The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-02-11
The Sustaining Principle OF the Re-
hPIljOn.


They boot at all the gable about arms
tice." suspension Of hostilities' and re
construction of the Union" They evil
would betray their own section and Their
o,vn relatiyes and friends in the srr"yr Tor
the poor privilege of being abused oy
II r-iendship tHey are sacrl-
hcing so much to gain. There are men
in the South, we doubt not who are anx-
ious for a Reconstruction Of the Union,
who would make large concessions to
secure a peaca But their voices are
never heard While the peace men of
tie North are given full scope to abuse
the government, depreciate its currency,
foment dscord in the army, and diseour-
age enlistments, the "peace men Of the
South are prevented a hearing. The
despotism which they have permitted to
erect its throne at Richmond tolerates
no free expression Of opinion. To in
innate a desire for peace, short Of the
unqualified recognition Of the Con!ede-
racy, with the Davis dynasty as its head
i, but to bring upon the head of the
offender the most speedy and fatal pun
ishment
If, then. the leaders Of the rebels will
not tolerate any expression of their peo-
pie, save as it comes through those lead
ers; if they crush with an iron hand
every avowed desire that the war may
speedily end and the Union be recon
structed. what is the use of our peace
men doing everything in their power to
encourage and strengthen those acts OF
tyranny. Why not unite with the gov
eminent in breaking to pieces the mill
tary power of that despotism which pre-
vents the Southern people from express
ing their real sentiments, and then call
for "peace conventions and hold re
construction mass meetings" 1t is ap-
parent to all that the talk about peace in
Union soldiers already in the field. 1t
is in effect saying to our brave bows.
" We do not believe you have the courage
or the ability to conquer the rebels, and
therefore we will declare peace on the
best terms Davis may be willing to con-
cede. Can soldiers fight well under the
reflection that their friends at home
have no confidence in their skill or cour-
age? Can they q into battle with cour-
ageoas hearts, thinking that, even if they
gain great victory, it will all be fritz
tered away by pusiIanimous peace men
at home, who seem willing to sacrifice the
government in spite of the efforts of the
volunteers to preserve it?
1he surprise manifested by many of
the Democratic politicians and papers at
the contempt with which their Southern
friends regard their labors for the re-cs-
adjustment Of peace, indicates that they
have forgotten the prize for which the
rebel leaders are fighting 1t has been
so often said by demagoguos, like Mr..
Hendricks, that slavery had nothing TO
do with the rebellion, tLat many people
believe it. Many honest Democrats in
the North are to-day under the delusion
that the South did not commence the re.
belllon on account of slavery, bu. is
fighting against the coerciye measures Of
an Abolitionists Administration. Hence
they regard the Administration as the
source Of all their troubles. and the
Southern rebels as only the instruments
OF torture Their condemnation is hurl.
ed at the administration their pity ~ re
served for the rebes-cur Kith and
5t5ge taIh J55Ra9s 5 81 6aF 55HHsq ma asf
OF our flesh"
After storm has fercely ragged M.
on the ocean, the prudent sailor avails
himself of the first opportunity to take
an observation, to ascertain the drec-
ton he has come aud the course his YES.
sci IS driving. Soft is not Improbable.
In a revolutionary hour like the present.
to take time, now and then 10 search out
the landmarks which indicate the pro.
gress the ship of State is making, and
the course it is taking In looking over
the record Of the past we come across
the speech Oft the Hon A. IL. Stephens Of
Georgia, Vice President Of the so.called
Confederate States Of America-the DO.
ittcal philosopher of the rebel govern
ment. The speech was delivered in S.
vannah, Georgia, on the DIST of March.
1861. 1t embodies the idea which is The
sustaining power of the rebel cause TO-
day. Mr. Stephens enunciated the nrin.
ciple in the following bold and distinct
manner:
Last, not least, the new Constitution
has put at rest .toreger all the agitatn"
questions relating to our peculiar insrI-
1uilon,-Africau Slavery, as it exists
among US, the proper StaiuS Of the negro
IN our form Of civilization THIS acas The
immediate cause Of tile late rupture and