The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-02-27

the value which We set upon our homes and
fresides We have fought for the glory Of the
Union and the world admired us, but il was not
such fghing as we shall do for our wives, our
children, and our sacred honor. The very wo-
men of the South, like the Spartan matrons
win take hold of shield and buckler, and our
boys at school win go the aeld in all the deter.
mination Of disciplined yalor. Conquered we
can never be. II would be madness to attempt
it; and after years of blood and slaughter the
parties would be just where they began, except
that they would have learned to hate one another
with an intensity Of hatred equalled only in hell
Freedom would suffer, religion would suffer,
learning would suffer. every human interest
would suffer, from such war. But upon whose
head would fall the responsibility There can
be but one answer. We solemnly believe that
the South will be gultless before the eyes Of the
Judge of all the earth. She has stood in her
lot, and resisted aggression.
If the North could rise to the dignity of their
present calling, this country would present to
the world spectacle of unparalleled grandeur
1t would show how deeply the love of liberty
and the influence of religion are rooted in our
people, when great empire can be divided with
out confusion, war, or disorder. Two great
people united under one government differ upon
question of vital importance to one. Neither
can conscientously give way In the magnan-
unity of their souls, they say, let there be no
strife between us, for we are brethren The
land is broad enough for us both. Let us part
in peace, let us divide our common inheritance,
adjust our common obligations and, preserving,
as a sacred treasure, our common principles, let
each set up for himself and let the Lord bless
us both. A course like this heroic, sublime,
glorious, would be something altogether unex-
ampled in the history of the world. II would
be the wonder and establishment of the nations.
II would do more to command for American in
institutions the homage and respect of mankind,
than all the armies and fleets Of the Republic
1t would be victory more august and imposing
than any which can be achieved by the thunder
of cannon and the shock of battle.
Peace is the policy Of both North and South.
Let peace prevail, and nothing really valuable is
lost To save the Union is impossible The
thing for Christian men and patriots to aim at
now, is to save the country from war. That will
be a scourge and curse. But the South will
emerge from il free as she was before. She is
the invaded party, and her institutions are likely
to gain strength from the conflict Can the
North, as the invading party, be assured that
she weA not fall into the hands of military des-
pot3 The whole question is with her, and we
calmly await her decision. We prefer peace
but if war must come, we are prepared to meet
it with mistaken confidence in the God of bat
ties. Welament the widespread mischief it will
do, the arrest it will put upon every holy enter
prise of the Church. and upon all the interests
of life; but the South can boldly say to the
bleeding, distracted country,
"shakc not thy CORY locks at me;
Thou cast not say did it,"