Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-10-27

Of the South, a. we'll as The people Of tho
North, tD b. quite a. watcltul aud jealous
Of their rights a. their common ancestors
were.
The maintenance of liberty Ia all ages,
times, and countries, when aud where il has
existed, has required not only constant vigil
lance and Jealousy, but has often required
the greatest privations, and suiIerings, and
sacrifices, that people or states are ever sub
Jcctcd 10. Through such AN ordeal we are
now passing. Through "A like and even
scyercr ordeal our ancestors passed in their
struggle for the principles which it has de-
yolyed upon us thus to defend and main.
tam But great as our sufferings and sac
rihces have been and are, TO which YOU
allude, they are as yet far short Of the like
sufcrings and sacrifices which our fathers
bore with patience, courage, and fortitude
in the crisis that tried mem $ souls, in their
day. These are the virtues that sustained
! them in their hour Of need. Their illust-
nous aud glorious example bids US not To
underestimate the priceless Inheritance they
achieved for Us at such cost of treasure
aud blood Great as arc the odds we are
struggling against, they are not greater than
those against which they successfully strug-
gied In point Of reverses our condition is
not TO be compared with theirs. Should
Mobile, Savannah, Charleston, Augusta, Ma.
con, Montgomery, and even Pctcrsburgh
and Richmond fall, our condition would not
then be worse or less hopeful than theirs
was in the darkest hour that rested ON thei,
fortunes. With wisdom on the part of those
who control our destiny in the cabinet and
IN the field, in outstanding and properly
welding our resources at their command.
and IN securing the hearts and affections of
the people in the great cause of right and
liberty for which we are struggling, we could
sufisr all these losses and calaInities. and
greater even, and still triumph in the end
At present, however, | do not see, as
stated IN the outset, that you or /, or any
number OF persons in our position, can dc
anything toward inaugurating any new
movement looking to peaceful solution o
the present strife. The war on our part i,
: 3 fairly and entirely defensive in its cbarac
ter. How long it will continue to be thu.
wickedly and mercilessly waged against u,
depends upon the people of the North.
.Georgla our own state. to whom we ow,
allegiance, has, with great unanimity. pro
claimed the principles upon which ius
ana permanent peace ought to be sought
and obtained. The congress Of the Con
fedclate States has followed with an indorse
ment OF these principles. All you and
and Others in our position, therefore can dc
on that line at this time, is to sustain the
movement already inaugurated, and to tn,
utmost, OF our ability, to hold up these
princl pies as the surest hope of restoring
soundness to the public mind of the North
as the brazen serpent was held up for the
healing Of Israel in the wilderness.
The cheit aid and encouragement we cal
give the peace party at the North, is to keeJ
before them these great fundamental prin.
Clip les and truths, which alone will lead them
and US to permanent and lasting peace, with
possession and enjoyment Of Constitutions
liberty. With those principles once recog
nlzed, the future would take care Of itself,
and there would be no more war SO long a,
they should be adhered to. All question.
OF boundaries, confederacies, and Union OF
unions would naturally and easily adjust
themselves, according to the interests Of
parties, and the exigencics of the times
Herein lies the true law of balance of tn,
power, and the harmony Of states.
\ ours respectfully, ALEX. Ii. STEPHENS