The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-02-25

Virginia is lost to it, and North Carolina
must soon follow, and State after State,
under the hostile tread of the enemy,
must re- enter the old Union"
George Davis, the attorney general,
writes:
"Observation has satisfied me that the
States of Virginia and North Carolina
are finally lost..to our cause. The people
of the latter are utterly weary of the
war, broken and despairing in spirit, and
eager to accept terms far less liberia! than
the convention proposes.
"In the absence of general arrange
ment they will certainly make terms for
themselves.
abandoned by our armies, the people
of Virginia will follow their example,
and it will be impossible to arrest the
process of disiutegration thus begun.
"This melancholy array of facts leaves
open but one conclusion. l am unhesi-
taLiugly of the opinion that the conven-
ton ought to be ratified.
Gas to the proper mode of ratification
greater doubt may be reasonably enter.
tanned.
"The Confederate Government is but
the agent of the States, and, as its chief
executive, you cannot, according to our
governmental theory, bind the States to
a Government which they have not
adopted for themselves. Nor can you
rightfully without their consent dissolve
the Government which they have estab.
lished.
"But there are circumstances so despe.
rate as to override all constitutional the
cries, and such are these which are press
ing upon US now. The Government of
the Confederate States is no longer potent
for good. Exhausted by war in all its
resources to such degree that it can no
longer offer Il respectable show of resis.
tance to its enemies, tits already virtually
destroyed, and the chief duty left for you
to perform is to provide, as far as possible
for the speedy delivery of the people
from the horrors of war and anarchy.
~ therefore respectfully advise that
upon the ratification of the convention
by the Executive of the United States,
you issue your proclamation, plainly
setting forth the circumstances which
have induced you to assent to the terms
proposed, disbauding the armies of the
Confederacy, resigning your office as
Chief Magistrate, and recommending to
the people of the States that they assem-
Bile in convention and carry into effect
the terms agreed on"
John H. Reagan, postmaster general
after admitting the hopelessness of the
cause, says:
Gas you have no power to change the
Government of the country or to transfer
the allegiance of the people, would
advise that you submit to the several
States, through their Governors, the ques-
tion as to whether they will, in the exer-
else of their owR sovereignty, accept,
each for itself, the terms proposed.
"This plan would at least conform to
the theory OF the Constitution Of the
United States, and would, in future, be
an additional precedent, to which the
friends of State rights could point in
opposing the doctrine of the cousolida-
tion Of powers in the central Government;
and if the future shall disclose disposi'
tion (of which, fear, the chance is
remote) on the part Of the people Of the
United States to return to the spirit and
meaning of the Constitution, then this
action on tho part of the States might
might prove to be of great value to the
friends of constitutional liberty and good
government.
"In addition to the terms of agreement
an additional provision should be asked
for, which will probably be allowed
without objection, stipulating for the
withdrawal of the Federal forces from
the several States of the Confederacy,
except a sufficient number to garrison
the permanent Qualifications and take
care of the public property until the
States can call their conventions and take
action on the proposed terms. In addi
tion the necessity for this course, in
order to make their action as free and
voluntary as other circumstances will
allow, it would aid in softening the bitter
memories which must necessarily follow
such contest as that in which we are
engaged.
Nothing is said in the agreement
about the public debt and the disposition
of our public property beyond the turn,
ing over of the arms to the State arse
nails In the final adjustment we should
endeavor to secure provisions for the
auditing of the debt Of the Confederacy
and for its payment in common with the
war debt of the United States. We may
ask this on the ground that we did not
seek this war, but only sought peaceful
separations to secure our people and
States from the effects of unconstitutional
encroachments by the other States, and
because OIL the principles of equity,
allowing that both parties had acted in
good faith, and gone to war on a misun'
derstanding which admitted of no other
solution, and now agree to a reconcilla-
ton and to burial of the past, it would
be unjust to compel our people to assist
in the payment of the war debt of the
United States, and for them 10 refuse to
allow such of the revenues as we might
contribute to be applied to the payment
of our creditors"
Mr.. Reagan, postmaster general, also
submitted to the President the following
us the basis of pacification:
M l...