Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-13

Der, where the wise, good, and patriotic sages of
the land have met together in spirit OF mutual |
Cancellation, concession and compromise, to compose
and reconcile differences of opinion, to oblterate
sectional animosities and predjudces, to do even:
handed Justice, to promote the general good, and
thus secure permanent and honorable peace which
will be hailed with gladness by the suffering mil
lions of both sections Of the country.
propose to discuss these two important propo-
sitions separately, and present my views fairly and
candidly, for the consideration of the Senate. In
the first place. will suppose that it is in our pow
er to conquer peace before the remaining resources
of the country are much further exhausted. How
long would such peace lastr II we drive Grant
and his beleaguering hosts-from our capitsl-lf we
arrest Sherman in his triumphal march through
Georgia-if we send them both beyond the Poto-
mac and Ohio with broken legions and trailing ban
ners-if we enter their territory and waste their
fields, burn their cities and turn their women and
children as hOuseleSS and homeless refugees upon
the cold charities Of the wNrld-wOuld this success
of conquest give us a permanent peaceF The
North are proud and stubborn people. They
would feel that their honor and existence were
at stake, and with their accustomed energy they
wonld soon collect together the elements Of tAeir
power and hurl their exasperated egions across the
border. The sword can never bring peace to di
vidcd people. This differs greatly from Euro
pean conflicts. There kings and potentates hight
about national punctos and questions affecting the
by the interference of neutral powers The differ
ent peoples never become exaSperated with each
other, and the great popular heart is but little In
terested in the controversy. But this war is
great civil strife. We were once the same nation,
and we are still the same Anglo American people.
We have the same form Of government and systems
of laws-we have the same noble ancestry-the
same glorious history-with one exception, the
same institutions-we speak the same language
read tue same literature and have many ties OF Kim
dred-we occupy contiguous territory, bound TO-
gether by great natural and artificial channels OF
trade and commerce, and all our domestic interests
and foreign relations are closely identified. In
looking at all of these elements of unity, 1t would
seem that God intended that should forever re-
main united and powerful and happy people;
but the folly and madness Of fanatcism and ambi-
ton have determined otherwise, and fierce inter-
necine war is now deuging the richest and NOS.
beautiful land of the earth with slaughter and
mourning, with poverty and crime. All the curses
Of fratrcidal strife are upon us, for we have put
aSunder those whom God had joined together! 1t
is not possible in the nature Of things that this war
of a ruptured brotherhood can ever be settled by
arms. There must be some way OF reconclhng
sectional animoSIies and precudices or there viii
forever be war along the extended border. The
situation of the two nations requires that they
should be warm friends, they will be the bitter
est of enemies. With no local division but an air
line there will be thousands of causes to. Stir up
strife between two embittered peoples. There are
great questions Of trade, commerce. navigation
boundary, foreign alliance &c, which can only be
arranged by negotiation and compromise.
The Northwestern States are bound together by
ar identity of interests, and form vast inland en-
piTe They have increased in population with
marvellous rapidty, ard have extent and variety
of resources which unsurpassed by any other
section of the globe Their people enlightened
and industrious, and full Of energy and enterprise,
fbair ity and
upon a free and untrammeled navigation of the
Mississippi river and its trsltarIes, for these are
their veins and arteries of national life. Nearly
every drop of rain that falls upon the Northwest
and all the waters which gush from its valleys and
hills, find their Uay into the Mississippi; and its
people will never consent that those waters shall
dow through hostile country to the sea. This
great question only be settled by negotiation.
And so it is Tith many other great and unadjusted
questions. The Gordian knot which bound to-
gether the American States may be united by wise
and skillful diplomacy, but it can never be cut by
the sword without the disastrous result OF constant
If there is to DE constant war, or even appre-
tensions of war, both nations must keep up large
standing armies, and their coasts and rivers must
Oe defended by numerous forts and immense ma
Ves and the bloody border of more than two thou
, sand miles must be a continuous chain OF garrISOns
and military posts and often lie the of ercer
StrifeS than those which the Percy and Douglas
These frequent wars would retard our education
al social and religious progress, accumulate enor-
nous national debts, cripple the energies OF the
people by burdensome taxation, bankrupt the ma
tional credit and finally destroy our liberties. His
tory in thousand lessons teaches US that war and
standing armies are the mplacable enemies of CIV
ilIzstion and national liberty foR they inevitable
lead to military despOtsm. Peace is tee only
means by which republican liberty, with all its
blessings, can be secured and perpetuated
The permanent peace prosperity, and happiness
of both the North and the South, depend upon close
and friendly alliance. Together they must control the
deStInes Of the North American continent. l. the
ambitious potentates Of Europe ever allowed %
obtain permanent fOothold here, and establish
their empires and we form different alliances with
them, we at once become involved in all the vexed
and intricate questions OF the balance of power,
which so often convuse the European nations
1t is the manifest destiny of both sections of this
country to stand together against the balance OF
the world. Like twin sisters, while they dwell
apart they should live in the closest harmony, and
with noble and generous emulation strive to al.
vance and extend the blessings Of their Christian
civilization and constitutional liberty, and thus full
fl their high destiny and show themselves worthy
of the rich and beautiful heritage given to them by
God and their fathers. This desirable state of af
fairs can never be produced by war; but it may be
one of the blessed results of negotiations for peace
Mr.. Speaker, | now propose to discuss the all
important and sternly practical question, can we
flight out" this war speedily and successfully p,
For more than three years we have strained every
nerve and put forth every energy; we have fought
more than three hundred battles, won much of the
gLOry of victory at fearful cost and still we have
. not gained our Independence, even forcignsym-
pathy and recognition. We have struggled as no
other nation of the world ever has done. The IA
nous battles of antiquity surrounded as they are
with all the splendors of Roman and Grecian elo-
age and dauntess heroism with many of the battles
fought by our noble army for the sacred soil, and
homes and affairs of the South. We have generals
who have more than rivalled the fame Of Mtiades,
and Scipio Africanus, and they have led soldiers
more sternly brave and unyielding than the Roman
legion or the Spartan phalanx. l admire and honor
our soldiers for their cldTalrous courage and many