Year: 1861




condition of affairs in our country.


The great body of the Southern army
the majority ofthose who remain at home
supplying it with the means of support
and of subsistence love the Union, love
its history, its glorious tradit ions, and
would gladly hail us as blethen if we
would but undo that Mhich the evil dis
posed and designing have done, and which
we admit ourselves was wrong, and by
which they were deceived. But am told
in answer to..this that it would be humila-
ting to the Government to explain to any
portion of its people that they might be
satisfied with it, the terms and conditions
upon which it is to be administered. To
do right is never humiiating to either a
Government or people--it is is elevating
to both. But l ina Inc that the hostility
OF the people of the South is not so much
against the Government or those who are
in charge of it, as it is against the people
of the North who they have been induced
to believe intend to use the Government
to oppress them and to deprive them of
their Just rights, and therefore, say, that
the people of the North, not in humiia-
tion but in that spirit of magnanimty
which always marks the course Of the Just
and honest and trul patriotic, should
give to the loyal masses of the South such
authoritive assurances of their purposes
toward them rs should forever dirpcl from
their minds the delusions that have en-
veloped them.


But it is humiliation that / seek to
avoid. This war cannot last always, nor
can it be prosecuted with vigor and with
any reasonable hope of speedy termina-
ton, il the South remains united and re-
coives material aid and comfort from
abroad. We have now the most indubi.
table evidence tina. the state Of things in
this country is looked to by the principle
governments of Europe with the greatest
anxiety and solicitude. The Emperor Of
Russia has not been silent, but in an au-
thentic communication the following Ian
guage is used:


"llis Imperial Majesty still places his
Z" confidence in that practical good sense
"of the citizens of the Union who apprc-
"ciate judiciously their true interests
"lliS Majesty is happy to believe that the
members of the Federal Government,
"and the influential men of the two par
cites will seize all occasions and unite all
"their efforts to calm the elvtresence of
"their passions. There are no interests
$50 divergent that it may not be possible
"to reconcile them by laboring to that
'end with perseverance, and zral in spir-
lit Of justice and moderation.


Language no less pregnant with mean
ing has emenated from both the govern
ments Of England and France. 1t would
be unrea sonable to suppose that those
Governments if there should be reason
able pretense for their Interference would
permit their commercial and manuiactur-
ing interests to be for series of years al
mos paralyzed by war of sections in this
country, and it becomes q war Of sections
i the South is permitted to become uni
ted have no idea that those Govern.
ments for the avowed purpose Of securing
the independence of the Southern States,
would enlist in their behalf, although |
have never doubted they would sympa-
thize with any movement looking to the
final overthrow of our form of Govern
mcnt But they wovld demand cessation
of hostlitlcs, alleging that it was ;ncom-
patible with the spirit of the age to per-
NIT the business interests of the whole
world to be disorgonizod by war so stu
pendous and fatal in its character


Unless therefore we of the North who
represent the Government show some.
thing of character and disposition attribu-
ted to us by the Emperor of Russia, and
mako some movements authorizing differ
ont anticipations from those expressed by
Lord Palmertson in behalf of the British
Government, when he remarks in rcrcf-
ence to our presest trouble, "no one can
"regret more than DO the intelligence
(Which has been received within the last
"lew days from America, but at the same
"time any one must have been short sight,
led and little capable of anticipating the
"pl obable course of human events who
chad not for a long time forsecn evnts OF
"similar character to those which we ow
"deplore. From the commencement Of
"this unfortunate quarrel between the two
Sections Of the United States it was cv-
"ident that the seeds of dissolution were
"too deeply seated to make it tpossiblo that
separation would not take place, and it
"wns also obvious that passions were so
aroused on both sides as to make it
"highly improbable that such separa-
"tion could take place without contest"


In my opinion these Governments viii
intervene unless the war is brought to II
speedy termination, and one great object
| have in view in suggesting National
Convention, is to show the world that
the people Of the North are not govern,
ed by passion. that looking to the Consti-
tntirn for protection theyaio ready and
willing to Il dopt all its provisions, and
that instrument pointing ont the mode
and manner in which grivances shall be
considered and remedied, if any exist,
and contemplating that in the progress
of events such necessity would arise, pro-
vided for u National Convention, To
such Convention the North should in
vito the South. If tho North assumes
this position then there will be no excuse
for intervention by any foreign power in
behalf Of the South, If the war should
continue twill be by their wrong, it win
be their fault and the language of tho Eu-
ropcan Governments to the South will be,
"seek y, ur redress in the mode ant imam
ner pointed ont by the constitution, to
which you are invited by the Notrh,' And
when we are thus in National Convention