Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1864-03-01

| powerful navy; the nucleus Of an army
credit abroad, and iilimitabe facilities in me-
chanical aud manufacturing power, placed them
on the vantage ground.V In our infancy, we
were without seaman or soldier, without re-
venue. without gold aud silver, without a
recognized place in the family Of nations, with
out foreign credit, with the preiudices of the
/ world against US. While we were without man
ufacturing facilities to supply our wants, our
ports were blockaded we had to grapple with
a giant adversary, defend 1000 miles of seacoas
and an inland frontier ct equal extent. Ii we
had succeeded in preventing any successes or
the part Of our enemy, it would have been
! miracle. What we have accomplished, with
| population so inferior in numbers, and means sc
vastly disproportionate, has excited the aston
| ishment and admiration of the world.
| The war in which we are engaged was wick
edly, and against all our protests, and the most
earnest efforts to the contrary, forced upon Us
South Carolina sent commission to Washing
ton to adjust ell questions of dispute between
her and the Unlted States. One of the first acts
! of the Provisional Government was 10 accredi
| agents TO visit Washn gtCr, and use all honoras
! BILE means to obtain satisfactory settlement ol
all questions of dispute with that Government
| Both efforts failed Commissioners were decei-
we'd and rejected, and clandestine but vigorous
preparations were made for war. In propor-
ton to our perseverance and anxiety have been
the obstinacy and arrogance in spurning offers OF
peace. 1t seems we can be indebted for moth
ing to the virtues Of our enemy. We are oblig-
ged to his vices. which have ennred to our
strength. We owe as much to his insolence and
blindness as to our precautlon.
The wager of battle having been rendered, it
was accented. The alacrity with which our
people flaw to arms is worthy of all praise.
Their deeds of heroic daring, patient endurance,
ready submission to discipline, and numerous
victories, in keeping with the fervent patri-
otsm that prompted their early volunteering.
Quite recently, scores of regiments havere-nist-
ed for the war; testifying their determination to
fight until their liberties are achieved. Cou-
pied with and contributing greatly to this en-
thusiastic ardor, was the lofty courage, the in
domitable resolve, the self-denying spirit of our
noble women, who, by their labors of love,
their patience of hope, their untiinching con-
stancy, their accomplishing submission to pri~
vations of the war, have shed an immortal lus"
tire upon their sex and county.
Our army is no hireling soldlery. 1t comes
not from paupers, criminals or emlgrants 1t
was originally raised by the free, unconstgain-
ed, unpurchaseable assent OF the men. ALI 20.
! cations ana eiassss contributed to the swelling
numbers. Abandoning Injuries and comforts
to which they had been accustomed, they SUBJ
mitted cheerfully to the scanty fare and exac-
tive service of the camps. Their services above
price, the only remuneration they have sought
is the protection of their altars, fresides and
liberty. In the Norwegian wars, the actors
were every one of them, named and patronym-
ically described as the Kings friend and CONS
panlon. The same wonderful individuality has
been seen in this war. Our soldiers are not a
consolidated mass, and unthinking machine, but
an army of intelligent units. To designate all
who have Distinguished themselves by special
valor, would be to enumerate nearly all in the
army. The generous rivalry between the troops
from different States has prevented any special
preseminence, and hereafter, for centuries to
come, the gallant bearing and unconquerable
devotion OF Confederate soldiers will inspire the
hearts, and encourage the hopes, and strengthen
the faith, of all who labor to obtain their free
dom.
For three years this cruel war has been wag-
ed AGAINST US. and its continuance has been siez-
ed upon as pretext by some discontented per-
sons to excite hostility to the Government.
Recent and public as have been the occurren-
ces it is strange that misapprehension exists as
to the conduct of the two G overnments in ref
erence to peace. Allusion has been made to the
unsuccessful efforts, when separation took place,
to procure an amicable adjustment of all mat
ters in dispute These attempts at negotiation
do not comprise all that has been done. In ev-
cry form in which expression could be given to
the sentiment-in public meetings, through the
press, by legislative resolves-the desire of this
people tor peace, for the uninterrupted enjoy
ment of their rights and prosperity, has been
made known. The President, more authorita-
lively, n several of his messages, while protes-
ting the utter absence of all desire to interfere
with the United States, or acquire any of their
territory has avowed that the advent of peace
will be hailed with joy. Our desire for it has
never been concealed. Our efforts to avoid the
war, forced on US as it was by the lust of con-
quest and the insane passions of our foes, are
known to mankind
The course of the Federal Government has
proved that it did not desire peace, and would
not consent to it on any terms that we could
possibly concede. In proof of this, we refer to
the repeated rejection of all terms of ooncilia-
ton and compromise, to their recent contempt-
uous refusal to receive the Vice President, who
was sent to negotiste for softening the asperi
ties OF war, and their soorntul rejection of the
otter OF a neutral Power to mediate between tie
contending pa1tie Ii cumulative evidence be
needed, it can be found in the following reso-
luton, recently adopted by the House of Rep
resentatives in Washington:
II Rssolved, That as our country and the very
e@.stence of the best Government eyer iasIitu-
ted by man are imperilled by the most cauSeless
and wicked rebellion that the World has seen,
uuu UCli0VIuS3 ud w - AOe GAdt VIC Ouit uOpS Cl
saving this country and preserving this Govern
ment is by the power of the sword, we are for
the most vigorous prosecution of the war until
the Constitution and the laws shall be enforced
and obeyed in all parts of the United States !;
and to that end we oppose any armistice, or in-
tervention, or mediation, or proposition for
peace, from any quarter, 80 long as there shall
be found rebel id arms against the Govern
ment and we ignore all party names, lines and
issues, and recognize but two parties In this Ess
patriots and traitors"
The motive of such strange conduct is obvious.
The Republican party was founded to des-
troy slavery and the equality of the States, and
Lincoln was selected as the instrument to ac-
compish this object. The Union was bar
rier to the consummaSon of this policy, because
the Constitution, which was its bond, recognize
ed and protected slavery and the sovereignty
of the States. The Union must, therefore, be
sacrificed, and to ensure its destruction, war
was determined on.
The mass of the Northern people were not
privy to and sympathized in no such design.
They loved the Union and wished to preserve
it. To rally the people to the support of the war,
its object was proclaimed to be ssa restoration
of the Union,n as if that which implied voun-
tary assent, of which agreement was an indis-
pensable element and condition, could be pre-
served by coercion, 1t is absurd to pretend
that Government, really desirous of restoring
the Union, would adopt such measures as the
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