^7 to improve. Moreover, during the armistice all the neutral nations of the earth would, according to the rules of international law, be at perfect liberty to supply the Rebels with the means of further fighting, provided hostilities should be resumed. As it respects these nations the blockade would come to an end ; the Southern ports would be open to trade ; and the Southern people aided by foreign nations would be in a better position to resume the contest if necessary. There would be no little danger, that we should get into a foreign war on this question of trade with the Soutliern ports. Now taking all these points together, 1 ask the question :—It not this doctrine of an armistice and an ultimate convention a very uncertain and dangerous expedient ? So it seems to me. I would not even dream of it until driven thereto by the sternest military necessity, such as does not now exist at all. It is in my judgment as foolish as it is cowardly, and contemptible. It can have no other effect but to complicate our difficulties, endanger our cause, and prolong the struggle. I speak thus freely of it because the interests of my country are at stake. The fact that this doctrine has been made a political plank, does not exempt it from the searching scrutiny of truth. At such a time I can be chained to no political party. I will do my own thinking and my own voting. I go for the salvation of the country, whatever may be the fate of parties. I NOW OBSERVE FINALLY, THAT THIS DOCTEINE, FOR THE PURPOSE ALLEGED, IS BOTH ABSURD AND IMPRACTICABLE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. The object is to get the Rebels back into the Union, peaceably, without conquering them. For this purpose you are asked to propose an armistice to be followed by a Convention of the States. Those who proclaim this theory, mean of course a convention called in agreement with the provisions of the Con"- stitution, since no other would have any legal character. Any other convention would be revolutionary. They must also mean a convention to which the Rebel States would be parties, and in which represented. jS^o other would be binding upon them, or at all answer the purpose. The proposition then is to seek an armistice with Jefferson Davis and his army, that in the mean-
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