Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-04-01
The Prospect of Peace.

The Prospect Of Peace.
What Is the prospect? is the anxious inquiry
Of thousands. E
The Northern Congress has recently passed
conscript law, and placed Mr. Lincoln at the head
Of it. That body has also suspended the writ Of
ha6eas corpus in every locality and in every case
at the pleasure of the President. That body has
also authorized the almost unlimited issue Of treas
ury notes. 70: the purpose of defayng the expenses
of the war. Thus the purse and the sword are in
the hands of Mr. Lincoln. He is not only authorized
but expected, by the great body of the Northern
people, to put forth every energy of the twenty
millions over whom be rules, to overwhelm the
South Will he do this There is no doubt that
he will The federal armies are stronger in num-
bers than they were one year ago. They are better
soldiers than they were year ago. They occupy
Euch more of Southern territory than they did .
year ago. And every movement on t5e part Of the
federal government points unerrngy to the terrible
fact, that the war will be prosecuted against US at
least during Mr.. Lincon's term. That government
is even now engaged in constructing fourteen new
iron clads to be used against US.
On the other hand, the Southern Congress has
passed conscript law and placed Mr.. Davis at the
heado it. The same body has also suspended the
writ of ha6eas corpus or authorized the President
to do it in every locality and in. every case at his
own pleasure The same body has also authorized
the almost unlimited issue Of treasury notes, for the
purpose Of defraying the expenses of the war;
Thus the purse and the sword are in the hands of
Mr. Davis.
President Lincoln emancipates our slares and
puts arms in their hands; and President Davis
makes speech in Richmond in which he pronoun-
ces the great body of the Northern people hyenas.
Both sides are mastering their forces by hundreds
of thousands for new fields of battle. France eau
tiously feels her way towards proposition for
conference between the federal government and the
"Confederate populations" with view to suggest,
quite as cautiously if such conference should take
place, settlement of some sort; and England pro-
esses the lveliest friendship for the federal govern
ment, while at the same time her capitalists are en-
gagged in her dockyards in constructing war vessels
for the Confederate States.
Such, in BRIEF is the situation. If our readers
can see in this condition Of things any hope for
peace, it is more than we can do.
The results of the next three months will prob
ABLY decide the contest If We should defeat the
enemy again on the Rappahannock, and at Charles
ton, and hold the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad,
and vicksburg and if Bragg should maintain his
ground in Tennessee, the prospect for us will greatly
brighten; but if defeat should befali our armies.
and the enemy should take and occupy new ground,
and continue to gain and to press US hy>land and
by water, the future will indeed be gloomy. We
can only hope for the best aud prepare for the
worst This is, indeed, "a time to try mems souls"
All the patience, and energy, and fighting qualities
which our people possess are needed now.
But we "must not despair of the Republic. "
Peace is exceedingly desirable but it must come to
US honorably. When and hoo it will come no one
can foresee. The way to negotiation cannot be
opened by the South, except upon the implied
ground that she is willing to surrender to some
tent her independence. Offers for negotiation must
proceed from the assaiing party or from Some third
party. If our government should say to the North,
we desire an armisce for the purpose Of treating
with view to peace, the reply would certainly be,
we cannot treat with rebels with arms in their
hands. The war will then, 60 on. II may con-
tinue until both sides are exhausted, and the drama
may close with foreign Intervention and foreign
powers debating terms of settlement to both or
an effort may be made by our own government, in
the last resort, to throw the Southern States into
I the arms of France or Great Britain.