The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-06
CAMDEN. s. o. WEDNESDAY, MOB


saving between grcenbacks and vbonds,1
which appears to be the substance OF hla.
financial policy, aud concocting paltFgy,
schemes for jobbing in gold on Wall
street, let him trust the people, if be
dare, with the facts from which they
may know their own sol7ency or insol-,,
vency, and appeal to them to meet the
issue, face to face. Let Mr.. Seward Try
if he can write one solitary despatch
without some intentional perversion OF
the truth, and confne himself to the le-,
climate purposes of diplomatic corrds-
pondence abroad, instead Of loading the
files of the State Department with clap
trap and misrepresentation for homo
consumption and deception. !. n 81.
- Let Mr.. Stanton, instead of ioo6frai
the country with false bulletins from r.
responsible or fictitious sources, under
valuing the strength and resources of
the enemy, cxaggcrating their wants and
sutfcrings, multiplying their reverses and
our triumphs, give himselfup, for ever
so brief a space, to The disseminate" Of
the tuth, which the people are entitled
to have in regard to a struggle for which
they arc taxed to the utmost in treasure
and blood. With what face can he as
scrt the war to be the peoples war,
when, after having caused the press to
teen with tclcgrams announcing the al
-, ., -. ,,,;,,or,,l oul o,llu,;o.t;o ,o o,l;.t
meut of the veterans of the army, be has
caused the President to refuse to give the
House of Representatives any informa-
ton on the subject, on the ground that
it would be projudcial TO the public
INTEREST,"" If the Administration will
not venture to pursue the plain, straight
forward course We indicate, let it cease to
pratc of its war policy as rooted in the
confidence of the people. If the people
uphold it, why conceal from the people
what they uphold? Or, is it that the
war can be maintained in its pretended
| popularity, only so long as the people arc
kept from knowing what it is and what
it promises.
We are rejoced to see that these con-
sidera;ions and others akin to them are
opening SO many long blinded eyes. The
people have begun to think for them
selves at last, and there can be but one
result of their 50 doing, if they will but
speak out, fearlessly, what they think.
The war cannot bear probing in its causes,
its conduct, its purposes or its prospects.
1t cannot survive the touch Of free
thought and free speech. The friends of
peace, heretofore. have lacked bolduess
aTd confidence in themselves. and .ste!:,
cause. DGsertot; ut tnc- -outscr, uy those
in whom they trusted as leaders, it is
scarcely to be wondered that they should
have dcspaircd, and have permitted them
selves to be buliied out Of the expression
of their conviction almost out Of
these convictions themselves.
But times have changed. The tide is
now setting in the right direction, and
they must take it at the food. The
people must not await for men to lead
them now, Humanity, civilization, the
blessed teachings Of Christianity are lea
ders enough. The renegade of to day
will be only too happy to return as thc
cause of peace develops its grand pro-
portions and its strength. Let, then
every man who wants peace, cry Peace
Let there be no diSguise--no catering
for oopularity or for this influence or
that-no putting on Of the devils livery.
The cause can and will tai of itself
and its advocates, if they arc not afraid
to proclaim their allegiance to it. Let
no man be fooled or frightened by the
suggestion, that he is bound to Support
the Government" or that, BY crying out
for peace, he is embarrassing the Gov
ernment."
Every citizen who has to uphold the
Government with his money and his
blood, has the right, nay is bound in
duty, to influence its policy, by the pub
lie expression of his honest opinione.-
He is bound to obey the laws, but not
to smother or belle his convictions. The
talk of embarrassing the Government"
is but the stcrco'yped jargon of despo-
tism and scrvility. Free governments
were made to be " embarrassed by free
speech and free suffrage. 1t is precisely
what distinguishes them from govern:
ments which are not free. Such Gem
barrassmcnts" may beinconyenicnt some
times, to both the people and their SER
wants, but all Inconvenience of the sort
are involved in the fact, that our chief
servant is a President and not an auto
crat Let him and his Cabinet and his
Congress be dealt with as servants and
not bowed down to as masters: Let
them hear the truth, from those'to whom
they will not tell it--from those who
made them aud can and will unmake
them.
Unless We greatly err, the seemingly
small voices to-day will be loud enough
for them, ere many morrows. The peo-
pie yearn for peace and they will have
it. They are tired of military neces-
sity" and military rule. They prefer the
government created by the Constitution
to a war begotten dcspotisms; supported
by black janazaries. They do not desire ,;
| =. .o,u,;,,to ,ba .Eelovo arjStOcracv"