Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-02-07
WAR POLICY.

There is an unwritten law of humanity
which by common consent is imposed up,
on al! Nations engaged in war, and to
violate its requirements is to incur merited
condemnation from all civilized govern.
ments. There must be not only distinct
and well defined cauSus Jelli to Justify a
resort to measures which in greater or
less degree interfere with the prosperity and
imperils the peace and security of neu.
trails. but there must also be specific pur'
pose to accomplish which should be kept
constantly in view to the end that all the
world may know that its attainment will
terminate hostilities. Not only neu;rals,
but the enemy has right to know what is
demanded-upon what terms peace can
be restored, and what rights are to be
conceded in case the enemy consent to
ground their arms.
1t will be remembered that in our war
with Mexico a Peace Commissioner &C.
companied our invading forces with ample
power to negotiate with the enemy at any
time they might consen. to do so. 1t is
too late now to arrogantly assume that
those In rebellion against our government
are entitled to no beligerant rights Our
success in a two years contest has not
been such as to warrant US in ignoring the
rights of the millions involved in the pres.
ent war. We may only hope for peace by
clearly announcing as the rebels have
done what We demand. and BY Civ
ing them assurance Of what they may
expect in case they consent to yield upon
the terms proposed. Propositions thus
respectively made would lead to negotia,
tions, and s5oner or later to mutual con.
cessions that would result in satisfactory
solution Of our unfortunate roubles.-
Until recently our government seemed to
be operating upon q clearly defined policy
which suggested q result full of promise
as 1t gave encouragement to all who sin.
cerely desired to see the Union restored.
The President made clear and autl.ori
tatlve denia! of the charge that the Gov.
ernment bad any designs to interfere with
the State Institutions Of the South. Con-
eress with remarkable unanimity reiter
ated the denial, and the sincerity of the
Administration was apparently attested
ty the prompt disapproyal Of the orders of
subordinates Who sought thus to inter
tere. !: was announced that the single
and sole purpose which animated the
people of the North in prosecuting the
war was to save the Union and main tain
the rights to which all were entitled under
the Constitution and Laws. The etfec. Of
this policy was to unite the North (except
the radical factionists) in determination
that the war should be successful whatever
might be the sacrifice required while i.
developed throughout thu South strong
and rapidly increasing union sentiment.
We are justified in the belief that this
sentiment would have become irresistible
and would have led to a speedy peace bat
for the apprehension of incincerity in the
avowals thus publicly made Doubt and
suspicion could only have been removed
by gu honest persistence upon our part in
the policy adopted. The rebel leaders
charged US with duplcity in concealing
our real designs Of waging a war against
slavery and of disregarding the compro-
misses of the Constitution, and importuned
the masses to suspend their Judgment
until events should develop the facts in
the case. Unfortunately for us the sus-
pension was exceedingly brief; the saga.
city of their leaders was speedily verified
all disguise was laid aside, and the Ad
ministration boldly Illuminated edcts of
ex,ermination against slavery. The result
was unity in the South in defence of Con-
stitutional rights, and division in the
North which neither arbitrary arrests,
suspension of habeas corpus, or military
imprisonment have removed or ahated
After bloody contest OF two years
there Is not today any ground to indulge
n rational hope Of peace. There is no
public declaration by which any one may
know either North or South what terms
are demanded, or what conditions will he
granted the insurgents, no possible mo-
tive is presented to encourage return of |