Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-08-31
salSs ssLH EOaya .aa aosfa.
oprsro. o. 4 LIsooLu ORGAN.
The following from the Philadelphia Pre-" shors the

The following from the Philadelphia Pre-" sho1s tne
temper of the Lincoln organs on the peace question
Undoubtedly the peace question has assumed para-
mount importance in both sscons OF the country ana
In the desire for is estidactory adjustment a. least
upon other point, the national eenunen' 10 un"ee.
Tbe burden of var has borne too heavily upon North
and south not to make each belgeren auxious Tor the
da wing of the day when hostilies shall cease and
battle zelda forever made historic, may once more
smile bene the hand OF tisge. However, 30 Tar as
the North concerned thereba been no sudden IeVu
sion OF sentiment upon this question. Ali loyal men
TO-DAY stand upon The same ground upon which boy
wers united when the ig was first fred on a. sumter
They demand to-day they demanded then, thar the
naiionsl authority shall be acknowledged througnont
the ergth and breadth of the land and that the Ma
tona Union shall be preserved in its more
and no lese Upcn this position will they maintain
to the end aud they may do SO with perfect
consistency while alouI for the restoration OF peace
fu relations Nay, they cannot ss sincere supporters
OF he Uoon cause, consisenty refuse to give heed 70
the principle. that as thtrs can De no pace
without Union so Deitter thtre be Ualon wtiort
peace. Toe terms peace and Unon ere, 10 fac' con-
vertible and may to correctly employed as synonyms
for each other Il eeeus clear, then that theie Gas
been ablndcnment OF principl DO radical cnapge
Of views on the part Of tbs friends OF the
since the war began.
What then. it may be asked, Is tho meaning OF the
peace talk, which just new occupies so prominent
share of most influential jurnals Ana nov IL
that the subject be discussed with so muoh
nov than nj any previous etsgs OF Inc
war; when h military situation 90 ,tlerDg, an the
end of the rebellion instead of being ueDulous Prob
ability, has become tangbl, resuly Toe answer vii
be appar, Mt ss the question IL pertinent In tie n'si
pace, the egotiatons at Nsgars Falls and the ensu
ing correspondence had tendency TO lead the Pnpur
IN nd to q calmor and somewhat more pacific mood aud
naturally awakened the q ilry whether II you'd %
possible to terminate satisfactorily asrugsls the sat
isfsc.ory adjustment of which the enemy can never
here 10 accomplish BY the sword In the tecond place
the irresponsible bus not Insignificant visit o Mr. j Il
Gilmore aud freni to the reos capital about the came
time ard their mysterious in erview with MI JeHs GOD
DG ais concern log which the public were only permitted to
know mat the prominent thine OF conversation vas
peace, bad likewise most a ked influence upon the
tone OF rubdc sentiment; although The chardefe Oh
that sen inen!, as we hsv, rad, has undergone no
percepoie change. In the third place We lind another
circumstances OF ke tendency in tbs near approach oil
the Presidential canvass In which is morally certain
that one of the autagoustc parties will stand upon IN
uncop dtonsl peace platform; and lastly the maohina
tons OF certain schsming peace politicians, In t5er
public speeches. ard newspaper ans, while serving
90 put tie iriend of the ZION upon their guard. have
At tue ssme time iDtens the fire they eau o. but
feel 10 the Union again restored 70 ts prs lie
spli ndor and greatness.
These facts are su6iysnt TO open the eyes Of The
bliudsst to the lrua status of public opinion upon tbs
psace question aud ought 10 sssuce the oat sntheared
adbereots Of the Union that in spi OF partisan malice
and Misrepresentation, their cause has never found
more firm and u compromising advocacy thai now.
Bat We are justified IN ntsrring from the conoiaIofy
temper of our Chief Mgistrsts tina. the pso hoatcn OF
the country ma, reachs thro CD hogorS Bile course
The ans ser his question must depsnd upon the rebe
leaders, Ii they choose they could inaugurst peace
a, promptly ss they insugura,ed war. They were the
st TO draw tie sword, ard when counted that they
shall DO the FIRST to sheath it, cannot be charg with
panc!iliousnsss upon mere N NOR point Of diplomatic
stu iete but are simply sci CLING that the dignity oil
the national authority shall be maintained In matter
vheIe TO DO ss than maintain it, would be to ackaow.
ledge the supremacy OF the "CJnfederacy" Tne sug-
2 ion made by the New York Herald Daily
NsYs, atd other journals of this olass, in fsver
o. The President appointing "a special commits
. on to Richmond from Washington, in behalf Of
40 armistice aud convention of al! the Safes to
ider the ways and means of peace" is entitled no
consideration Whatever. What might be the result If
an srmistioe we're asked for by the rebel esders IL il
not easy 10 say csnnot be sought by the NORTH
because. a. tie New York Times tuthfully Observes
sit would serve precisely the same purpose for Lee
a formidable line Of intrenctm5nts, and still better
one Tor II would entsi fsu hs men. Ii would
keep General Sherman inactive, with the expenses Of The
war on which the Rishmood press relies 10 ruin us,
still running on, with half million OF men still with
he Id from productive labor, and with the Oonfsderacy
still in existence and because in existence 81 II triuu-
plant bs.le won could not give Lee more than THE
Tor hs docs not seek the cor quss. OF the NJrsh.'