus
inc the propositions Of r. Davis, and zee .Sa
were Of such nature as to promise re,cor"hi
hopes of success. The Montgomery Governm.~as.
sent three commissioners to Mr. Buchanan Thu;
object was not to treat for peace but to comples "
eessson Their proposition was in substance i
you will let US alone we will then fairly divide Win
you the property in our territory belonging to Ss
United States. At the time this proposition v,s
made North Carolina belonged to the Ame,ie.1
Union, and eight-tenths of her people were of bs
opinion that the proposition ought not to be aesd
ed to. This proposition of Hlet US alone" SO ohsn
made in presidential messages and Congressman
manifestoes is the very essence of the right Of A.
eession, and its acceptance would be an admssaD NJ
the truth of that doctrine. We could not reasons,
bly, expect the Northern people to admit that thew
had always been wrong on that political question,
unless we also made some concessions
The second proposition made by Mr.. Davis, was
contained In letter sent to Mr.. Lincoln which has
never been heard from. This letter cannot be d,
cussed, as it contents are unknown. It was cor.
tainiy very informal way of commencing negot,.
tions. Nations usually act upon such subject,
through commissioners, and not by letters.
The third and last effort to obtsin a conferenr
with the United States government was made BY
Vice. President Stephens. At his urgent solicit.
items he was authorized to go to Washington Cty
to See If he could not do something to mitigate The
horrors of war. His powers were expressly con-
fined to that subject and had no reference to nsgo
tiations for peace. The time selected for his mis-
sion, was unfortunate. When he was at Fortress
Monroe seeking . conference General Lee with
veteran army was in the heart of PennsylVaui,
and the shock of his three hundred cannon VA
almost shaking the pillars of the Northern Capi
tol. These three efforts haYe failed, but still au
not discouraged President Davis says that be vii
make no other proposition. The only ALTERNATIVE
left is for the States to act in the matter. Idesr
to use all honorable means for obtaining peace.
am as much opposed to submission as the mos
rampant war men but desire to avoid even ths
possibility Of suhiugation by using all tho means
our power to prevent It
This peace movement Of the sovereign State
would give strength, hope and confidence to th
peace men of the North, and soon they would b
able to control public sentiment feel sure ths
the people of the North desire peace if it can b
obtained without defeat and dishonorable comes
sion, All people know tho blessings of peace an
evernthe Indians smoke the calumet with Joy wis
the bloody hatchet is buried, and the wild vs
whoop is hushed.
Let five of the sovereign States of the Sout
move together in solid column on the mission
peace and their influence will be irresstible-Vi
win the admiration of the world and the blessing
of heaven.
The nations of Europe have never recognized th
independence Of our Confederacy, but they acknou
edge the sovereignty Of the Statssand will pay ga
respect to their action. This peace movement
the States will increase our influence in Europe
gain for US the sympathy of the great masses Of th
people and may finally lead to foreign inter1sI
ton. The experiment is certainly worth trial
Our people at home will be greatly cheered %
encouraged by this effort to negotiate peace 70
they can then hope that reason and justice will! II
umph over infuriated passion and vengeance The
have earnestly longed for peace For years it b
filled their thoughts by day, and Frightened the Vi
ions Of their slumbers. The great popular hs'
will swell with new energies and high and det''
mined purposes, for it will feel that liberty 'n
country may yet be saved from ruin
This peace movement will increase the mof'
power of cur armies. Our noble soldiers love no
the excitements and horrors Of war. They will !
joiee and take fresh courage when they kno" to-
the wise and good men of the land are attemp,u9,
to devise means Of bringing this bloody struggs :
q close. decrease soldiers hope and conhdsn :;
and you increase his powers Of endurance ana .,
| courage Let him know that constant and hoAu
aole efforts are being made to end his hardshlps ~
dangers, and his merry song will be heard ~ ~
camp fire. He will lie in the cold trenches VIM,
murmur, and bis arm will be stronger in the Nv =
| If he tflo for q pow hnrn x,;ll Ia horn within