Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-10-25
Vol. vII.---No. IL.
that he designed offensive war, and
charges as follows:

that he designed offensive war, and
charges as follows:
Commencing in March last with an
aitectation Of ignorance of the secession
of seven States which first organized the
Government; persistng, in April, in an
idle and absurd assumption of the exis
tonce ola riot which was to be dispersed
by posse comttdtas, continuing in sue
cessiye months the false representation
that these States intended offensive war
IN spite Of conclusive evidence to the
contrary, furnished as well by official ac-
ton as by the very basis on which this
Government is constituted, the President
of the United States aud his advisers
succeeded in deceiving the people of those
States into the belief tbas the purpose of
this Government was not peace at home,
but conquest abroad not defense Of its
own liberties, but tho subversion of those
of the people of the United States"
And Vice President Stephens, at An
gusta, July 10Th, re-asserts that the Con
federate States preferred the Union to
separation. He said:
"We appealed to them (tho North.
We believed it was best for all the States,
as Washington presided over the Conven-
ton that made the Confederation, that
all the States should remain in the Union
faithfully performing each for itself the
obligations Of the Constitution"
We have thus briefly, but carefully,
reviewed the course of the leading men
of the seeded States, from the election
in November till the assembling of Con
gress in July, TO prove that they depre-
Gated civil war, and that however they
may have regarded the right Of seces-
sion, they would have gladly remained
in the Union, even with large conces-
sions on their part, had similar advances
been made by the dominant party of the
North We hold, therefore, that the Re-
publican politicians are entitled to large
share of the responsibility for the disso-
luton Of the Union, as well as for the
present war We believe that thsTe was
not one Of the numerous plans of adjust.
nent that the people of the phoie count
Ly would not have ratified by an immense
majority, for the sake of national unity
and peace. We believe that, even now,
for humanity's sake, and to avert the
crushing burdens that protracted war
must entail both sections would, il per-
mitted, adopt any honorable measures to
end the war and bring about a peaceful
settlement. The same love Of the Union
that prompted the people of the North to
take mp atas 70 maintain it, still fingers
III the minds Of the people II tho seeded
States. We deem IL pro able that, the
South would not insist upon permanent
separation, and would consider favorably
propositions for an ultimate reunion, were
the causes that compelled them to with
draw, removed and this opinion is
strengthened by the perusal Of letters
like that of Gen. Lee, Of the Confederate
army, which says
"Mny God reunite our severed bonds
Of friendship. and turn our hearts to
peace"
| We believe the restoration Of the Union
possible, but it cannot be immediate To
secure peace, we must accept the fact of
separation, by 50 much as it is necessary,
in substituting diplomacy for the sword,
to recognize the Southern Confcderacy
as beIligerent 70 negotiate success
fully, mutual concessions would have to
be made, while at the same time it would
not be necessary to yield to demands
deemed disgraceful or humiliating; and
according to the nature Of those conces-
sions would be the chances, greater or
less, of reconstruction. If negotiation
were conducted in friendly spirit, it
would prepare the way for something
more substantial and lasting.