Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1861-09-26
Maintenance of the Union.

The New ork inns In late Issue says
I'VE have distinctly and from the beginning
declared our readiness 10 favor any compromise
consistent with the honor and welfare of the
Republic. by which Southern appreheDsions
might be alayed, and the integrity Of the Union
preserved. We are Of the same opinion still
We will favor any adjustment Of pending diff
cultcs consistent with honor, und with the fun
damenfal principles Of the Government as en-.
bodied ia the Constitution.
Fora paper in the category 10 which the
Times belongs TO consent to say so much as we
have quoted above is something as the times 60
The President, himself, has said-and in the
bosom of every man who is capable of thought
it is acknowledged every day-lhat after s!l
the war must be settled by negotiating, compact
or agreement, whichever name is liked best,
having the nature and effect of compromise
No war which was ever waged, except among
Fegec Islanders. and the like, ever had other
termination or solution. And it is just as evil
dent that the sooner satisfactory settlement is
obtained the better; whether such a settlement,
at any given stage of the war. is practicable, is
another question. It may be or may not be so
But unless there is disposition to determine
that fac, in some fair and UNDERSTANDABLE way.
how can it be aseertained If, when it is ad-
mit,ed the object is good one, every mode and
method, every way and means. every plan, pro.
position or suggestion, honestly effected with n
view TO its attainment, is voted down and scout
ed down-when the homes, Uhongh possibly
mistakenly patriot is denounced and reprobated,
is threatened with pains and penalties for dar-
ing to make such an offer-how is it possible
to reach that which no thinking man will deny
VIZ all ought to desire We may here refer
again to the moderate, measured, well consider
ed resolutions offered to Congress by Mr.. Cox,
of Ohio. 1t gladdens us to recollect that this
resolution commanded vote of at least one
third Of the House. The supporters of these
resolutions will never have reason to regret u
vote which looked to an honorable and pcrma-
nent peace and restoration Of cordial union
And now if any man will tell US how, except by
some such measure as Mr.. Cox suggested, the
end which all genuine patriots and real friends
Of the Union have in view can be attained, we
are curiously anxious to have him point out the
way
AS VIC understand it, this war is wagcd to re-
store the supremacy of the Federal Constitu'
ton, through the Federal Government over the
United States as they 1Ocre. Docs this mean
that this supremacy is to be restored over II
bowling waste, stripped Of its inhabitants and
all memorials Of civilization? OF course hot
Nobody but red.hot fanatic, whose brain is
diseased, desires or contemplates any such con-
sequences. The proposition is to restore to US
our Union, which means Of course united peo-
pleas well united as our people have ever
been. This proposition proceeds on the proba.
biliy that there is a majority at the South who
still desire such a Union Now, if reasonable
tcruls for putting stop to this war, terms which
involve no dishonor, and promise to secure per.
maneut peace, and hearty Union can be offered
in any fair way that way should be opened, and
opened at once. There should be no delay
about it. The question IS, can such way be
opened
Our aim is now, as it always has been, peace
and union. We do not want peace without
union, nor union without peace. But we anti
cipate the future verdict OF our country, and
we read Alright the verdict of civilized Europe,
when we say that, if such way can be opened
and is not, the continuance OF this war will be
one of the most indefensiblc public acts--one of
the most wofuly mistaken and awfully frightfu!
infections Of supreme power which history ever
recorded