Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-09
srcra The Sewe=ryport Herald u
pubilc sent I'm emit.

Public Sen o. ment.
We ara sorry TO see that n large class IA the |
commnnity-smalier here, however, and we
thank God for IL than in almost any other place
in the country-xho. 20 all talk of adjustment. I
have bat one answer. and that a scnseless one
thew will make no terms but independence"
There are many men reasonable upon other
topics, who will not consent 10 reason on this;
and there are many men-pious. Christian, Tor
giving, Bible loving. at all other times. Who at
the mention Of peace with the South, will turn
up their noses and snnf the very air for more
blood. Destruction. determination, damnauOn
are al the words they have for The rebels.
Let us say a word here. They tell US. JEFF
Davis has declared for Independence, and he
will have that or determination; there IL no
neacs bu, in the subjugation OF the South
Possibly il il so; but il would be better TO let
Jeff. Davis say il in some official form. We
don't want to- decide such "a question, invOlr-
ing immense property and the lives and haPpi-
ness Of thousands Of people. upon a newspaper
report. or upon the say-so Of some straSgier
from Richmond, some intelligent deserter, or
some reliable contraband.
When he proposes TO speak to Us directly. as
he did through Alexander II. Stevens Vice
President of the Confederate States. or through
messengers claiming some authority, why not
give them audience? Why not let them speak?
Why after we have slammed the door in their
faces without listening To a word, turn round and
say. "they will make no peace that is honorable
to us?" For one, We don't believe a word OF IL;
and you have given Us no evidence OF il. Sup
pose YOU quote jeff Davis words, still it would
not convince Us any more than Ar. Lincoln's
words, that be will receive no propositions for
peace without an abandonment Of slavery. con
vinces us that this Is the only ground on which
the North will settle We know better. and We
have Just a. good reason for opinion Mr..
Lincoln or anybody else.
The North is TO day willing and DESTROYS TO
settle upon other terms, and Mr.. Lincoln IN this
does not represent the loyal States; and ii favor
able propositions are offered the people and Mr..
Lincoln adheres TO his letter, ITO whom it may
concern" we shall see in November whether
| that is the opinion Of the Northern States or
not so we believe AZ the South, propositions
| for peace being made there. and JEFF Davis adj
herring to the utimatum of Independence. he
would End himself oyerthroEn by counter re
bellion But the Richmond Sentinel, understood
to be the organ Of the Davis Government, does
not indicate that he would hold to that. Here
are his words:
I'VE OF the South consider independence "a
the great object of the war, and that separation
is essential Independence; yet we shall be will
ling 10 listen to the other side The Sentinel
says further: "You may offer something that
will secure our equal rights within the Union.
We don't say it satisfy u.s. but the subject is
worthy of consideration" This is going as far.
for opening negotiations, as any body could ex
pect them to 60, and this is as official any tbing
we have.
For ourselves we have never had taste for
war, and least of all for civil WARRIOR war with
our own kith and kin, with those TO whom we
are brothers, for whom We should return only
love If war came it apparent that il must
end in compromise, which could be made better
before war than after il, or in subjugation; ard
the subugaton of Que third of these States
would be the abolition Of republican government
in the whole of them This il to clear TO need
an argument. Therefore preferred original
ly the Douglas platform, which. strictly adhered
to, would have removed all conflict between the
free and slave States Afterwards We favored
the Crittenden compromises. not doubling all the
time that the Administration would admit Of
some compromise before the war should come
When war did come our plan would have been
to do as we did in Mexico, send Commissioners
of Peace with the army, TO offer termination of
this ruinous strife with every battle; and con-
stantly we have hoped that Richmond might be
captured not that it would make materially
stronger, or the rebels greatly weaker-fOr We do
not think it will have that effect-but that il
would open the way To an armstlce, to be fol-
lowed BY peace; and so remain to-day de
string peace and union above anything else earth
". When the people-such a nation. the hope
OF freedom and of man every where-are suffer
ing; when households impoverished-men
women and children by thousands made home
less wanderers and threatened with starvation:
when hetacombs of lives have been sacrificed,
and there is a corpse in every dwelling, and fu
neral procession at every doorway when Liberty
and u MON are in greater peril than ever; if there
be chance for peace and reconciliation, be il
ever so small we deem il the duty Of the gov
eminent and of every individual to give that sub
iect fair consideration. IL does not matter
which side il comes from, or through what
chsnnels;.if peace can be had on fair terms. it
is nothing but the grossest corruption and the
most british depravity that will prevent its con-
summation.
We do not fear that any party in the North
will accept of terms that do not include the
Union There may be a very few men in each
political party and we would not say where the
most Numerous. who would favor disunion; but
they few to have power inhu-
ence All would see that settlement by d.
vision would be but the beginning of greater
troubles and absolute destruction of the party
that sugg sstei permitted it. What We want
to reach now is State where the North and
the South will consider and discuss the mat
tiers at issue. and if possible return to the old
Union: or If not. make such amendments as
the necessities of the require. To that
We must come at last, as Mr.. Lincoln said in
his inaugural, and might as we'll come to
it TO day. without further waste of bloodshed
Is at any time; and whenever do reach that
condition have no fears for the final result
We shall all return to our first love- and so
much wiser and better tina, we shall no more
hear of rebellion while one person who has
seen this lives 10 tell the horrid story.