The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-11-04

md Mr.. Wells. These three gentlemen
,o!d the following views on the subject:
That it is no longer simply the rebels
IN arms whom we are fighting, but the !
whole people Of the Southern State..-l
That they are all public enemies, aud can
only bs treated as such. That no peace
bassd upon the above or any similar
terns 'ould be lasting. That il the war
is prosecuted with vigor, in less than
year more the power Of the rebellion will
be broken; their armies defeated and
scattered; Richmond, Charleston, Mobile
and Savannah in our pos,esson-the
whole Southern country conquered; and
We will then be in r position to dictate
what terms we please to the vanquished
rebels That it would hs unjust TO the
loyal States Of the North to permit the
rsbellious States ever again to enter into
the Union on footing Of equality with
the former. That they are to be no longer
recogn zed as States, but rs conquered
provinces, aud are to be governed in such
a manner A. Congress ahsll determine.
Blu. my informsli n does not end here.
Every one will see that the above propo
sal OF peace embraces terms as favorable
AS the Southern people themselves could
ask il they wished TO return the Union.
II is important, then, to know whether
thew would accept these or similar terms,
il such were offered TO them. | have the
facts wLict enable mo to say tina, ifthose
terms were offered TO the South to-day
they would be unhesita,ingly rejected
and this would be done. nos by the rebel
leaders alone, but by the whole Southern
people. This is a painful and unpleasant
fact; bu. it is y fact nevertheless. 1t
might not have been so a year ago. Up
to tho middle Of September of last year
there was still some people who desired
a restoration Of the Union. But since
that time the war has assumed such fsa
lures Of ferocity, since that time the ac,s
OF the administration and of Congress
have been OF such a nature, as 10 crush
out every ves,igs Of Union feeling ut the
South, and to make the idea Of reunion
abhorent TO the Southern people. do
Tot make this statement ut random. !
make it on the authority Of more than a
dozen gentlemen from different parts Of
the South, all Of them men Of veraei,y
and intelligence, some of them men OF
formerly high position in their respect
i've States, but none of them holding any
position in the rebel army. The fac. is
and this fact must he realized sooner or
later At the North-the South, united rs
one man, is fighting for independence,
and not for slavery. II, in order to gain
their Independence. it becomes necessary
for them to Iibera,e their slaves, or a par,
OF them, they will unhesitstingly do il.
The idea .bst-.be military power Of the
South is broken, or even that it has beer
weakened, is utterly de!usive.
The South never had such an effective
army 10 the field rs it has to day. True,
il is only 100000 strong. and one fourth
Of these are conscripss; but The other
100000 are veteran troops, and they
have a latent element OF military strength
which our politicians have not counted
on hitherto. The great error Of the ad
is in making war on the
Southern people, and not merely on the
rebels in arms. 1t was = sad day when
the first false step in that direction was
taken, by authorizing John Pope To for.
bid the placing Of guard, around tie
houses OF Southern people. Pillsge, ra
pine and unbvidled license 100 often fol
lowed the army after that and ;he result
is now seen in the state Of facts mention
ed above. II the war ia to 20 on the |
hardest fighting is yet TO come.
And yet, with all these facts existing,
Al honorable. lasting peace is in the pow.
81 Of ths ad'ninist ration, TO be followed,
perhaps, At some future peried, by ulti
mate reunion. Before next Chrisms. a. the |
path to such a peace will be pointed out |
in Congress by member OF the House |
Of Representative.