Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-02-13
The Peaee Cengsess.


The public eye SCENE at the presen
time to be directed towards the Peace
Congress now 10 session 1t Washington
o il expecting that that body il TO 81
once unite the gordian knot over which
Congress he's 20 long boon. fussing
and rendering more intricste. We are
not 20 crcdulous AZ TO believe that from
an impure source pure water can be
drawn, or that patriotic legislation and
peaceful propositions will be generated
in q convention where large majority
Of it's members are opposed to maintain
ing the Union, except upon its own
rlatform-opposed TO peace unless i i
at their own price. We trust We do not
misrepresent the Republican members
Of the Peace Congress. We have good
reason to believe that we do not. There
arc among the number there assembled
those Who would lay down their own
lives and suffer themselves TO be burned
alive rather than that this Union be de-
stroyed; but a. we look over the list we
can but come to the conclusion that the
majority of the members are such A.
prize the Chicago Platform ~ being far
pre- cradle to peace and Union. 1t not,
then, Why do they declare that they will
see wreck and ruin, war and rspine be-
fore they will yield single plank Of that
Platform ! that Platform upon which
they fought through the Presidential
campaign. We believe they mean what
they ssy-at least We give them due
credit for caudor. We have but little
confidence that such men Is those will
present any feasible solution Of the pres.
ent trouble. Ii We are mistaken, aud il
the result shows our belief and our rea-
soLing to be laliacious, no man will soon
CT hasten to do them justice thar We.
We repeat that the confidence we
have in that body. as pscificat"r, is
very small indeed. We can see but one
way left to decide this matter, and that
is ~ direct vote Of the people upon
some peace proposition. There is no use
in frit,cring away time in Congress or
out Of Congress- on this matter, except
to walk up TO the ballot-box and there
state our convictions. There is the rem
edy, pure and simple there is the
power which our foreiathers looked upon
to settle all our national troubles !; there
is the strong arm which shall hold to-
ge,her our nation aud protect her until
the last day. Give the question at once
to them, and all peace conventions and
CONFESSIONS. tom-fooling will be 10
longer neeied. Let the people speak.
Michigan Democratic State Convention.
The Democracy of the State Of Mich :
igan, assembled At Detroit, on Thursday
| asi, for the purpose OF gi"ing an express
ion upon The existing state Of political
affairs. Only seven counties were un-
reprcsruted. The resolutions adopted
breathe forth HE same spirit as those
adopted N Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa. The Democracy Of the entire
Nortl-Wtst are as an INIT upon the
present crisis. They viii SO continue
TO stand. We append the third and
fourth resolutions:
3. That the secession of any State or
States iron the Union is not a constitu-
tiOnsl, bat onlg a revolutionary right.
1t can ncve. be justified BY slight causes,
but only when great constitutional
rights are impal ed or tramped down,
and the Il ,htiui constitutional method
OF redress has ia'ed ; that We, therefore,
condcmn and deplore the revolution so
hastily percipitstcd in the Cotton States
but the nna"i,nily and rapidity which
have marked this great rupture should
admonisii Us that whole communities
never plunge into revolution except
from sentiment OF great actual or
threatened wrong; that menace and CO.
ercion can only aggravate and arouse
the spirit of people who believe their
rights, their honor, or domestic safety
imported; and that, therefore, it is the
first duty OF the Government and Of the
people to regard and respect the COM
plants OF any State, promptly to remove
all grievances or causes of alarm, and,
whenever needtul, to give such renewed
assurances and guarantees rs may be nee
,ssary t. restore the confidence Of any
disatfectcd section of the Union.
4. That, while we shall stcadfastly up-
hold and support The constitutional
authorities Of the Republic, irrespective
of party, and while We affirm the duty
Of every section Of the country to Join
in such support, we hereby declare our
convictions that, in the present condition
Of the country, the only path of safety
Is that of Cancellation and justice that
coercion by arms is civil war that civil
war IS disunion, absolute and forever
aud we, therefore, earnestly counsel
against all menaces or acts of coercion of
states by arms. as not only vain for any
GOOD but certain I" yield bloody har-
vest o. public and private woes.
The Democracy of the entire North.
| West have now ,akcn nos;,;or ona ~