Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-11-11
Prayers for . : Peace.

80 VIC uo noI hestaee 70 give 70 u our near alu
unqualified endorsement:
To the Editor of TIE Raleigh Standard
SIR-I wish to make public through your col
umns and those of various other influential jour
. nails, suggestion to the women of the South.
1t is, that day be appointed on which, at GER
tain hour, they, with one consent shall unitedly
beg for PEACE from Him in whose hands are the
hearts of men and the desnnies of nations Pray
has been made continually for the success of our
arms in battle, and these prayers have been an
swered, in many instances beyond our hopes
Every prayer has doubtless breathed earnest pc
tition for peace, but it is suggested that now our
faithful women should unite to pray in especial
manner for it-that God would forgive our enemies
and turn their hearts, and that He would also for
give our, debts, and would speedily open a door
Of deIi1eranee for. US from the hands Of bloody
men.
Let Monday, the LIST of December, be appointed,
and that day, at II NJ, let the hearts of every
wife, mother, sister and daughter, in every State
in our Confederacy, go out in solemn fervent prayer
to God for PE4cE.
In places and churches where female prayer meet
ings are usual let the women themselves order the
matter. Where such meetings are not usual, or
considered unadvisabe, or are impracticable let
the women at home stop all work at the hour
naned-suspend the cardng, and spinning and
knitting, and weaving, and sewing and teaching, if
for only one-half hour, and alone with God plead
with Him for their country Let the sick woman
on her bed remember the day and hour; let the
busy forego her business, and-I was going to say
let the gay suspend her gaiety, but l trust there
are not many gay women in the South now. But
let the young, and beautiful, and hopeful equally
with those who can lay no claim to such titles,
think OF the broken, hearted the destitute and the
homeless-think of the dead, and the dying and
the mangled-think of the widows and the father
less and the childless, of this awful war,-and let
every woman's heart De raised as with one voice
that day 70 God for help and for PEACE-an honor
able PEACE.
A TRUE SOUTHERN WOMAN.
All papers friendly to this suggestion are re-
quested to copy.
Another lady friend, writing to US from one of
the Counties west of this, under date November
the Sth, says:
"A thousand thanks for the article in the last
number Of the Standard entitled 'Peace-BleSsed
Peacer Ten thousand thanks for all the articles
on the subject of the Black Flag May the God
of Peace bless the Editor for the justice manifested
in the Standard towards the Society of Friends
the Peace Society of the Confederate States-tAe
Peace Society Of the United States-the Peace So
ciety of the world for than two hundred years
The God of Freedom bless him, who has stood up
so nobly for civil and religious liberty; but oh my
friend for the rke of the Prince of Peace, 60 on
to advocate the cause of 'Peace-Blessed Peacep"
condition of our brave soldiers bad as it is, would
have been ten times worse. They have labored,
and suffered and prayed for the cause, while others
have desponded Their delicate fingers have been
worn to the quick, making garments for the soldiers
and for the poor around them at home, while the
fingers Of others have been blackened with the i'll
gotten gains of speculation and extortion Repress--
ing their anguish, and struggling to seem cheerful
when their hearts were almost breaking, they have
sent their husbands, and sons, and brothers to the
war; and during their absence, they have not only
undergone increased labor to support those who re-
manned, but they have freely given of their dimn-
shed means to clothe and render comfortable those
who are fighting our battles. They have visited
and nursed the sick and the wounded--they have
cared for the poor who have been orphaned and
stricken by this war-they have knet with the
minister by the bed of the soldier, and thinking OF
his MOTHER and wife, and sister, and of what they
would do if they present. they have moistened
his lips, and smoothed his pillow, and composed his
limbs in death. All this, and more have they
done for Duty and for Pcacs. 1t is peculiarly ap-
propriate, therefore, that their voices should be
raised together, in supplcations for an honorable
degfade or dshonor their husbands, and sons and
brothers. A woman's impulse is truer to honor
than mans Judgment But it is not impulse alone
that inclfnes our women to pray for peace. They
are moved by reason, based upon what they have
seen, and felt, and endured. We repeat, them that
we heartily endorse the suggestion of fair cor
respondent; and we trust the suggestion will be
adopted by every Christian woman in the State.
But what shall we say of those. persons in the
shape Of men, who are prospecting and growing rich
out of this war, and ont of the necessities of many
of these women and their children? What shall
we say of the tanner who gives three or four dol
lars for hide and sells it for fifty ?-of the distiller,
who is even buying up corn, hoping that the
Legislature will not continue the prohibition oy
the Convention of the distillation of grain ?-of
those manufacturers of all kinds who are not con-
tent with the seventy-fvo per cent allowed them
by law, but whoare making five hundred per cent?
of those who are purchasing -four at twenty dollars
per BARREL and holding 1t up until they get for
ty for it ?-of those slave holders who are shielding
themselves and their sons and nephews from SER
vice. under the exemptonfaw, by buying, or hiring,
or borrowing few more negroes SO that they can
stay at home, and sell their produce at high prices
to the wives and children Of soldiers in the
field, or to be called to go?-of the thousands
who look upon the good thing, as long as
they can keep out of it and make money by 1t, but
who, true to their mercenary instincts, would he
the first ton swear allegiance TO the Yankee foe
These people will not pray for peace. Their prayers
will be made to Mammon-
Mamnon, the least erected spirit that fell
From heaven for cen in heaven his ouks and thoughts
Were always downward bent admiriug more
The riches of heavens pavement, trodden gold
Than aught divine or holy ,...
No man, in this crisis, can serve his country and
Mammon The yotaries of the latter not only re-
| tard the war, but they are averse to peace. The
Yankees scourge US in the field and they scourge
US at home Nav God look with compassion upon