Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-03-31

!. THURSDAY MARCH 81, 1854. ~,
Of theirso doing, if they will but speak
ont, feariessly, what they think. The war
cannot bear probing, in lis causes, its con
duct, its purposes Or its prospects., It can
not survive the toucl, of free. thought and
free speech. The friends Of peace, here
r. tofore. have lacked boldness and conf
dence in themselves an. their cause. De-
serted, at the outset by those in wllom they
truss ed us leaders. it is scarcely to tie won
I dered that they shcnld have despareG,
and have permitted themselves to oe bull
died out OF the expression OF their convic-.
{; tion---nas, almost ont OF those convictions
themselves. Bur times have changed.
The tide is now setting in the right direc
tion, and they must take it at the flood.
The people must not await for men to lead
them now. Humanity, civilization, the
blessed teachings of Christianity are lead
ers enough. The renegade of to-day will
. be only too happy to return as she cause
OF peace deveopes it's Crane proportions
and its strength. Let, then, every man
who wants peace, c,y Peace Let there
be no disgnise-no catering for populari-
ty or for this influence or tbat-no putting
on of the devils livery TIE cause can
and will take care of itself aud lis advo.
Gates if they are 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 Govern
,nent,' or that, by crying out for peace,
he is embarrassing the Government
!; Every citizen who has to uphold the
government with his money and his blood,
has the right, nay is bound in duty, to in
fuence its policy, by the public expression
OF his honest opinions. He is bound TO
+ obey the laws, bat not to smother or belle
his convictions. The talk Of f"enlbarrassing
the Government" is but the stereotyped
jan gon of dsspotim, and servslaty. Free
governments were made to be s'enfbarrass>
ed" by free speech and free suffrage. 1t
! is precisely what distinguishes them from
governments which are not free. Sncli
ssembarrassments" may be inconvenient
sometimes, to both the people and their
servants, but all iuconveniences OF the sort
ale involved in the tact, that our chief SER
want is President and not an antocrat.-
Let him and hi, Cabinet and his Con
gress be dealt with as servants and not
bowed down to as masters. Let them
1cdl TIE tTutu, iIOIlI tlOSC W "iIOiii 'AC.y
will not tell it-from those who made them
and can and will nnmake them. Unless.
we greatly err, the seemingly ysmall voices
to- day will he loud enough for them, ere
many norrows. The people yeorn for
peace and they aoaU h0re 1t. They are tired
of .'military necessity and military rule.
They prefer the government created by
the Constitution to a war -begotten despo-
tis,r. supported by black ianizaries.
They do not desire to extirtninate the
''slave aristocracy'' a. the South, in order
to establish, at the North, an aristocracy
Of shouider-straps aud cavalry boots. They.
believe that the mission OF this Republic
is something better than. ''nasscege,satio,a'. :.
and the establishment CT negro. equality
or superiority. They will endure taxation,
privations and sacrifices no longer, to defy
the idols Of New England's hypocrisy,
cnpiditv and fanaticisii,. They yeor7s for
peace, zoe repeat, and peace they eosN hage.
From tho WiI,ni n oton IOnrn2l