Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-01-16

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in most instances, relieve them from the
consequences Of their folly and crime; peace
prosperity and plenty may come again
but they cannot expect the nation to rest ore
all they have destroyed, They cannot
reasonably ask that we should restore TO
vitality again the active agent of this re-.
belion. They cannot claim for the institu,
tion Of slavery any further privilege or i'm
munity than the people of the Northern
States may see proper to extend to il s
AS we approach the end of this contest
II is natural that portion of our people
should display some anxiety to anticipate
it, with plans aud propositions that, upon
superficial examination, may promise to
hasten its adjustment.
We want peace-the North as well as
the South; but We have not passed the
terrible ordeal of the last three years, to
make or accept peace under ony other
then honorable terms, or without the prom.
Use of permanent adjustment and endu
rance. We cannot negotiate with rebels
in arms, or admit Of anything from them
but unconditional surrender aud submission.
Much we can pardon TO the masses Of the
people, but the leaders must reap Of the
harvest they have sown. The past has its
punishments that may be mitigated or for.
given; but the future must have full and
ample security.
1t is simple folly to talk of suppressing
this Rebellion and restoring the unity of
the country without FIRST suljugating tie
military power Of the Confederacy, or re.
ieving the people Of the seeding States
from lis controlling inhuence-and in many
cases, oppression. 1t does not follow that
the destruction of the military power of the
South is the snbjugaton Of the people,
In many cases it will prove their enfran.
chisement. There is loyal sentiment and
poplaation in nearly, if not quite oil the
Southern States. Where too strong, or
too open in its manifestations, the military
power has essayed, by every possible means
TO keep it in subsection. Men holding and
expressing loyal sentiments, have been
kned, imprisoned. hunted into the forests
and mountains, and many of them suffered
death while their families have been i'm.
povershed and ruined. Political leaders
designing men, who had secretly plotted
the overthrow Of our government-led a
few-but actually forced a majority of the
Southern States into succession aud rebel
ion-and the military power now holds
them there.
Future history will record that, perhaps
with two exceptions, the ordnance of seces
sion would not have been carried in any of
the seeding States, if the people could
have been permitted fair, uncontrolled
election, by ballot, upon it. But they
were overwhelmed by fraud and force
aud then they were told, according TO the
improved theory Of State Rights, that
when ever a mojoriIy of State had resol
ved to commits treason, the minority were
bound not only 10 submit, but to share the
sin and shane. Those whom Argument
| failed 10 convince, the military despotiSm
has silenced, for the time being.
There has been a great dea! said about
the North seeking 10 suhjugate the South.
We have sought nothing of the kind The
political and military leaders Of this rebel
lion it is who have suhjugated the people
of the Southern States; trampled upon
their political rights, and involved them in
the crime of treason, with its accompani
ment OF civil war. The triumph of the
Northern armies, nd the restoration of
he old government, is, in truth, the de-
/ liverssee Of the people of The South; and
they will so hail it hereafter
There are but two ways in which the
restoration of peace and the Union is to be
accomplished first, the unconditional
surrender of the leaders and abandonment
of the rebeilion;- ;-or second, the continued
progress aud conquests Of our arms, until
the military power of the Confederacy is
broken, and the heart of the rebellion
crushed. All intermediate plans or schemes
are mere palliatives. that, like our com.
promises of the past fifty years, will only
serve to procrastinate existing evils; restor.
fulnesS and concessions, and prosperity that
will be dependant upon almost annual sa.
cri6ces to avoid future demands and nsur
rections. In view OF the permanence of
our government and the integrity of our
Union, there is no such thing as comprom.
ise with rebels in arms against both, -
Turn from it as we may, the great truth is
apparent to every reasoning mind, that
SUBMISSION or sUBJCGATIoN. for the leaders
of this rebellion, are The only effective
means of restoring peace and good govern
ment again.
The first of those is not likely to occur
in the present posture of affairs; nor as
long as hope, however blind or unreasona.
BILE, will serve to shield from despair, the
fortunes of the civil and military heads of
the rebellion. The second, therefore, cons.
ti,utes our only certain means of success.
In its progress to this end, our gallant army
has two fold mission to fulfil The first
is to press back, step by step, if necessary,
the military power of the Confederacy from
the usurped soil of the seeding States;
and eventually to fubdue that power, and
bring it to terms of peace. The second to
T develop the principle Of loyalty in the re-.
lieved people, and protect them in its exer.
else aud enjoyment while they restore the
civil functions of their State Governments.
and mite them again with their sister
States under the provisions Of the National
Constitution.
1t is objected, perhaps that the loyal
people Of the South are too few in numbers
TO assume, or be trusted with the powers
of the state Governments. A fair test will
} demonstrate this assumption to be unwar.