Year: 1864

ciation is meant communities and bodies
Of men capable Of forganizing and maintain
Ing Government, not individual members
Of society. The " consent Of the govern
ed" refers to the will Of the mass Of the
community or State 10 its organized form
and expressed through its legitimate and
properly constituted organs.


1t was upon this principle the Colonies
stood justified beforeithe world in affecting
a separation from the mother country. IT.
was upon this principle that the original
thirteen co-equai and co.sosereign States
formed the Federal compact of the old
Union in 1887. Its upon the same prin-
ciple that the present co-equal and co.
sovereign States Of our Confederscy form
ed their new compact OF Unien. The idea
that the old Union or any Union between
any of their sovereign States consistently
with their fundamental truth can be main
tanned BY force is preposterous. This war
springs from an attempt to do this prepos-
ferrous thing. Superior power may compel
Union Of some sort, but il would not be
the Union of the old Constitution or our
newt weuld be that sort of union that
results from despotism. The subjugation
af the people Of the South BY the people Of
the North, would necessarily involve the
destruction Of the Constitution and the
overthrow of their liberties as well as ours.
The men or the party at the North TO whom
YOU refer who favor peace, mustbe brought
TO fnll realization Of this truth in all its
bearings before their efforts will result IN
much practical good for any peace grew
ing out oi Union of States established by
force. will be as ruinous to them as US. The
| action Of The Chicago Convention, so far
as lis platform Of principles goes, presents
as have said on another occasion, "a raw
Of light which under Providence may prove
the dawn OF day TO this long and cherries
night. The FIRST ray Of light have seen
from the North since the war began. This
cheers the heart, and towards il ] could al
most have exclaimed


Hail. holy light, offspring Of Heaven FIRST born,


Or Of the eternal co-etcrual beam,


May ! express thee unbalanced since God is light


Indeed, | could qaite SO have exclaimed
but Tor the sad reflection that whether il
shall bring healing in its beams or be lost
10 dark and omsnuus eclipse ere Us good
work be done, depends 50 much upon the
acton Of others who may not regard it and
view il as do. So al best il is but ray
small and tremulous ray-enough oply


70 gladden. the heart and quicken hope.


The prominent and leading idea Of thai
Convention seems Ia have been desire &c


reach a peaceful adjustment OF our present
. difficulties and strife through the medium
Of convecation vi the States. They pro.
puse 10 suspend hostlIities to see what car


be done. 1t anything, by negotiation o


some sort. This is one step IN the righ
direction. To such a convention OF the


States should have no objection as !
peaceful conference aud interchange o


views between equal aud sovereign Power,
! Just as tie convention OF l7S7 was call.
! ed and assembled. The properly consti
tuted authorities at Washington and Rich
mond, the duly authorized Representative
oi the two Confeaeracies OF States, nov a
5 war with each other, might give their as
sent TO such . proposition. Good nigh
| result from il. Ii would be an appeal ol


both sides from The. sword to reason AM
{ Justice. All wars which do not result Il
/. the extinction or determination OF one sid,
4 or the other must be ended sooner or late
! by some sort Of negotiation. From th
! discussion and interchange Of views il
$ such convention, the history as well 0
r the true nature Of our Institutions and tn
/. relation of the States towards each othe
,f and towards the Federatiye Head woul
{ doubtless be much better understood gen
s orally than they are now. But shoul
favor such proposition only as peacefu
q conference as the Convention Of 1887 wa,


should be opposed to leaving the ques
i tions al issue TO The absolute decision
i such body. Delegates might be clothe


with powers to consult and agree il the