Newspapers / The Durham Recorder (Durham, … / Feb. 22, 1865, edition 1 / Page 1
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0 Ms iilii II, ,T '? E C..N ? T 1T T 1 .N A NP T h E ; g A;V g ijT n B( G't' ARD I A OP t)SR L1BPRTT Ti;xr,yi. HILLSBOROUGH,, N. C., FEBRUARY 22; '1865. . t .. lam ".,. .j 'jeTT I AT T- . ' -- . . - i It L Ill I 4' EI II III 171 III III ' If B . 15 ' . I'l III f 11 . V , III VT " "NIT1 VVV wr ""O' tM'jsj nil,..,;,., mlJ, mm -1 f '" "" ' ' ' ' ;i 1 1 . . . ,,,M-.Mr-. ., .-j,,t..M.-.. , .hi . - : i- ' i - ' - i . " i ' f BY THE GOVERNOR PROCLAMATION. TO JHI PKOPLB Of WORTH CAROLINA. Whirias, It it iocunbenttiD me bj vir t f tke kih (ruU your partialitr hat tnfrted upon tit, t watch with vigilance tar jytir welfare, guard with fidelity r nteretta, and warn jb of eftry iiproach iBgiamer: . .r . New, therefore, I. ZeBOLiif B. .Vaicck. OoTrnr tf the U. State, actuated bjr a acred aeaie of dity and lave of.etuntrj de dtvaa it nVcesurj U addrraiyea ia (hit taaaatr it rf(ard t the dao(era and dutie r the'pretent tiei eameulj prayiafthat it aaaj be evnducife to harmenraad eod will, wherein only ia to he foeod life and heierable dtlieerance (r all our trouble t. It ii known to yon all, that the bejianinj f theta troiiolci, North ('arelioa wai decidet? ppied to initiating th aee ia of her Southern aiitara, that.asy tt tea pt to force her to do o by even a aaa jority of her people, prior to the Proclawa tita Liofolo in 186IA would anott likely have retulted to civil war among ohr own eitinni. It pleased God however, to pre veit tKiacRUuaity lid to ctlaa all the fierce ilium of party bitternets, and to cauae the nott perfect oniiitv br aaeait of that rreclamatieo, which plated before as the ili re necciiiy of either aiitatieg or itaufhtcriog our own brothers end friend. Interest, honor anit eympathy combined to decide m open retittaace to what alt unit ed in condemning at jt cruel and wicked war upon the homea and liberties of the Seoth. With ooeiampled seal we enter ed into the war, rubied forward ourbraveat em, and poured out onr rtchttt trenerei. With immenteiacriScea, and varying for ts nei, we mounted the ttrpgele'ttill with great toiniaaily for years. Aloat the eid of the thud year, however, a portion of iur people io cmmin with many others ihrohout the South, toeing hew our best citizens were fi'Iinp. and how our (attest Uodi were deflated, began to urge thai peace hould ft oght for by negntiationa as well as by tl sword. They argued that our Confederate authnriti, moved by the pride of opinion and embittered by the length tutl fieneneM of the coofiirr, bad not m(fa sotTicivnt iril of statesinanihip ai a oteint of stopping the war; that no d.b: if properly approachtd, either by commissioner ppinted by our cnmmn goteriintrnt, or by the States separately Mfpoung diplomatic reasons would pre veotthr enemy froimtreating with the for nier tfeat our enemy wouUf grant n better trrrn than we h-il supposed. and promising that if a fair and honest effort at negutia tien should be spurned by the enemv or rejected, then all claeeand ctditions of oen in the outh would unite in an earnest prosecution of the war. 'litis was the first serious epprosch to a diviiien among our teople. bmpathizing with tlie reasons Icness ni this demamt, Umugh rfot with all ite ieob given ttr believing in its elli ciency, and baing as sincerely desir u as it wis possible lor man to be, to Hop the war on honorable terwa, I, as your Govern or, addressed President Dim in Detent her 1861, and urged this course upon hist. I answer thereto he atsired use that three separate and distinct efforts had been made to treat with tie enemy, witSout obtaining even a heriiig,and tht he did not see he a fourth one could be initiated without humiliation to ouuelvrt sod injury to our cuse. ,'",' , , . (-: Trusting that Providence would yet open the way, the matter rested hero for an other year. Many, how'ever, of our people, who advocated peace upon such vague and ill'defined terms as to cause dyubt of their ;ood faith and l sit, continued scdulout y to disseminate the opinion, thstour own goveromeat alone was to bUmf lor the coatinuaace ol the war, guisg so far in Mete instance as io thteatta revolutiona ry nriiuree for wresting the treaty-nuking power from it hands, and negotiating with the enemy ourselves, alleging that wa could cartaialy get such terms it the Statts would act ia their sovereign capacity, at would -retire our property and sUvel, by recun o'ructien., Siace the beginning of the resiQtjcir, kswevcr, two laditiduli from the North havinr visited Riehmand n a p-ce mission, by the authority t of Prpsi dent Jincdn, and having as our President jipposed opened.tho way for another effort at negotiations,! wat promptly made He immediately sent a delegation through the Hnet Tor that .purpose consiting of . Yice President Stephens, Judge Campbell, late ofthe Supreme Coiirt of the United States, and the Hon. R. M. Hunter, Confede rate! States Senator, from the State' of Vir ginta, men all eminent for their abilities, public services, and the long continued confidetce and respect of their country men. The first two are well known to have opposed the, beginning of thit wtrf and to aympathize witn .the general desire for no gotiatioaa. , They ; were t met at Fortress Monroe by Presultnt Lincoln, and Mr. Seward, his Secretary of State who, with out allowing them to leave the beat on which they arrived, told them what appears in the following official report: r , KiebmBdf Tb.i, 185$!' ' I fruHtnl of (he Confederate ilata t Sim . Under yeor IrtUr of sppioieat of Uomcieiion re el the SHih.wa prcejd te aeek an ioturmat coofrence with Abnhtm Lincoln, Prwident of the 0aiud tftatM, upa tb ubjwl rwmtipueil io your letur. Th eonfaroneo was (ranted and took place o the Sd iaaUnt, on baard o afeamer anchored in llamptoo Koada, wbra wt mat Pra-j.Wnt Lioeoln and Hob. Mr. Saward, Hecreiarjr of HUU ftf tha Unilad blaiea. . It coathued for arra hoora and was both full anil aiplicit. Wo learned frem them that lbs meaaao of PreaiJent Lincoln U tha Congreaa of the United Siatee in Decerabar laal" eiplsrna clearly and duiincdy hit aeniinant aa to the terma, conditioni and motla of procaatling by which peace caald bo aecured Io lha people, and wa wire not in foraaod that they would be modified or aliared lo at tain that end. Wo understood frm him that no larma or propoel ol any treaty or (ioement looking to an oliimatc aouleaxint would be entoitained of made by him with tha author iie of lha UonedoUta 8talea,Soeua that would bo a recognition of ibeir exiet-nee as a eeparale power, which ooJer oo f ir eunaoce( would be dune, and for like reaoua lh-t no a Jib terua would bo oulerlaioed by him from State aeparalely, that ni ei tended iruco or artnietice aa al pieni adied wou!d ha granted or allowed without a Mlifiiclory a taurine, in advance ol tbo conplete rea toratinn of the authority of the Constitu tion and lawa of tha Unit-d State 0er ail place .a- .a . Mm . . wnnin too state ol tno i;onred.'raey, thai whatever rttrunialinrea m.y follow froo the re-cubruhment .( inn autharii inut la acc!ted out and out. ' In drvHtuala. u!'jct to pain and peoaltiea under the Ijw ol liio United Autre, miihl relr anon o verv liHaral ae of the poer mntided to hin. to rentil thete ptine and panaltie, if peace be raired daring urn conference. I he prutMioed amendmente to the Conatitution adopted by Uooctom on tha 31 itt.. were brought to our notice, 'i'be atacndiaent provide that neither a!aery noo iovoiuutary cemtitle, exce4 for crime, bould eiui witr.m the tnitod HUieaoria any place within ire juriJictin, and Couirre. ahould hwe the power to enforce the amendment by approf ritte l fialatioo. Of all the cnrrepend6nc that preceded ,ine conference herein mentioned and leading 10 lha a me, you have beretutere been infernird. . . t . ,' Veiy repeclfull, jour abeJieut rnt. ' A. H. STEPHENS. (Sifined) R. M. T. HU.N TEK. J. A. CAMPBELL. Thtt yon tee that neither terms nor conditions were spoken of in the interview, but only tubjugation offend us, the mere details of whicb they proposed to settle. At one blow, all our topes in the htniiaity and moderation of our enemies were dish ed to the ground. No term or proposals of a treaty coming either from the Couf'd erate. States, r auy one of the-Slates would be entertained, but s coap!rie, ab solute and onrooditional aubmiiauui to the Constitution and taws of the United States, is required as a preliminary step to any, even the slightest cessation of .hettlfitie's. Seeing then that we can treat with the en emy, neither by the authorities of the Con federate Ststes, nor by separate State ac tion, what will be the result if we submit, as we are required to dot This we can partly judge by examining that csavtitu tie aad those laws, to which we are re quired to yield obedience.' That Cotsti tution it not the one we left. In addition to the changes it has undergone by corrupt aad violent interpretation by Black Re publican judges, its wording hat been so changed as to decree imtssdiately and for ever, the abolition of slavery.' The ''laws1 to whose tender arrciis we are referred, provide most minutely and particularly for the.