Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-03-24
a RemarkabIe Peace Essay.


a pamphlet written by the Rev. ll) John P.
former. Of Nashville, Tenn.
The title Of the essay is. Negotiations
for Peace at the Court Of Heaven, the only
way to Close the War Honorably to the
South, the Infsllible Success Of this Nego-
tiation, etc." This precious document was
printed at the Southwestern Confederate
Printing House" jackson, Miss.
1t is a splendid tissue of lies, (the major I
part Of it, to be written by one who styles
himself reverend" 21
We give below some extracts from it, in
which the writer undertakes to show "the
cause of the war - show the beiligerents
stand in relation to God and each other"
&c. Is ,.. ..a.... ...r
81, THE WAR ITS CAUSE, ETC.
No question, ut this moment, involves so
deem an interest in the Southern heart as
the one we here propose briefly and solcmnly
TO consider.
The answer is not less, but if possible,
even more Important The desire for the
maintenance of peace, which We sought
without war, by honorable negotiation and
earnest entreaty, was scorned by the North.
We thought that a peaceful separation
would be infinitely better, both for them
and ourselves, than the bitter ordinations
and recrininatious, which grew, and would
necessarily continue to grow, out Of the
aDtagonisms OF our social, commercial and
. political interests ..,...
The North seemed to think differently, and
boasted that they had the right and the
power to make the South think and act
with them.
They stopped not to ask whether they
had right to invade sovereign States,
whether they had right to prescribe and
coerce free people in the enjoyment Of con-
stitutional liberty-rights guaranteed to
them by solemn contract in the Federal
Union. They stopped not to ask whether
their war upon African slavery was founded
upon the laws enacted by their foreiathers,
authorized by the teachings Of the Bible,
and corroborated by the facts of history and
the example Of civilized nations, in the past
i. ages of the world or whether it was not
,, instigated and get forward, by wicked jeal
!. ousy of the growing wealth, prosperity anc
y happiness of the South. Inflated sudd,nl;
y with the pride Of party. triumph, and boast
ful of their vast superiority in men and
|, means, they adopted at once the false ant
a
:. Hence, war was precipitated upon the Soutl
! like clap Of thunder in clear sky.
, The South, without preparation, withou
a navy, with limited means and few men
!. compared with the North, was driven to tn
!, necessity of choosing subjugation, degrade
! ton and slavery on the one hand, or resist
:, ance on the other. Liberal as she had bee
- ). for years, in concessions, to the North mag
~ nanimous in her forbearance under thei
:, wrongs and aggressions, loyal as she had a
!" ways been to the Constitution, and devote
as she was to the Union, she could not no.
le hesitate one moment as to the choice Of tn
,e two evils. She resisted, and she will resi'
m to the death. And truly may we all sa,
;" IF it had not been the Lord, who was o
o our side, when men rose up against Us, the
t. they had swallowed US up quickly, whe
is their wrath was kinded against u.s. Then tn
Ia waters had overwhelmed us, the stream ha
= gone over our soul Then the proud water
lis Lord, who hath not given US prey to the
as teeth. Our soul is escaped as bird out
ar the snare of the fowlers. The snare
broken and we are escaped. Our help is
the name Of the Lord, who made heavs
tie and earth. - Darid May the day 500
m- come when tho last of this Psalm will a
mt ply to us as the first does now.
w. The first great battle at Manassas, 9
TO- tonished Europe, confounded the North al
even intoxicated the South, so that, for
"a. time, it diverted ouI trust in God, whit
no was followed by many serious disasters. !
IS philosopher can show reason. aside fro
ot the protecting Providence Of God. why o
IN. enemy, with such u navy, such immen
vai armies and with such zealand mad detern
hi. nation, could not have crushed out the I
ir. bellion in one year or even in ninety days
itv as they said.
be. II. HOW THE BELLIGERENTS STAND IN R
as LATIoN TO GOD AND EACH OTHER.
aid Religiously, both parties stand guilty
ION fore God, and deserve q thousand tin
md more Of punishment than this war has
on hicted Jointly, they had received mt
'a- and greater blessings at the hands Of Gc
4 a thaa any nation hns ever received in I
same period Ot time.
,va But, the religious detection of the Sou
-. though great. is not to be compared W
or that OF the North Abolitionism, m
md gross and palpable heresy, found its ori,
ply and growth in the hot he'd of Puritanic
an, otry and fanaticsm in New England.
-. Driven to the wall for an argument
''e, meet the plain teachings OF the Bible q
and the Constitution of tho United States on
hat subject Of slavery, they appealed to
~ higher law'--reason and conscience Il
ignoring tac divine authority of the one 0
'"o the legal authority of the other, they op
ext ed the foodgates of infdelity upon tn
hey whole population.
is From this Pandoras box sprsng up
the quick succession and rapid growth, NJ
nionism, Universalism, Free Loveisu, NJ
're merism, Fanny Wr,ehtism and down rig
'ose open mouthed, black hearted infdel
ess- spreading their blghtipg influence in N
m. OF the Cities schools and colleges of
\ England. IF the foundations (the Bit
"a be destroyed, what shall the righteous dc
TO From Boston-Ithe boasted Athens Of Am
low ca-came forth the myriad pages OF lie
hit tious and infidel literature, like the locr
,;n. Of Egypt, whitening aud blackening all /
p"' was green and lovely, with which they ca
ny in contact.
ver True, We have many filthy debaucf
- spewing drunkards, vile blasphemers,
30 bath breakers and mammon worshippeI,
the South, but we have yetto see the
lns' infdel or obscene book issued from a Sop
nit arr nraa b