Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-08-08
The Path TO Peace.

ton OF Inc lahepehueueo WI 'he So
Confederate States is not the path TO
such peace. The preservation of the
Union aud the Constitution in their full
integrity is the sole condition of peace
worth having. The Union and The Con-
stitutton must be preserved IN their t"H
inteqrity. We must save the Republic
The most sacred interests material and
moral of the whole people summon us OF
this generation to the vital work. We
must perform the work. The peace and
prosperity of the continent and the hopes
of the world demand it. Without the
salvation of the Republic there can be
no peace which he who is at once n
statesman and lover of his race can
deem worthy of pursuit or of desire.
The destruction of the Republic would
expel peace and all the virtues and in
tcrests and glores of peace from this
continent forever. 1t would extinguish
civilization and order in the Western
hemisphere. The republic must be
saved; its salvation is the path and the
only path to solid and enduring peace.
The notion that in order to establish
peace we ought to accept the destruct-
ion of the Republic as fact is among
the most shallow and shortsigated and
i,noble that ever entered the brain Of q
free citizen. 1t could scarcely enter the
brain of citizen who is enlightened and
unsclish as we'll as free. The notion is
political and moral absurdity. Fume
and speculate as the revolutionists may.
the American Union is a civil organism,
the growth of line and event and the
expression of the inexnrable necessities
of the PEOPLE, not mere arbitrary ar
rangement Of indifferent or repugnant
elements; ami every sensible American
of intelligence and reflection realizes this
commanding truth. We are one people
by the irrcpealablc ordinance of nature
and of history. But in all organisms
and in all structures approaching the
quality of organisms the principle of u
nifty and the principle of subordlnatlon
constitute the law Of the harmony of the
parts. The dissolution Of the Union
would set this law at defiance and there
by necessarily enthronc disorder from
one end of the continent to the other
Such is the general eXplication of
fact which every man of candor and of
thought feels nstinctively to be true.
A volume would be required to devel-
ope this exploitation adequately. We,
however, have said enough on the point
for our present purpose We intended
simply to touch upon the great incontro-
vertible fact itself. The notion of es-
tablishing peace by consentng to the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Republic is the
most terrible nonsense. 1t should be
promptly dismissed by every friend of
humanity who entcrtains the fatal vaga-
ry. The seiiishness and FOLLY of one who
s cks 10 escape the indiction Of war by
peace on such terms would
prompt him if the house Of his NC shbor
should be on fire to attempt to stay the
hands of the fremen because the splash
of the engines was defacing his own
dwelling which nevertheless must burn
down if the advancing flames should not
be quenched. Counsellors of This sort
do not beft the exlgency. The nation
might afford to pension them for life on
the single condition of their silence. -
They are the John Hooks of the time.
running to and fro and crying Beef beef.
beef Cor which or its equivalent in their
own description of estate they would
fain exchange the happiness and fame
Of the present generation and the iber-
lies OF posterity.
No, the true path to peace lies through
The preservation of the Union and the
Constitution in their full integrity; and
The nation has resolved, and resolved
wisely, to tread no other path. Ind
his resolution @iH not be recersed -
Twenty millions of freemen stand ready
to make it good. Its triumphant exc
cntlon is recorded in the book of fate.
The Union and the Constitution wiW be
preserved. The Republic will be saved
Those who aim at its destruction, war
against the decree of destiny. Why will
they wage a struggle Sd bootless and so
nglorious? Let the men amongst US,
who profess to yearn for peace and a,
.he same time espouse the side of the
'evolutonists arraycd in arms against
he Republic, appeal to their rebclious
'rieDds to lay down their arms and give
'ver this mad and wicked attempt upon
he national life, and, if the appeal is re-
pected, peace. glorious and durable
,eace, will break like dawn upon the
country In this event, or in the event
# the forciblo suppression of the re bell
on. one or the other of which in our o.
Union must speedily happen, steps, we
'azard nothing in pledging ourselves,
will be tIkcn forthwith to expedite the
ssembling off National Convention un-
er the Constitution, when such new
Constitutional guarantees will be offered
o the States lately in revolt and their
lister Slave States as will put the means
{ protection in their own hands and fore
tall the apprehension of aggressious SO
that iu the matter of slavery
t least the occupation of anarchists au'i
t demagogues will be gone, The thought
{ this cousummation i +; enough to trans
ort the soul of every patriot. What
lands in the way of this ul.transport-
'g consammation? N,thiag bit The en-
an. ! Z |