-puaiihmeat of diih by the ltilter, of cverj sttR, stlJlsr, sailer or o arias, ci vilians and others, who have been engaged! in whit thejerra rebellion. Net ceasing to punish with the death of'tht orender, the laws' ol the United States also pro vide" that all his property, rsal and perso nat; shall be ' confiscated.' Phe only milu gatibn or the rigor ' threatontd by thest lawt, ii contained; in Mr.'LtactlnV pro-, clamatioii accompanying his anotjal met sage in'Decembtr 1861, in which ho pro poses to hang only those "above the rank of Colonel in the army and Lieutenant in' the nary, and all civil and diplomatic officers or agents of the Conlederate Government, and various other classes therein specified; coupled with ' a vague intimation to our commissioners in their recent interview; that whiltt we must prepare to accept all tht paint and penalties of the laws, we might rely oa a liberal use of the pardon ing power, vested in him. He also informs is that the terms set forth in his recent sbtssage of December fast, wherein he re endersts the above mentioned proclama ties, will be rigidly ad hired to - Now then, we can sum op, in seme sort, the consequences of our submission. Four million staves, two hundred thousand of whom have been io arras against us, turn ed loose at oace in. our midst, our laadi confiscated, and sold out to pay the cost of our subjugation, or parcelled among negro aoldisrs as the reward of the slaughter of their masters; oar women, children and old men reduced to, beggary, and driven from their once happy; hemes, our mutilat ed and diseased soldiers, starving in rag from dur to door, spumed by even pen sioned negro soldiers, whilst the gallows trows weary under the harden of our wiseat fstatesmen and bravest defenders: to say I'.a? a 0 a . . . of ofiniagoi universal nnanciairain and tht intolerable oppression of a rapacious and vindictive fee, in the hour ofcenquest! Great God ! is there a man in all this honora ble, high-spirited tnd noble commtawealth, so steeped in every conceivable meanness, so blackened with all the guilt of treason, or so damned with all the leprosy of cow ardice, sate say, yes, we will saamit te all this! aad whilst thtro yet remains a half million men amongst us able to reaistl And who says the enemy will give ns any thing better? Not Mr. Lioeoln; and do the weak, aad the vascillating amonr nt. know better than he dees, what he will do ' Having made, therefore, a fairand honest eiert to obtain peace by negotiation, and knowing now precisely, from the lips of the Prteident of the United States, what we are to expect, what are we to do nest? there is only oae thing left for us to do. We must fight, my countrymen, to the last extremity, or suiimu voluntarily to our own degradation.' Let no man mistake the issue now, The line of distinction will be drawn plainly between those who are for their country, and those who are against their country. Theri is no half-wav house upon the road. The purifying fro ia even now burning throughout the land, and its coasaming tlainet mutt separate the dross i runt the true metal. Degradation, rnin and dishonor on 'the one handlibarty, in dapeadtaceand honor, tf our souls bs strong, on the other. Is, it not worth another honest and manly, efort? Aye.aaolher, ami another, ana another, and a thousand eflyrt of our whole people. As North Carolinian, defendants ol revolutionary heroes, and fathers and brothert ot the no blest dead and living snldiers that ever drew a blade for human freedom, wo can. not tolerate the thought of sack Lisa and t : . . imatnun suuniMien, Should we wilfully throw dawn an or gaiiztdgovernment, disband our still pew erful armies, and. invite all these fearful consequences opon our country, we would !:... i... .... ...... ... it, iw iia.iv vui luuuieo uic oar graj hairs far fastening our dishonor upon them. I trust and believe that there will be lit tle difference of opinion in North Carolina as to the propriety of continued ruiiUnce. 'I. . ...a .... - . 