American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-24
The Butler Herald and the New
York Obseryer.

1t is painful to notice the aCiJm perver-
sion of truth so often brought out in the
Butler Herald In the last weeks issue
the Herald, under the caption, "Let us
have Peace" cries out Justify for peace.
He mentions no terms, but the drift of
his article would lead us to suppose that
we should make peace on any terms rath-
er than fail He quotes from various pa
pers, and among the rest from the New
York Observer, to show that that inhuen-
tial Journal is willing to sacrifice all for
peace. In so doing the editor krew that
he was misrepresenting. In tie same ar
tic5e in the OJSeryer, from which the Her
ayd makes his extract, he could not fail
to see that the Observer urges to cigor-
ous prosecution Of the aear, till the rebels
are willing to come back This has all
along been the position of the Observer.
Listen to what tho Observer Of last week
says:
The religious papers Of England ex-
press surprise that the Christian people
of America do not speak out for peace.
We answer, they do: they cry aloud for
peace but they desire permanent, safe
and righteous peace, and they know that
such peace cannot be had without Union:
our country is one, and it must be one
forever, or we shall never live in peace.
That is the American theory, and there
is not loyal man in the country who
does not feel the truth of this theory with
greater or less intensity.
The South is fighting for separation
from the North, for the destruction of the
Union and the establishment of an
independent government with domestic
slavery as its system Of labor. They do
not desire peace without the recognition
of their independence as rival, antago-
nistic, slaveholding government. Wher-
ever the boundary line between us and
them is drawn. we must have rivers, seas,
roads, clim& products and interests
more or less in common, and of conse-
quence constantly tending to bring US
into collision. We therefore, as Chris
tian people, in studying the things that
make for peace, seek for such basis as
gives us some reasonable ground of hope
that it will be durable. Only the shor-
test-sighted could expect permanent
peace without Union.
1t is on this ground that we have from
the first hour that the South rose in arms
against the common Government, insis-
ted upon breaking down the military
power of the rebellion as the first step
towards permanent peace. So long as
we are unable to overthrow the armies of
the South, we can not expect them to re-
turn to their allegiance. They counted
the cost, as fully as we did, when the war
began. They did not expect to destroy
the Union in day ora year. And while
they are able to hurl back successive ar
mics that march upon their capital, it is
idle to expect them to lay down their
arms, and take the penalties of an abor-
tive rebellion. Therefore, the military
arm of the South must be stricken down.
if there is power in the people of the
United States to strike it down"
Such are the sentiments of the New
York Observer; and it is false to repre-
sent it as wanting peace on any but righ-
teous terms, We all want peace. We
would sacrifice every thing for it but our
country and right. The Peace Party can
not be more anxious than we for the hour
to come, when war shall give place to
peace. But it is easier to cry "peace,
peace" than to go forth and defend the
rights OF the country that protected us.
Yet how many editors and others, throw
their influence against the raising of
snnicinnt nrnn,r 70 ;rn,,ro r.aao.2