The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-09-21
From the Catholic Telegraph Sept li,h.l ]
Ahnuf Pence.


God knows, we desire our country's peaoc.
We have yer said or done aught, wit.
tingly, to put off the glad day one second
IL Is our conviction, Tow, as It was three
years ago, last May, that we cauuot have
peace without Government. The war, in.
augurated by the Southern aristucrcy to
found an empire on the basis of slavery Cor
labor, must I've fought out until either the
hborius mon, oc The slave lords, succumb
II the "mulsills' go down they wall be
trOmplcd on: ir the arjstocyats. they may
become rcconcled to the Caurch's doctrine
of the equality OF men, ani agree to pay
wages to those who work for them.
Three years ago we opposed the only
peace that was offered to us--namcly sub.
mssion-becaGsc it was the disruption OF
our Union, the dishoaor OF our Als, tho cx.
unctou OF our nation, and tho beginning ol
perpetual anarchy and war To-day the
aspect ot the question is not changed, cx.
cept IN the results of military operations
that have smce occurred. The same peace
Is offered now that was olf5rcl then, and
there are manifold reasons Tor not accept.
Ing 1t now ovur AMI above those that for
baIc its acceptance then.
The basis OF the peace now proposed in
;hc South is the disruption vt the States
not merely North from Sputh-.hut State
from State throughout tho entire Onion
Tae matter is thus stated in tho Richmond
Dispatch ot August 3lst.
Whenevera treaty of peace shall be m ,lc, it
must be done solely on the btSS of the entire iu-
nepenee ahl sovereignty ot each particular STATE
That must b. preliminary To-, and cannot ha a sub
iect otnegodaton. The Confederate Government
has no right tn make any pelc, in whica one inch
el ldni belonging tn any ulo Of Tia, States shall be
given up ur one iu;a of its PEI vjlcgcS as a s1yrr-
cign b, surrendered. This So ftr from being tn,
subject Of negotiation, must be the starting point
from which all negotiation must proceed, II the
enemy refuse TO coucels to it, then we cannot ne
gotiate with him. 1t follows that there can be no
such thing As treating for p'ac, in earnest until
every hostile soldier shall have been withdrawn
from our soil and every hostile ship from our wa
terS. Then We can talk of peace and all those
matters OF secondary iMpottncc.
1t Is wonderful, in the meantime that Intelligent
men like Nallandigham and Fernando Wuod-who
must be tu ,ly acquainted with the Southern doc
triue of State rights, an must know that all this
blood has been shed in their defense should
think it possible to get us into such a convention
on to restore the Union by the means of it. What
we want first OF all, is entire and separate indie
pendcnCc.
In the same sense speak the Charleston
Mercury, and the Richmond Examiner. OF
August 2lth VIII ch Ills, IN view of what
the editor svpposes to be the growing pub
lie opinion OF the North" All see. scent.
and feel, the near approach Of pcaoe-a,d
peace on 0,ly terRS.'
Three years and half aso we refused to
accCde to thtsc terms because. in the first
p,ace' 'hey W"til not bring peace. On
what principles can the Independence OF a
State be allowed that would not sanction
the Independence OF Congressional Dis
If "A
ly? None. Then, principle being repul,-
atcd the bond of union would he the law
of the strouger-the same law that held
East Tennessee and Northern Alubaml in
the Conlederacy until they became DESC
lation; and from this law there is no an.
peal-against it, no remedy but war.
In the next place, we wee unwilling tu
give up or national character and flag
We have believed in free institutons-in
the right OF the poor man to own the fruits
OF his labor and the flesh on his bones.-
But the rebellion struck at this right di-
rectly and avOwedIy. The rebel leaders
wanted to destroy the Government because
lalor was free in it. Could we, identified
by sentiment, choice and position with the
interests OF the laboring classes, advocate
their submission?
What has occurred since to change the
state OF the issue? In the gigantic military
operations Of the past three years, are we
the beaten party? We cannot see it, We
have not taken Richmond, but Lee has not
taken Washington. But we have taken
Missouri, Arkansas, the Mississippi, Ken
lucky. Alabama, Georgia. Tennessee, and
West Virginia. We hold two-thirds of the
rebel territory and every port but one. We
have their navy reduced to few pirates.
sud their army flied up with the little boys
aud old men of their country. Is this a
time, then, for us to advise the free m IN of
the north to go down on their knees be-
fore the Richmond aristocracy and beg for
peace?
We have waded so far through this sea
OF blood, that it is nearer to cross than to
go back. What the Richraond Dispatch
says of all the blood shed to destroy the
Government, is true of the blood shed to
maintain it. Every soldier dead in this
war is reason why it should be putt
through. Every battlefield cries ont for lis
10 stand firm until the cause of Justice and
law and human freedom shall be securely |
r umpha; t.
This is the peace to which we look for. |
varl with hope and desire; AMI to attain it.
We believe it is the duty of every man, now |
IS three wears ago, to stand by the Gov.
'rnment.
The Toronto (IlgJ3 slvs fb ,t II ,IV,ll,,, !