Year: 1864

7 Tho TACT must not De overlooked


however, that while Georgia possesses
the sovereign power to act seperately


her faith, which never has, and trust


never viii be violated, is pledged by


strong Implication to her Southern sis
4 ters, that she viii not exercise this pow
er without consent on their part, and
concert Of action with them In league
with her Southern sister States, she en-
tered into this contest with full knowl-
edge Of all the responsibilities which
attached to the act; and come veal or
woe, she viii never withdraw from II in
dishonor. However unequal may be
the proportion of suffering or sacrifice
which her people may have 70 endure,
she will never make seperate terms
! with the enemy which may free her
territory from invasion and leave her
confederates in the lurch. Whatever
may be the opinion Of her people as to
the injustice done her by the COnfede-
rate administration, she viii triumph
with her Confederate sisters, or she will
sink with them in common ruin. The
intelligent people of Georgia already
understand. and our enemy will soon
learn, that the independent expression
Of condemnation of the administration
is one thing, and disl0yalty to cur sacred
cause is another and quite different
thing While the people of Georgia
think for themselves and will not blind
| ly applaud the rnismansgement Of their
rulers, they viii never violate principle
for expediency nor accept dishOnOr for
reward.


The foundation Of our government
and the liberties Of the people rest up
on the sovereignty of the States as their
chief corner stone. Destroy the SOW
ereignty of the States and the whole
fabric falls to the ground, and central
lied power with military despotism
takes the place of constitutional lii
erty.


When the passions of the people
North and South have sufficiently sub
sided We may make peace by negots-
ton, but never by the sword.


If Mr. Lincoln would have peace and
prosperity re-estabhshed upon a firm
basis, let him stop the war, and, plant
ing himself upon the principles of the
Declaration of Independence OF l776,
let him recognize the sovereignty of the
States, and agree 10 leave each sovereign
State to determine for herself, by con
yention of her people, whose delegates
shall be fairly chosen BY the legal voters
of the State, without military interfe
renee or intimidation, what shall be ker
future onnectiOn-whether she will re-
main in, or, if out return to the old
Union, or adhere to her present league.


There may be doubts whether Ken
lucky, Missouri, and probably other
States, dezire to continue their connec-
tion with the United states or 70 cast
their lot with the Confederate States.
The only Just mode Of solving these
doubts is the one above indicated. II
these or any other of the Southern
States should, in solemn convention.
decide to go with the United States,
neither the Confederate government
nor the other States can object We
cannot govern Kentucky, for instance,
against her will, unless we can subiugate
her. This we have no power to do with
the Northern States at her back and
if we had the power, we have no right
to coerce a sovereign State into a con
nection which is not of her own choice.
If this were done we must, in future.
govern her people BY the bayonet,
which would convert our rrepublicanism
into the worst species Of despotisn So
it must be with the North if Mr Lin
coin should succeed in his policy Of con-
qaering US.


II We were overrun, and for time
subdusd, our territory is so vast in
extent, and our population so large, that
1t would take a regular army OF two
hundred thousand men TO govern and
hold as in subiection The support OF
such an army would not only continue
the country IN bankruptcy, but in the
hands of the Executive IL would soon
be used TO subyert even the form Of the
government, and change il from a re-
public 70 q monarchy. Thus 20 destroy
our Liberties must cost the Northern
people their own; and the republican
ism Of America must in future be
reproaeh and q by word among all
nations.


If President Lincoln and President
Davis will agree 20 stop the war and
transfer the settlement OF the issues
from the battle field TO the ballot box,
leaving each sovereign State 70 deter
mine for herself what shall be her
future connection, and who her future
allies, the present devastation, blood
shed, and carnage will cease, and peace
and prosperity will be restored 70 the
whole country.


On the other hand, if this is not done,
the war viii last for years 70 come. til
both sides are exhausted aud over
Whelmsd with debt and taxation, when
it may degenerate into q gueITIlla strife,
the end OF which may not be seen by
the present generation, and the hate
engendered by which Will last through
many future generations.


Neither HeneTal sherman nor | can
control this, however much We may
deplore IL


II those on both sides who have the
constitutional power Of negotiation,
from obstinacy or ambition, rvfa-s %
recognize the sovereignty u the States
and to leave the settlement u the
question TO the States when they can
not themselves agree, and insist on
continual eitusiOn Of blood 70 crafty
their caprice, all the States Norsh and
South, IN their official capacity may
then be justihsbie in taking the matter
into their own hands and setting % a.
s0yereigns in their own wSy