Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-01-06
Manly Sentiments.

before that body.
The entire speech is published IN The
Montgomery journals, but VIC nave only
room for the following extract
~ desire that the people OF tho south
should comply, promptly, oheeriGily as IL
POSSIBLE, and in all faith, with all the con
ditions necessary to insure our restoration,
I believe they are prepared TO do so, aud
30 speak through the Conventions Of the
several States. II so, many months will
not elapse before the Union will be fully
restored. know that the Southern people
have had enough Of secession, disunion
and civil war and when once back again
win prove true and faithful TO all the obli'
cations imposed upon them. They will 60
back into the Union with firm determiua-
ton TO remain there and maintain and de-
fend the Union In all its integrity, for all
time to come. But they must be admitted
rs frcem n, on terms Of perfect equality
They will never consent TO be sigmatized
ns criminals, or accept position OF infe-
riority In the Union. And here, permit
me to remark, that object most seriously
and solemnly to the use of the word rebel
ION in the substitute Of the gentleman from
Talladega. deny that the late war was q
rebellion. If II was, then we are all trait
ors and deserving death. am not willing
to fix this degrading stigma upon seven mil
lions Of people, who, whatever may have
been their weaknesses and errors, went in
10 the late war from conscientious conyic-
tons Of duty. contend, that the late war
was, on the principles universally recog-
nized by the laws Of nations, a eipH wor-d
territorial civil odr, and not rebellion
This position am prepared to sustain by
authorities which cannot be disputed, but
will not occupy the time of this Convention
in doing sonow. But will refer all who
desire to investigate the subject to that
veil known and standard work "Vattels
Laws Of Nations" In chapter 18, Book 3,
on "Civil War;" the whole subject is oluci-
dated, with that clearness and perspicuity
for which the author is distinguished. The
chapter, although written more than CEN
fury ago applies to the present case as apt
ly and directly as il it had been written
since the termination of the war, rendering
it perfectly clear that our late struggle was
to all intents and purposes, cipit 'oar, and
the parties to it "stood precisely in the same
predioament as two nations who engage in
q contest and, being unable to come to an
same rule which govern the conduct of two
scperate nations must obtain, during the
conduct of the war, as well as in arrang-
ing the terms of peace. So well convinced
vas the United States Government of the
correctness Of the principles here laid
down-so manifest was it, that war so gi-
gantic in its proportions as this had as
sumed, could not be treated ms mers re-
bellion, without a palpable violation of in
ternational law-that whatever they may
have said, or however clamorous and denun-
oiatory may have been the language of their
orators and public press, they never dared,
officially, to treat this war as a mere rebel
lion, nor those engaged in it as rebels and
traitors. They captured our soldiers they
captured our officers, our leaders, but they
dared not try them for treason--all were
treated as prisoners Of war. They hod no
right to do otherwise.
''If they had no right, during the war, to
treat US as rebels and traitors, they have
no right to do so, now the war has ceased.
The cessation of hostilities, and our defeat
does not change the character of the war,
nor does it confer on the victorious party
any other rights than those in existence
while the war was waging. During the whole
four years of the war, the United States
Government, by its acts, recognized us as
belligerents. 1t made arrangements with
ls for the exchange of prisoners on terms
OF professed equality. II received our
and held consultations with
them with view to the restoration of
peace. By all foreign nations, too, our
Confederate Government was recognized
as belligerent power. For four years we
communications and carried
on negotiations with the maritime States
of Europe. Our existence as free Gov
eminent was part of the established Or
der Of the world, and an element in every
important diplomatic question. No sir,
war in which seven millions of people,
were engaged was something more than a
rebellion. Eleven political communities
known as States, embracing a population
Of seven millions, made common cause in
an effort for elf-goyernment. The Govern
ment, under which they had lived, had, in
their opinion failed to protect them in their
ii sAts guaIa nteed TO Them by the Constitu
ton and fuiled to answer the ends for
which it was instituted-and they felt as
our forefathers felt, that they had the right
the revolutionary right-taking upon them
selves, of course, all the consequences of
seperate the Government which
had oppressed them, and establish Gov
ernment of their own. The war, on our
part was for self-government, and for that
great right it was for fouryears waged. In
taking part for our country in this fearful
and fatal struggle, no man felt that he was
guilty of any crime. The war may have
been unwise. To have precipitated our
selves into it as we did, may have been the |
extreme folly--call it madness if you WILL
and / will not disagree with you-but it
vas not either legally or morally crime
it was not treason. beg, then, that
his Convention do not itself brand with
infamy the noble sons of the South who
have toiled and suffered, and poured out
their precious blood in this awful but un-
fortunate struggle Of their country for the
sight Of self government No, sir, mol
There are no rebels, no traitors, no de-
graded criminals here We have done
nothing in this war that should cause the
blush of shame to mantle our cheeks.
want the bearing of the whole people TO be
IN harmony with this view; and hope that
when our Members Of Congress shall ap-
pear in Washington and demand admit |
ance into the Representative Hall, they /
will not 70 as degraded criminals, crouch. |
ng and duplicating mercy, but they will |
10 with heads erect bold front and O
cfty msin, as the honored representatives
II noble, virtuous and patriotic people
With thelofty dignity Of self-respeci which
onscious innocence of crime can alone in /