, 1863-09-08
Gl)iea9o Grtbn1te.
V,HRREIS NO PEACE:

= TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER s, 1868.
THERE IS NO PEACE.
There is a great deal Of talk, just now,
about reconstruction, as If the Constitution
were warehouse Of cards, incapable Of
holding its OWL intact against the blasts
and turmoils OF civil war; as if the Union
were mere commercial compact, based
upon the caprice Of it's constituents. instead
Of resting upon eternal and immutable
principles. Even many of those whom
we know to be loyal both to the Republic,
and the Administration, cannot make up
their minds how. far the Constitution has
been affected. by the Rebellion, nor what
is to be done with the rebels, and their
States after they have been whipped into
allegiance.
In reality, there is no need whatever tor
any pother over either Of these proposi.
tions The Constitution Of the United
States is, as Cicero says OF Truth, "Not
one thing to-day and another tomorrow,
but the same essentially, and unchangea-
bly,, now and for Ever" The great writ
ten truths upon which it is founded are O
part and parcel Of the divine government
itse6 and belong to the inmost nature of
man, without which freedom were mock
cry, and an impossible thing. The Con-
stituhon is Is good to-day for the Ameri-
can Republic, as it was before the war be-
gan. The fiery surges Of the rebellion
have broken against it in vain. It has not
suffered one jot, or tittle-and does not
need, therefore. any reconstruction.
Neither is 1t necessary that there should
DO. any. reconstruction of the Union be-
cause the rebels hare sinned themselves
out Of it, ike Adam and Eve out Of Para
disc. The fact that they have put them
selves into rebellion against the Govern
nent depriyes them Of the rights and
privileges Of citizenship, and also Of the
right OF belligerents to treat with the Gov
ernmcnt Of the United States, through
their own acknowledged leaders We can
have nothing whatever to do with these
leaders, rs ouch, because this would be to
recognize their authority, and raise the
rebellion to the dignity Of d legitimate
war These persons are ont Of court, and
are altogether subject to the mercy Of the
conquerors. It would be quite
a different thing, however, Il the
people, in their individual capacity
in. the exercise Of their sovereign
power, were to assemble for the purpose Of
F. throwing of the yoke Of the rebel tyranny,
and declare their Willingness, and earnest
: desire to return to their allegiance: In
that case they would be exercising the in
a]icnab1e light Of se1Egovernment, which
belongs to them under the Constitution
and this resumption Of the functions of
Government on their part, would neces-
sa.ily bring them into communion with
the United States Government, aud put a
speedy end to the war.
. That the people in the 1crolted States
will soon take the initiative in this matter,
and for this object, there are plenty ofsigns
abroad to justify us IN supposing. Already,
there are bitter disturbances, strifes, and
hatrcds> IN the euemy's camp, and the
officers are beginning to shoot each othel
down like <arunkards in saloon quarrel
tbs. Southern newspapers are full Of ami
:. mostly against the rebel Generals, and tn
: rebel Gove1nment-and, in a little while
there bids fair to be rebellion within re
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