Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-03-04
Is Peace Desirable Z

40 C"CC DcSlt6Dl6y
Every one says it is. We are fighting for peace.
nut we can have no peace unless it comes to US as
SCH governing free people. How shall we obtain it
ny resting on our arms2 By desertion, and strag-
ghng' and all kinds of expedients to avoid service
ny waiting for the Northwest to secede from the
nOr'neast! By depending on foreign Intervention?
fe'ow citizens soldiers these are not the roads to
peace We shall obtain this great blessing only
when we shall have thoroughly defeated the enemy
a. a' points, and endured the privations the losses
anu 'ne sufferlngs Ct war until that enemy shall
nave aespared Of success This is the road to peace
ihere seems to be no other road to it. What then
Let the people hold up the hands of our Generals.
and letevery soldier be at the post of duty. If our
enemies should fail at all points during the next
three months they will begin seriously to consider
that their task is most difficult if not an impgssi
ble one. Opposition to the war in the North is GER
talnly increasing There can be no doubt that
large portion Of Lincoln's armies and of the North
ern people are tired Of the war. They want peace
as much as We do. Continued defeats for the next
three months must tell powerfully their feelings
and Judgments Many of them-perhaps majori-
ty, are opposed to fighting to free the slaves They
regard such policy as changing the character Of
the war. They look upon it also as fraught with
incalcuable misery to both races in both sections.
The madness and folly of Lincoln in this respect
operating in our favor. Now is the time to present
one compact front at every point We can lose
nothing by it. but on the contrary we may gain
ry thing We repeat ii our enemies should fail at
all points for the next three months, that failure
must tend to cessation of hostilities, or to
lstlce, which will be long step towards peace. But
what if they should succeed? The war will be pro-
longed, and suffeings will be increased tenfold
Starvation will be added to the horrors which would
follow in the train of their triumphant forces
We believe that we have enough regiments in the
field, if they are kept well filled We must have
men to cultivate our fields and men to fight. Let
the former make every grain Of corn and every
pound Of meat they can, and let the latter, to man.
rally to their regiments Let soldier so act as to
deserter or outlier. 1t makes no difference wheth-
er We approve of the measures by which the war
was brought on or not We are in it, and we must
fight 1t out. We depiore those measures as much
as any one but they belong to the unaterable past
We cannot change them nor their consequences, by
deploring them. We can only profit by them in
the future. We repeat, We must fight. There is
no other way to peace but by submission to Abra.
ham Lincoln. Who thinks of that? Are we ready
to swear allegiance to his government 1t is M,
the government it was, but rank and bloody usup
patton. Our people will not be forced to do any
thing. They will decide their own destiny. 1t is
true no one can foresee the end of the struggle Il
may end in the ruin of every North American State
but if are true to ourselves to our ancestors, and
to our children, at least in North Carolina will
never call any section or any man MASTER Bu
Providence permits mortal to foresee events H,
shows US our duty and if perform it, events vii
take care of themselves. Duty, duty, duty-let III
all do that We can do no otherwise, and be tru
men. We appeal to our gallant soldiers who ar
absent to hasten to their coors. They will be un
just to their own reputation, and uni just to thei
comrades who mpatienty await their return if the,
linger longer. Peace is to be desired above al
earthly blessings but 1t be reached only through
blood and suffering To your posts, then, soldiers
You are the countrys hope. Every privation yo,
submit to- and every blow you strike, brings US tha
much nearer to blessed peace.