The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1864-03-22

TUESDAY moRNING, MARCH a 1864

AS anA'cty winch seems TO exist in
certain qsasscEs to make propositions Of
peace to the Lincoln government, is to Us
enc OF the most incomprehsnsiblc devclope-
rnents of the times. II there was the
slightest probability that such propositions
would be received and respectfully consid.
| credit indeed it was not morally certain
that they would DO tostcd back in our faces
| with derision aud ip.uls, there would he
como show of propricty in such policy
and some exe1sc for it. But 70 long "A VIC
! have every reason to believe that il will ac-
| complish 40 good, and while IL subjects rs
| to the modification Of contemrtuous rcfus
| sal, exposes cur motives to miscoucepticu
! and presents US in the attitude Of begging
| for quarter, i. is astonishing that such a
policy should Sad an advocate within the
limits of the Coufcderacy. We know tina.
there ia not human being who longs more
ardeutly sad earnestly for tho return O.
peace, for the arrest IF this dreadful war
fare, With lis useless carnage and appalling
wrongs and miseric, than we do. We feel
that we Of the South have nothing to lose
and every thinyfo gain BY its cessation; but
il by no means follows az consequence of
this sincere desire, that We should fsvsr
Quiz otto attem! IS at negotiation, or useles ~
put ourselves in the way of mortifyipg re
butts. We are not yet in condition to be
able to afford to present ourselves ON Bonded
knees before the inselent aud hearticss das-
pot who directs the warfare upon US an.l
beg FOR peace; nor are we justified by any
thirg in tie present condition Of affairs In
lowering our p-oui crest by an appeal to
the nsgnanimity Of foe who has shown
himself to be utterly wanting 10 generosity
and forbcarance.
There is but one proposition We could
make and that VIC know, in advance, would
be rejected. Unconditional Independence
is what we must have, aud that is precisely
what the North is fighting to prevent -
i The persistent and determined efforts for
our suhjugation, arc Themselves a sullicicn,
answer to any Offer Of peace that we could
make. We are fsh ing for Independence
i-they to prevent US from achieving or ca.
joyiug it. RefUrc peace can come, enc party
or the other must abandon its object
Either We must surrcsder our ind pe ndonce
or they must give up the attempt at our sub
ugation. When they withdraw their ar,
mics and cease thoir warfare upon rs. we
will have some assurance ttat they are vii
ling to quit the struggle, but until they do
this, vic have no reason to believe that they
will consider any proposition for peace
which does not involve ruin aud dishonor to
US.
IF We were the stronger party, We might
with rropriety make such propositions, and
We could in that case 90 it without the haz-
card of having our action a tribuscd to fear
or inability to continue the contest. Such
however is not TIE case. We are the wea-
ker party. The world has been taught t.
believe that VIC are in the last stages Of .ex
haustoR, and that we have nci her men,
money or credit with which to make any
longer successful resistance and proposi.
ticas for peace coming from us in the fac
of such popular belief in our weakness
would bet confirm the false impression.
| Surely those who advocate this policy d,
not consider the Semoniac spirit which ac.
Isua'cs our foes. While they are proposing
to give notice that we are anxious to atop
the war, they are calling half million Of
new recruits into the field to complete the
! work of orr destruction. There is no man,
we imagine, who is crazy enough to believe
that our offer Of peace would be accept d.
: Then why make it? Tho answer ia, that
tho world may see that we are not respond
BE f. the cont:nUaace of the war The
world Knows ills already. apd such ae'ioo
on orr rart would only lead them to doub'
our ability to protraot tho contest Until the
object of our resistance is secured. The
sympathics Of every civilized patton is with
Us in this struggle, and the belief is uni
vcrs,l that we must finally triumph. Let
us net therefore impair the confidence aud
respect which our fortitnde and valor have
won, by undignilied appeals to foe who is
res3lately bent upon our destruc'io
a.. y Al