Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-06-20

plnl oil the tree hearts nope ana noHie
~ angel hands To valor giveni
Thy have lii the welkin dome
And all thy hucs were born in heaven:
FoprvEp rLoAr THAT STANDARD SHEET!
Where breahcs the foe but falls before us
With Freedoms soil beneath our feet,
And Freedoms banner streaming DER US.
ETITION OF THE FRIENDS OF
PEACE TO CONGRESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.
1--WE, the undersigned citizens and quail
fed voters Of - township, Belmont
county, O., believing that ,car is destructive
to the best interests Of the country, involving
us at the present time in conflict with our
kindred, and sister States, and that it will
finally result in the dissolution of our Union;
deploring as we do such dire calamity, and
fully confiding in the opinion that our pres
ent troubles are susceptible Of peaceful
solution, trusting therefore to the justice of
our cause and purity Of our motives, with
fr7a reliance upon the Supreme Being for
ultimate success, do humbly and beseeching
ly implore your Honorable Body to refrain
from declaration of ,oar, and in your wis
dom devise a suitable plan for the early as
sembling Of q National Convention, includ-
ing the seeding States, respectfully inviting
the cooperation of ali whose duty shall
be to provide for peaceful and final arbitra-
mcnt ofour national difficultics-all ofwhich
we respectfully pray"
The above is q copy OF a petition that
the leaders Of the "Aid and Comfort So
city" have been circulating during the past
week in this county for signatures, and have
meet with some success, by approaching
men with, "Are you in favor of peace"
and, if they answer in the affirmative, say
''Then sign this peace petition" and many
have thus been induced to signit, without
even reading it, who, as soon as they under
stood the nature of it, desired their names
stricken Off
The men who originated this petition were
either ignorant Of the powers and position
Of the Government, or are political gamblers
who are trying to fix up party platform or
which to fight political campaign. Con
gress does not intend to make any 'declara
tion Of war" It cannot without recogni
zing the existence Of the Southern Confed
eracy as foreign Government, and this 4
,ciU never do. II is folly, therefore, to peti
ton Congress not to do what it cannot, o.
will not do
This petition, therefore, can do no good
but may do great deal Of harm. Let it b,
extensively signed and presented to Con
gress, and it will, like the Corwin speech OIL
tho Mexican war, be read at tho head o
every regiment in the rebel army, as evi
dence that the sympathy Of large portion
Of the people of tho North is with them
opposed to their coercion, and in favor o
their recognition as distinct government
For the South knows, the men who circulat
this petition know, that, with eleven State
splitting upon the Constitution and resisting
its authority, when the absence of nine i
enough to prevent an amendment thereto
the proposition to stop tho war and call
Convention is nothing less than PROPOSE
ton to recognize the right Of secession an
tho existence Of the JEFF. Davis Coniedei
acy II will thus afford them comfort. Blu
how will il operate upon our neighbora an
friends who have gone with the army to al
in the suppression Of the rebels? 1t is vii
tually saying to them; We are opposed I
the legalizing Of this war by Congress-w
are opposed to its prosecution--we are or
posed to making any provision to supper
you as the soldiers Of tho Govornment-w
are in favor Of making your actions thus ia
illegal, by tieiog the hands Of Congress an
preventing it from legalizing them-we ar
in favor oftieing your hands until the Sout
shall be more fully prepared to "welcom
you with bloody hands to hospitabe graves.
The men who originated this petitio
knew this and we are forced to the conclr
sion that ii il being circulated with vie
to sscertaining how many men there are i
tho county who are opposed to the war
who are opposed to sustaining the Govern
insnt in the prosecution of that war; VIII
are opposed to coercing our "Souther
brethren" into submission to the Constitr
tion and the laws; with view to getting
peace-party platform, upon which they Gu
elect their friends to Office this fall. We al
willing they shall have all the party capt.,
they can make out Of this matter, and IL
will be any advantage to them to know Ii
issue upon which we will meet thom, il
this We will not sustain any man for AT
position at the coming election who will M
pledge himself TO sustain the Governmel
in the vigorous prosecution Of the war unit
the last armed rebel shall be brought int
submission to the Government and its laws
or driven from the country, Ofthe man VII
will make this pledge unless he suffer hin
self to be the tool Of clique, lin order
secure nomination--we will ask no que
tions as to his political opinions.
n -
MEETING OF LOYAL AMER,
.f CAMS IN PARIS