The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-08-31
NO. 13.
JFron. the New York News.
Letter, from H0ii. ThorAah r.
HARTFORD, Aug. 4, 1861

n -
seymour.
.oJbss HARTFORD, Aug. a, 1861
LINDSEY SPRING, Esq: iix
Ny Dear Sir: I atn greatly obliged
for your invitation to the 1fast; day" peaes
sefticcs our friends will hold At the CeSpz
er Institute this evening, shd regret thtA
I nm unable to attend the same. IHxs
in New York the day your letter was wit
ten, and only received il at TOO late ah
hour on my arrival home, TO make ID ooa.
veuient for me to. revisit your city. Being
obliged to decline the intended ho1oy,
shorld do injustice TO my feelings If !
were Jet your inyitatien pass vithent
further reriy. / beg TO; Gay, therefore.
that the account you have given hel5k
what is to be the character Of Che abbFS
meeting, and the exercises that are: to sig.
nalize its proceedings, presentsthe STRONG
est inducements for me TO attend, Il N
my power to do SO, that &C lid possihlylbe
offered. The fact that il is 70 be in thG
nature of homage to great truths, IN
stead Of sacrifice on any mere huisaa
altars, is sufficient to make It attrsctive
beyond measure, and consequently an eAs
ample for others to "do likewise, No
to the excellent proclamation Of your
worthy Mayor, than your programme for
the occasion, and let me add, the hopsoiti
inspires that the banner which is 10 be-
presented, in, the course Of the eSenihRf
may become pledge of the speedy tri-
umph of peace principles. In such
consummation, $50 devoutly 10 be M;sb4
edy, the priests of Moloeh will SEQ theif
vocation ended. & - ns5i,iIg 1t Sd
Permit me to rsmark that there Is bus
one conclusion can be drawn from the,
case, as presented in your agreeable let:
ter, and that is the absolute necessity 'ef
the popular party for a final lasting paaceS
the sentiment itself, being as much .aboys,
the barbarous one of "war to the knife"
as the skies are above the deadly shafts
of the clouds, or good is removed from
evil | assume, that Peace men, who
would save the lives oftheir countfymen,
on both sides, are opposed to further pres.
ecuiion of the war, under any citcIa:.
stances short of downright self-defenee.r
If compelled to meet and repel q foreign
power, bad as war Is in all its aspects.
they also might learn to bear the inAie-
ton, and submit to tho seoHrge for the
sake Of the flag, but not otherwise. An
ar-nistice, for which we have sometimes,
contended, and still cofitend, may be very
well, but nothing better than "change
of base'' ora "fank movement" unieSs
used for disarming the passions and pre-
pairing the way for that better condisien,
of things, when we may stbring ear kiftA
to the altar" =.
1t is unnecessary should discuss The
origin of the war in addressing myself "
one who, like yourself, SIR. has made itso
study. Whichever side is TO blame, OF if
you insist, or anybody else should insists,
in putting the blame entirely on The
South, nothing shall deter me from say
and Government proclamations, hayci JUS
tilted that resistance on their part which
we have seen spring from the great iaw Of,
self preservation-that law which an III.
wise Being has implanted in every human
breast. 1t il danger to the family, it'd
wives, and children, ard sacred homes
among those. who are called our euemIcs,
that, has aroused in their ranks powers Of
resistance which no mortal weapons can.
overcome, nor bursting mines intimidate
Or appal. Let us thank God that it b 60,
slough lovers of peace and copcordJ Tor,
10 the lesson the South has taught us In,
this matter, We may read the safety Of our,
,wn fresides, should foes from abroad as
sail us, or pitiless usurpation at home,
provoke retaliation for its crimes against
reason and humanity. And this instinct
IF self,preservatioD, of which I have dis,
is in the higher order of intellf-
,cnce, the parent also of selfgovernmept,
be gift of rebellion against the mother
All beyond this is painful sub;
ugation, or horrible war against man,
lind. ,..,.
There is a hope INDUCED in by nasy,
may mention in conclusion, which ia,
hat we may soon have a change Of rulers,
But this change, to be worth, anything
must be radical-by which mean tfs
'ery opposite of war. In that hope only
To- | see any chance for the future usion,
nd prosperity of our country. Giye ds
he blessed peace for which you are
which your presentation flag
$ to be symbolized; and that gift. frcnl.
airy hands, will not be less powerful for,
rood than the Heayen-descendcd banner
f Constantinei ,4,
Accept, dear Sir, my hearty wishes for,
he success of your Peace meeting to-
light; and believe me to be yours, very
ruly. in the faith, ~ r.. =,
THOS. II. SEYMOUR.