Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/572

534 supported McClellan upon their belief that the Southern States would willingly return to the Union on the defeat of the sectional party. Resolutions debated in State legislatures and public meetings encouraged that hopeful aspect of the question, particularly certain resolutions in Alabama, which declared in reference to the overtures of the Chicago convention that 4 if the aforesaid party is successful we are willing and ready to open negotiations for peace on the basis indicated in the platform adopted by said convention our sister States of this Confederacy being willing thereto.&quot; In the Georgia legislature a series of resolutions offered by Linton Stephens defined very clearly the position of the South, and said, &quot; We hail with gratification the just and sound sentiment coming from a large and growing party in the North that all associations of these American States must be voluntary and not forcible, and we give a hearty response to their proposition to suspend the conflict of arms and hold a convention of States to inaugurate a plan of permanent peace. In North Carolina a disposition to bring about peace through the encouragement of the conservatives of the North became apparent as the Presidential canvass proceeded. Mr. Boyce, in an open letter, urged that &quot; the only political organization which proposes to intervene between us and the war party North is the party which adopted the Chicago platform. Now should we pursue a policy to build up that party or not? I think most decidedly we should. My great purpose is to break down the wall of fire which separates us from the influences of peace in the North. I have great faith that if Lincoln and his policy were once repudiated and negotiations for peace entered upon, that very moment we would approach nearer to an auspicious result. Vice- President Stephens zealously supported the policy that some decided and prominent action should be taken by the Confederate government toward meeting the overtures of the Chicago resolutions. His reasons were