Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-22
GERMS OF PEACE ]

4 .~f- #t fAs A ~ IA IltN = tN
| AN esteemed correspondent sends to us yer
able and Interesting communication, inspired W
know by love Of country as pure as it is fervent
in which he suggests plan for the paciication o
the troubles which are now affecting our unh,pp,
land Unable to find room for the elaborate arsu
nent BY which the writer supports his proposition
We give the proposition itself for the purpose o
making few suggestions upon it.. 1t is as fol
lows:
The plan or platform of peace which only will NEE,
the Justice OF the case, and deliver the nation from thu
os 10 wnlch s entangled by the madness of those who
on either sde have been seeking their own persopa ap
grandizemen at the expense of the whole people s
tnis; Recoastrnctioa of s Union with the
secession and si1oery By iAe Southern States and the
compensation Of siaoehoders for all the serpanfs noo A,
~ fhcm or lost by MeL. any manuer during he ,sar
reeogniion Of he entire debt of boh sides incurred
dur'ng s say and The oTeatioa Of funded debt of the
aggregate Of both these aBoants fcih the oddon ef fLo
necessary Jor me payment The laces he che
9f NE ,econsueed Government Of e United satss
Inc aggregate Of this consolidated debt W uld be
enormous 80 great that figures would fail to express it TO
the understanding however clear to the eye Like tbs
dtances between celestai bodies the number empoyed
could convey no definite impre Still the amount is
nul.s and f,lfng when compared with that which is
Dspg heapcd up BY the devastating and destructive pro
gress Was progress which terminate in nothing
short Of absolute and utter run unless cut short by the
assumption Of Of some fixed point at which to stopn
4 Cordially sympathizing with all who have it in
their hearts to promote the things that make for
peace on the basis Of truth and justice we are
constrained to believe that the proposition Of our
correspondent has nothing on which it can rest
except the sincerity Of the motives by which it is
prompted. His proposition would b0 equally un-
10 all parties on both sides Of the divid-
ing ine between the contending sessions.
On the North side Of this line the dominant party
in the Government believes in its ability to carry on
the war until its logical results shall be reached in
the "subjugation !" and, if need be- in the !" ex-
termination" of the Southern people. They are,
therefore, in mood for entertaining propositions
which look to peaceful solution Of our troubles.
And just as little would the opponents Of the
Administration agree to assume for themselves
Ind their posterity the cost of the emancipa-
lion of the slaves of the South, in addition
% the deot incurred by both parties to war in
which our own debt alone is rapidly becoming
! portentous burden. This disposition Of both
parties was sufficiently proved by the cold recep-
ion which the message of President Lincoln in
avor OF emancipation with compensation received
1t the hands Of Republicans and Democrats in the
asst Congress. Nothing was done to effectuate the
Presidents policy under this head except to pass
barren resolution, which made the failure to fur
,ish practical measure in conformity with il oplv
he more conspicuous
And we see no reason to suppose that there is
my party at the South which could be induced TO
accept Union and peace on the terms proposed, If
here was any party at the North ready to offer
hem. The leaders Of the insurgent Government
till believe, or profess to believe, in their capaci
y to conduct the struggle in which they are en-
gagged to successful conclusion They are fight
ng to extcrt an acknowledgment of Southern in
not to procure compensation for their
slaves, or to induce willingness on the part of
she United States to assume the debt incurred on
both sides in the war
As our correspondent does us the honor to al
ude 10 terms Of commcnd,tion to the article which
appeared in our editorial columns on the 9th ulti
mo, under the title of /" Whence and Whittier"
and as this article, it seems, suggested to hi. mind
the preparation of the communication with which
he has favored us, we may presume to say again,
as We said in that article, that we see a. vet in
the signs Of the times little that induces MS TO hope
for speedy settlement Of the disseusions which
shake the land We believe that the war, as now
conducted BY both parties, has no issue which will
conduct either Of them to all the ends for which
either is striving, But neither party ha, yet come
to apprehend the imposabilltcs of its situation,
and hence neither party is to-day in any mood
which induces it to acknowledge the "logic of
events Instead Of this, the promptipg gs Of pride
and passion, REINFORCED in many cases by sin
oere, but, as we conceive, misguided patriotism,
encourage the dominant party at the North 10 per-
sist in style Of war which, if regard be had to
its processes or its avowed ends threatens, 10 our
eyes, to render speedy peace impossible, and ul-
innate disunion inevitable The dominant party
at the South is equally set in its purpose TO ex-
tort from the Government Of she United States q
reluctant recognition Of the right of secession, with
such territorial possessions rs recognition Of this
right may be construed to carry with it, Until
there is great lowering of suoh pretension,
there will bs no hope Of peace We do no,
believe tat all tho logical results Of the war in
the direction that has been impressed upon it by the
violence Of either party will be reached by either Of
the parties to it When the I" logic Of events" shall
have fully impressed the lessons of Divine Provi