Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-06-27

IoF dHsstlL we KNOW, anu ycG we are uLdoic v
see why there should be. In the present crisis
it appears to us, that in this State every maj
should put his hand to the work and use hi
every effort for the restoration Of peace tina
every one who has the interest of his State ant
country at all at heart, should leave no mean
untried to quiet the raging storm Of war which
threatens the whole land. That policy which
can soonest restore tranquility to our once hap
py land should be Instantly and eagerly grasped
provided it can be done without sacrifice of vita
principle and with any show of honor. Blu
here arises question, which, though it may
seem foolish in the eyes Of the great and wise, il
to us of no small import-a question which ou1
wise men would do well to weigh: What i:
honor and what vital principle?
Both the contending powers assert before the
world that they stand upon principle and in
principle directly antagonistc to the other and
neither can in honor desert his position. Now,
we would fain ask our wise men, if both these
principles be vital and neither can yield in honor
how in the name of reason can this matter ever
reach terminus? They fight, they kill thou
sands upon each side, and should they thus. con-
tinue for century, will not the principle, if
correct in the start, remain the same? and will
ic not always be vital while one man remains to
advocate it? When war, bloodshed and carnage
have ragged over the land for years; when ruin
and destruction have ruthlessly grasped and
crushed all men the country over; when from
pure exhaustion of power, physical and pccuni-
airy. the contendng forces are compelled to end
the contest and come to terms, as assuredly they
must one of these days, will not the principle
for which they are contending survive the gene
raj ruin and confront them still to their shame ?
Or will the principle itself be changed in the
national change from prosperity to ruin? We
surely think that principles are facts and never
change, let what will come, and if this warfare
is based upon principle and should ever be COM
promised, even after the loss of a million lives,
it must and will be at a sacrifice of principle
upon one or both sides. Them if this be a cor
rect proposition, why not make this necessary
sacrifice of principle before this great loss ofhu-
man life as we'll as after? IF it must be done,
why and how will it be better after than before?
Will the gods decide between the contending
forces, and victory be perchea upon the standard
of the right? and will this afford the means to
the vanquished to desert their dear principle
without dishonor? If this old heather custom
of appealing to the gods is to be revived, in or
der to test the right, we have proposition to
make, and one which we guarantee will meet
the appreciation of the masses, it is this: Let
Eve, ten or twenty Of the leading spirits on each
SIDE be selected, armed cap-a-pie, and placed
within circle, and having invoked the assistance
or tne ssnfeT upon Their deadly
combat, nor desist until one or the other has en-
tirely conquered and killed off the other And
oh what happy circumstance if both could fall
never more to rise. But the worst feature in
all this affair is, that those who make the most
stir and were most active in bringing about this
great trouble have selected the safest places for
their worthy persons and succeeded in securing
those places to their exclusive use.
But of all this it is useless to talk. We are
hopeful yet that some means may and will be
adopted to adjust this great national trouble
1t is with this view, we hope, that the extra
session of Congress, to which we have selected
representatives, is to assemble 1t will be for
them, fresh from the people, to devise mode of
lo fDr 10 a. 1,
tide of war and turn back the current of des-
truction, or it will be for them to keep up the
strife. May we not reasonably hope to see the
olive branch of peace once more shed its tender
and protecting shade over our fair land? May
we not hope with reason that plan Of equal
settlement may be adopted? No one would ask
Of Congress or the Administration anything I'M
reasonable under the circumstances, but all
must readily accord just praise for any concilia-
tory measure adopted or proposed.
Having made just and reasonable PROPOSE
tions, it will then be for the South to adopt or
reject them, and the responsibility will then
again be placed in the right direction. If the
Government make reasonable advances and the
South accept, all is settled in word; if the
Government refuse or neglect to do this, or the
South refuse to accept when made, then comes
indeed the terrors of war, as we have all along
feared, and upon the head Of that party in fault
let the consequences rest. For ourselves: as
people, we are determined to act a neutrality
until we clearly see that right and justice is
positively ignored by one party or the other, and
then we declare for the right according to our
conscience and trust our cause in the hands of
the God of Justice
Upon the next Congress rests, we say, great
responsibility, and may the Representatives of
Maryland be found men who have the interest
and honor of Maryland at heart and an eye to
equal justice to the whole country
NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR CORRESPONDENTS.
Is it any wonder that our national affairs should
be in such frightful and terrible condition,
when that great lever, the public press, is SC
,,,ryortnd from, truth and ~ o;yon r., ,,o,;&;,,,