Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-06-06
ThePeace ceConventIon-T1ih Question

Ex-Mayor Woods Peace Convention
yesterday was, in many respects, a decided
success, 1t was large gathering-one OF
the largestrecently held in the City, and
It's proceedings were marked by energy,
directness. and fair degree ofenthusiasm.
In one important particular it surpassed
all similar meetings hitherto held,-we
mean its open, straightforward, avowed
symPathywith the principles and the cause
OF the Secessionists.
From the address and resolutions, as
well as from the speech of Mr. Wood, it
will be seen that the Convention takes the
EXTREMIST ground of State Rights-assert-
ing that allegiance is due to the State
governments and not to'tbe National Gov
ernment; that the Government has no
right to defend its existence against re-
oellion by force of arms,-that the war is
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. not because it ia
a war against Slavery, nor because of auy
fault in the manner in which it has been
conducted, but because the National Gov
ernment has no right to wage war, either
offensive ordetensive, against the will and
action of any State, and that, on this ac-
count, and withoutregardt to consequences.
me war ought instantly to be stopped.
Ihe Convention. goes still further than
this in its sympathy with the rebellion.
1t denounces our armies, our Generals.
our Government, in contrast with those of
the rebels, declares that we are already
defeated and conquered, and insists on the
policy and duty of Immediate surrender.
1t is rather mortifying to find the Demo.
cratic party, or anybody claiming the right
to speak in its name, willing to take tone
SO humiliating as this. Whatever of courl
age, OF devotion to the Union, of perseve-
ring patriotism, and of resoIute deterni-
nation TO rescue the country from peril,
these men have ever had, must have thor
oughiy evaporated. They speak like men
who have been whipped into abject sub
mission. Possibly their language may be
an accurate expression Of their own
thoughts; but we think they go deal too
far when they expect to find it echoed by
any considerable portion of the American q
people, or even of the Democratic party.
In this possibly we are mistakenLtime
will show. :
one thing, ,however,i is clear. These Peace
Democrats have drawn the only clear, dis,
tinct line of division upon the war which
can be maintained. They take ground
against the t0ar-not against its incidents or
the manner in which it is conducted. If
the nation has right to wage war b to
protect itselfagainst rebellious States. then
these Peace men concede thar it NAV
wage in any manner and by the use Of
any means essential to success. If the war
is just, then the Gonscription, the suspen.
sion of Hdbeas Corpus, and the emaacipa-
tion Of slaves are just, also. They de-
nounce, therefore, as insincere and hypo-
critical those Democrats who oppose the
latter while pretending to support the for
mer. For their own part, they oppose the
war as utterly upjustand unconstitutional,
and'they make this hostility the corner
stone of their new organization. :.
To this complexion, beyond all doubt, it
must come at last. Sooner or later we
shall have but two parties-one, of those
who are for the s0ar as the only means of
preserving the nations life-and tflie, other,
of those who are for peace whether the ma!
tion lives or dies. The peace convention
declares for the latter. 1t is not for preser-
wing the Union if it must be done by war.
hopes we may still have d, Union, but it
insists that we shall not have war. The
soonerthe people accept this clear and dis
tinet issue, the sooner will the war be end
ed.2N. y. Times. - - -, :
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