1.L MII. I I . ini great arguratat wnicn wiuot urougni forward to shake your honor and intended to incite you to dispair, will be that sue eestful retistince is no longer possible. Seme will tell yea that vre are already sub dued ; that the enemy outauaibers u ; that our fighting men are Ml slain j rtfc)t ees all eshausted, and we, might, aa'well submit - now., 'fhis my. countrymen, is fafse, and as frequently proceeds from eV craven or a,traitorous,"as friioj an hoaeit but mistaken spirit.. , .Greatis onr calami ties have been, ttraitened at we ; are for all supplies both of men' and material, I tall you, imall candor, that whttr I strrejour . condition by the light of huasan history,' I see no danger which threaten! to be fatal t4 our cause, except this depression of sp'irif amoni; the peole and the still snore fearfai . risk of iaternal dissention.So lng:as w remain one and determined, it is not in the power of oar enemies to subdue us, , !Bat ! except these sbide in the ; ship, ye, cannob be sivtd., All; things may be supplied iff we are but possessed. of that Jbold and saan-t ly spirit of resistance! to tyranny, of whichf liberty and independence are born. That alone can fill the witlew'e barrel aad. still the orphan's cry; can cast catneas.and build ships of war; can raise up armed men from the. dust of the ylragoVn teeth f, can wrest tangible realities from tha verr jaws of. impossibility. , Without it, num., bers Dttadd to the ignominy ol certain do-, leat, .even at the Persian millions were whipped and shamed b'ihe three hundred, io the mountain pass. Are our men all slain? Over four hundred thousand narate yet stand upon the muster rolls ol the Cdi-, lederacy, to say nothing of the many thon sands who shirk. Where are. they ? Thou saodsjupon thousands, absent fithout leave, are lurking in the woods and swamps of the Soath. Are our provisions all gone?. Hun- dreds of thousands of bushels of grain jbow . rot at the various pepots of the South for want of transportation ; aad this trans por- , tation cannot be protected because these absent soldiers art not at the post of duty . Qhi my countrymen! if. you would but rise to entreat, to shame, to drive them back to their country's standard, llasotir territory been overrun? It has, but bow much of it his been held? The enexuy marched trinmphantly through the heart of our aister Georgia, and is the conquered?. Except for the garrison at Savannah and the ashes of desolation on their, track' through the interior, Georgia has neither enemy nor the sign of enemy on her soil. S of mast portions of the South which , tpace duet not. permit me. Jo enumerate. For lour yean their countless legions have knawed at tie : vitals of Virginia, yet to day they claim not even atl of her territo ry which it swept by, their cannon'. The enties they garrison, the land their armies actually stand upon, and the water ridden by their fletts, are atl that they really held, or ever can hold except by our ignoble . consent. Let the balance of onr cities go; Mo-, bile, Charleston, Wilmington, Richmond, all, and if we are determined to be free our subjugation is quite as distant as ever. For thank God, the- Confederacydoea not consist in brick and mortar, or particular tpottof ground, however valuable they may be in a military point of view. Our na tionality consists in our people. Liberty dwells in the heart of her votaries, and the ragged, barefooted soldier, standing in the depths of the forest, or in the shadow of the mountain, can oSVr sacrifices, which will be as tweet and as acceptable as those proffered in gorgeous temples in the midst of magnificent cities. Ho ir our country and its cause, like to the kingdom of God, be enthroned in our hearts, thin, indeed, am I persuaded, that neither principalities nor powers, nor thitgt present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor; life nor desth, nor say other creature ahall be able' to separate s from that independence and hoaor far which our people have suffered . and our sens bsvo died. . (Therefore, my countrymen, hiving warn ed you of this danger which is apou us. I now appeal to yon by every thing held sa cred among men, to bear yoartelvet as be comes yeur high lineage and future bop's. I implore you to lay. down all party bitter nen, and to be recoaciled toyouraeigfrr for the sake of your country ; to use every possible exirtiel to restefe absentees to
The Durham Recorder (Durham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 22, 1865, edition 1
1
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