The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-04-08

course Of his prayer he gave utterance to
7 the following petition: ......
s"We pray the that II it shall be thy will
even the very process OF physical nature NAV
be suspended for time. while thts fearful
problem OF republican liberty and free insti-
tulious IS wrought outp. .E
1t is certainly right to pray for the good
of the Union transmitted to US by our fath-
ers, and for the welfare Of the gallant sol7
dlers who are fighting in irs defense But
to pray that "even the very process Of ply
,sical nature may be suspended for time,
while this fearful problem of republican lib
erty and free institutions is wrought out" is
ofrdonbt ful propriety. God is the author
of nature and natures laws: The process
Of physical nature" are the result oi Fixed
natural laws, and cannot be suspended with
cut suspensio on. o f. the laws upon which
they depend God in this case would have
to suspend iawsOf his own making. Can
1t be necessary that the Divine Being should
suspend the operation Of his own laws for
atine in order to accomplish his purposes
concerning uiar? Are we authorized to
believe that he would do so for any assigna>
BILE cause? II not, we should not SO pray
To me it seems highly probable that the
various political and social problems which
are to be wrought out under Provide nee
among nations, can be and will be wrought
out without suspension Of the laws Of ma
ture. -a.lt ..
But it is to the following extract that |
wish more particularly to direct attention:
40 Lord we pray il thou wilt hear our
petition that the foolish gihberish of those
who profess to follow the Illusion OF an un~
holy peace may be forever stif1ed, and we
pray that this great people may be neither
blinded nor deceived by the fatal influence o
such insane counsels o Lord, silence for,
ever the tongue that shall wag with such
madness and folly" 81: sI..au '. -.' 8.
Who are those who pro Tess to follow the
illusion Of M unhoIy peaceP' Does any
party or class of men desire an 'unholy
peace?" II so, what party or class of men?
Who can tell? Surely not the Republican
party. That party IS too "loyal to desire q
patched up, unholy peace" ls the Demo
cratic party in favor of such peace? Un-
doubtedly not. But tho reference in the
prayer in my opinion Is chiefly If not entire
ly to that party, or to inlividuals of that
party. Meetings have boen held, speeches
have been made, and resolutions have been
passed, looking to peace on terms honor
able alike to both the conten ling parties,
but nothing like an "ulholy peace" was
contemplated. No true patriot would de-
sire such q peace. And we must accord
honesty Of purpose and views to those who
advocate peace. We must allow that they
do it from sense Of duty; that they are ac-
tusted by truly patriotic desires. Now it is
quite likely that the peace advocated BY the
Democrats purity is 'unholy" in tho estiml+
! nation Of certain people, 1t is moi doubt so
7 in the eyes Of Chaplain Stockton, But will
not the charity Of the good Chaplain permit
him to believe that all those who favor such
peaceful action as will stop the ravageS of
war and bring lasting peace to our bleeding
country at least mean we'll AMI really desire
the good Of this natong II 50, why d oes he
style all talk about peace of this kind
"foolish gibberish" and "insane counsels"
But the good Chaplain invokes an impreca
ton lIe calls upon almighty God to "stifle
forever" all talk of this kind, and to "silence
forever the tongue that shall wag with such
madness and folly" A man may love his
country with the love OF true patriot; he
may earnestly desire the Integrity OF the
Union and the welfare of the nation; and
believing with Douglas that "war is dis
disunion final and eternal separation" he
may labor for and counsel peace on the prn,
ciple Of concession and compromise, but
alas!the curse of God is invoked on all such
patriotic eGtrts and such counsals are char
acterlzed as ''insape." The Constitution
guarantees the freedom Of speech an1 Of the
press, no matter how honest he may be in
| MS Vl6WS, MS LuuSuS 10 ~ Ue CufSSu WIN
eternal silence. Is such prayer charita
| Bile one? Is it in accordance with that spi,
rit of love which characterizes all those who
are truly acquainted with the religion Of
Jesus? And with much reverence l would
ask, can such prayer be dictated by the
Holy Spirit? ...--.-
1t should be borne in mind that the cause
and cure OF our present calamity are viewed
from different standpoints. Hence the dis.
crepancy of opinion on the subject Of the
war. Soma believe that vigorous prosecu>
ton OF the war is the only true method 0
putting down the rebellion. Others equally
patriotic believe this Union to be one Of con
sent, and that the best way to put the re
bellion down is by compromise. And we
must allow both parties to be equally hen
est in their opinions. Now allow me to ask
If it is charitable on the part OF those who
desire peace through the triumph Of arms
alone, to invoke the curse OF eternal. silence
on the tongues Of those who plead for peace
on terms Of compromise? Answer in the
affirmative ye who can.
ARCHER.
MARTINsBURG, Va, March 26th 1868.
MR EDITOR: Permit us to request, tht
Al r III -