Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-19

i VIZ Law dssstSye0 IT. Iaey sigh tor pesce
| IN the future, and thus invite the insurrenr -
invade our En homes and fresides. Thev
| are troubled to know the terms upon which
you will give peace to the insurgents The
answer is a simple one There can be no
peace to insurgents in arms, until they have
submitted and accepted Abraham Lincoln as
the President Of the United States; then,
and not before, will be the time to speak of
terms of peace.
SLAVERY AND THE RESTORATION OF THE UNION.
The abettors of the rebellion are troubled
for fear we shall not leave to the rebels, when
they have submitted, enough of slavery and
slaves. They want to know what we propose
about that. Ny answer is, if they had sub
mitted to Abraham Lincoln at the beginning
they would have retained the whole They
have lost by the resistance, on an average
10000 slaves a month. Each month of pro-
longed resistance increases the loss, and then
are rerying upon the time ch7a submission, COM
l'g too late, aciU leape neither Slavery nor sIa,es
an the land. This question of slavery is their
business, not mine. So long as they propose
no surrender, they are entitled to ask no
terms What has happened to slavery thus
tar, has been the legitimate fruit of their
own crimes; but it was fruit ordained not by
man, but of God. Without seeking to divine
His ways, think that the future will be like
unto the past. The insurrection will perish
under military power, necessarily and there
fore lawfully exercised, and slavery will per-
ish with it. Nevertheless, am willing that
the prodigal son should return. TIE doors,
so TAR as am concerned shall olacags be open
to him. The longer he is content to feed up
on husks, the sooner he will hunger. The
longer he is content in his dalliance with the
harlot of rebellion, the greater will be his
ultimate disgust with her embrace. The
greater his hunger and his disgust, the deep
er will be his repentance and the more last
ing his reformation. IshaH send no Invitations
after him; and yet, speaking not for myself.
but for you and the whole American people,
| express the conviction that neither man nor
angels can prevent the fatted calf being slain
for his welcome, when he does come back
saying penitently, Brothers, | have offended
and | desire reconciliation"
DEBT AND TAXES.
The sympathizers with the Confederates
tell US of debt, taxes and blood. Was ever
sovereignty and freedom saved without the
expenditure of money and life 1t is the
lot appointed to nations to endure war with
its evils, as well as to enjoy at intervals peace
and prosperity. Who caused the debts. the
taxes and the shedding of blood? The can
nonade OF Sumter answers the whole ques-
ton at once. K
The increase of wealth which arises from
the new national disciplin of industry which
the war has obliged US to adopt has enabled
us to pay all increased debts and taxes as
easily as we paid the debts and taxes existing
when the war begun. Nor must we forget
that 1t IS only a question of ocKoSe debts and
aotose taxes ne shall pay-aot uhet2ser IRE shall
pay any. We pay either the debts and taxes
of Abraham Lincoln and his Administration
or the debts and taxes of Jefferson Davis and
Robert P Toombs. In the one case we have
an equivalent of dollar for dollar for what we
pay, and the greater equivalent of national
safety and honor. In the other case we paw
twelve dollars in gold for one dollar of Con
tederate money, with the additional loss of
eternal disgrace and ruin.
CONCLUSION.
The speaker concluded by showing the ne
cessity of the united action of all loyal men
regardless of former party associations He
alluded to the patriotic action of the war
Democrats, and reiterated his belief in the
speedy restoration of peace, adding:
And what peace may we not expect that
to be A peace that establishes forever the
practicability of free Republican, representa-
tive Federal Governments the immediate or
ultimate restoration of four million of bonds
men to freedom; the security of the Ameri-
can continent against equally the evils of inter-
nal anarchy and foreign aggression. The an
gels in Heaven might tune their harps to the
symphony of such peace.