The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-09

up Ia the souls Of millions IN he loyal States,
as they hail, in their imaginstiOns, the blessed
day when war shall be 10 more when the long
separated shall once more unite when the little !
ones shall welcome home with shouts their father
from the war: and the mother shall 10 more
wet her pillow with tears for children who have /
gone TO the battle field. Prayers for peace go
up, not from the populous city Only, but from
the log cabins the extreme frontiers Of civil |
zatiOn, in Maine, in Minnesota. in Michigan
from dwellings thousands Of miles apart. Cop
perheads, Democrats, Republicans, all sincerely
desire peace.
But WHEN and HOW shall Peace come 10 u.s.
Three ways Of obtaining peace have been pro-
posed by Compromise with the rebels: by Sc
cessiOn or by suppressing the rebellion In
other words, we are to treat with the rebels, let
them 20, or subdue them.
l. The idea OF Peace by Compromise even if
we were all Wiling on our part, Is entirely I'M
practicable because there are sone to respond
70 the proposal at the South. The third year Of
the is progressing and as yet, no rebel
Legislature, Governor, army officer, leader, or
body Of men, or even newspaper, can be named,
that has ever limited that Compromise by
which the rebels should remain in the Union,
would be acceptable TO them. No proposition
of that kind has been made TO our government,
either by individuals, or bodies of men for il
will be observed, that the present movement in
North Carolina looks towards submission rather
than Compromise. On the contrary have
ASSURANCES from all sources repeated thousands
OF times that the rebels ask expect, demsnd,
aud will receive nothing less than absolute hide
pendence. Hence, if the loyal States were to
send Peace delegation to the Potomac, and
could shout the word " Compromise till it
reached every habitation in rebellion, they might
expect to hear in reply only the echo Of their
own voice.
But supPOsng Compromise with the rebels
we're possible, have We ever considered what II
would be? We should be obliged TO receive
them as our equals: for having tried to conquer
them, and failed in the attempt they could be
nothing less than our equals. There would b.
no punishment OF treason the great traitors
would again take their seats in Congress; and
Davis aud Stephens, with bland voices and smil
ing eountenances, and hands dripping With the
blood Of our murdered CITIZENS would come for
ward gracefully in the Senate chamber, and "a
lutte our Michigan SenAto,s Tue words tres-
con and rebel would be expunged from our
dctiOna ies: and whenever LOYAL men aud trait
ors talked of the rebellion, it could only be re
ferred by both parties as al, accidental, tempo
rary. unfortunate collision, growing out OF an
extreme sensitveness, North and South, for
which nobody was to blame
Then, what would these southern gentlemen
ask as the pr.ce Of Compromise No punish
ment Of lraitors-savery extended wherever the
Shareholders desred-guarautees for its perma
hence pus ia the COnstitution-the Presidents
proclamation anDulled-all freed slaves reduced
to slavery or paid for by the Federal Govern
ment-publc and private property DESTROYED
by Federal troops TO be paid for-provision made
COR southern widows, orphans and disabled sol
diers-snd the confederate debt, amounting to
thousand millions, and perhaps to twice as much
10 be paid from the national treasury. We do
not see how the rebels, treating on terms of alb
soute equality, could well demand less than
this :Or how, We as the party proposing to treat,
could well ask them to take less
Could We bring ourselves to accede to such
terms as these, aud meet these bloody traitors
everywhere with smiles and professions of friend
ship Mo- The rebels will understand. if we
do not, that no such voluntary friendships can
nov be established between Us and the murder
ere Of our friends: and hence they neither ex
pect, nor ask for, nor win accept any Compro
mise whatever.
9. Bus il is thought that the secoGd mode OF
making Peace by Secession would at least be
practicable, inasmuch as it is all the rebels De
mand Grant this, it is said, and war will Ger
tainly Cease AT once. But are We wiling to do
thiss Let US consider what would follow from
such peace.
About dozen States would leave the Union
at once; and the first thing 10 be done would
be to withdraw from all these States our victo
rious armies. From Fortress Monroe, from all
the seacoast, from Florida, from the distant from
tiers Of Texas, from the whole Of Missouri which
We have conquered, from New Orleans and the
Mississippi tor a thousand miles upwards from
its mouth-from every fort and navy yard and
arsenal and block-hosse, the once glorious flag
Of our country would be struck FOREVER: and
before our soldiers had taken up their melan-
choly lie Of march to return home, the fag of
foreign nation would every where autter proud.
iy in the breeze, and would wave through com.
ing ages, not only over the soil, but over the
graves Of those thousands Of patriots and he
roes who lie in the southern land. who left their
homes. and suffered and died in the vain hone
that their whole country might one CAV be mi.
ted and freel
Nor would this be all. If Maryland. or Ken.
lucky, or California wished to Join the Confads-.
acy, with what show Of consistency could We
pretend TO hinder theml II twelve States NAV
secede, one BY one, why may not the thirteenth
and fourteenths And if State nav seceds for
one cause, Why not for any Others And if the
rsnt OF secession we're once conceded bv n
Fnst would be our condition as nation y a.
rather how loBg should We remain a na,;oD
Plenty OF demsgOgOes might be found in each
state who could see great advantages in change.
and change would everywhere be the order of
the day. Where then would De our national
creditf Who would buy government securities
payable twenty years hence, when in twenty
i0'n'ns 'Asre might be no Government to
fhanaS