Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-02-23

against the Government; and wa ignore
all party names, lines and issues, and rccog.
but two parties in this war-patriots and
traitors."'
The matiya IF sush strange conduct Is oo.
viona. The Republican party was founded TO
destroy slavery and tho equality 81 the States,
and Lincoln was selected AZ the Instrument to
accomplish this object. The Union Was q bar
rier to the contamination Of TIL, policy, be-
CAUSE tho Constitution, which waa its bond,
recognized and protected slavery and the soT-
ereienty Of ths States. The Union mIst. there
fore, be sacrificed, and to ensure its dcst:uc'
ton, war was determined Oh.
The mass Of the Northern people we're rot
privy to, and sympathizcd in no such de-
sign. They loved the Union and wished to
preserve it.. To rally the people TO the sup,
mort Of the war, its object was proclaimed
to bc "a restcration OF the C!ilcn," rs IT
that which implied voluntary assent, OF
which agreement was TN indispensable ele'
ment and condition, could be preserved by
coercion. Il is absurd to pretend that " Coy"
ern,oent, really DESTROYS Of restoring the
Union, would adar. sush measures "a the
eonfscstion Of private property, the em:h-
~cipe.ion Of siares, sys:emailc ehortS ID m
vito them to insurrnction. fOrciblc abduction
from their ho,nes and compulsory enlistment
in the army, the division of a severe IN
State without its consent, and Il IFrc!aria-
ton that ono tenth of the population Oh q
STATE, and that tenth under military rule,
should control the will Of the remaining
nine-tenths. The only relation possible be-
tween tho two sections, under such G policy,
is that Of sonqusror and conquered, superior
and dependent. Rest as 'urrd, f.lloS'ell5ens,
tba, although restoration may still b. usei as
A yar ervhy the Northern GaTcrnr1ant. itls
oalv TO dc,udo and hetTay. Fanarc'Sn hAs
summoned to it's mid c~u;ility and vengcil o.;
and nothing short o? your uttrc ~sa'l"sl'ion'
the desaus lou Of youc STATE G~3gornniei;tA 1re
overthrow Of your social aud pol'!i'ai la"Tic'
your personal ard public degradation andru'n'
will satisfy the demands OF the North. CAn
thore b. a mas 81, vile, 40 dcha1ci, - uawoT-
thy Of liberty as 20 accept peac' On Sni' ha-
initiating terms?
Il would hardly be fair 70 assert that AL the
Narthern people partieie; pate III these d'.ltn:.
On tho contrary, there exis ) apoWcrin pJ..'l'
cal party, which opeu}y condemns them. The
administrator has, however, been a1!e tnus
far. by its anorm 1us patronage and lis lavish
expenditures, to seduce, or By ire L.gions ct
"Hessian" mercennries to o7eraH's the masses,
! +, control the elections. and t. establish an
! arbitrary despotism. 1t cannot he possible
that this : ate Of things can contidu@. The
peorlc Of the United States, accustomed t.
| freedom, cannot consent 70 be ruined aud en-
| shaved. in order to ruin and ~crs?ave us. Mara!.
like physical epidemics, have their allotted
noriods. and must; sOone? or later, he ex-
ILansted and disappear, When reason returns
! eur enemies will probably reflect, rlat = pco-
| ole, like ours, wh1 have exhibited suca capA-
bilities, and cxtamporized such resources, can
never be subdusd ; that = vast expansc of ter
ritory, with such q population cannot:bc CIV
crned a. an obcdient colony. Victory wonld
nos be conquest. The inextinguishahle quar-.
rel would he transmitted "from bleeding giro
to son," and the struggle would be renewed
between generations yet unborn. tn impov-
erish US would only be to dry up some OF the
springs Of Northern prospecity-to destroy
Southern wealth is to reduce Northern profits,
while the restoration of peace would necessa-
rily re. establish some commercial intercourse.
1t may not bs amiss in this co'lneXion,
to say, that at ono time it was the WISH and
expectation Of many at the SJnth, to i!rm 4
treaty of amity and friendship with the
Northern States, by which both peoples might
derive the benefits Of commercial intercourse
aud move on side by side, in the arts Oh peace
and civilization. History has confirmed the
lesson taught by Divine authority, that each
nation. as we'll as each individual, should seek
their happiness in the prosperity of others,
and not in the injury or ruin OF a neighoor
Tho general welfare of all is the highest dc
tate Of moral duty and economic policy, while
q heritage Of triumphant wrong is the greatest
curse that can betall q nation.
Until some evidence is given Of n change Of
Motley 90 the part Of tho government and
solnc assurance is received that etfjrs7 at ne
collation. will not DO .%spurned, the Congress
are of opinion that any direct cvertures for
peace would compromise our sclf-respect, be
| fruitless of good, and Interpreted by the ene.
nv as an Indication Of weakness. We can
only reneat the desire of the people for peace,
and our readiness to accep. terms consistent
with the honor and integrity and indcpsnd,
cnce Of the States, and compatible with the
safety of our domestic institutions.
Not content with rejecting al proposals :or
a peaceful settlement Of the controversy, a
cruel war Of invasion was commenced, Which,
in its progress. has been marked by q brutal
" and disregard of the rules of civilized war
fare, as stand out in unczempled harbariiy III
| the history Of modern wars. Accompanied
by every oct of cruelty and rarinr, The can
duet of the enemy has hnAn destitute ot
that forbearanoe and magnenimity, which
civilization and Christianity have intro
luced to mitigate the asperit!es o. w!r.-
The atrocities arc too Incredible for nara
| zion. Instead Of q regular war, our resistance
uf the unholy efforts 10 crush out our national
existence is treated a. a rebellion, and tee set
tied international rules between bei!:.-erents
are ignored. Instead Of conducting The IN:
az betwix' two military and political orIani%a'
.ions, it ia a war against the whole poou:afi n.
Houses arc ~pillacei and burned. Calrche7
arc dcfaced. Towns are ransacked. C!otaine
Of women and infants is stripped from the!
persons. Jewclry ard menlsntocs OF ;aG dec
are stolen. Mills and implements ri "ericH!'
ture are destroyed. priTate salt-w0rk' a."
broken no. The introduction OF mcdlol"cs Is
forbidden. Means Of subsistence are wanr2n'
IL wasted to produce bsSgary. Prisoners are
returned with contagious diseases. Tho las:
morsel of food has been taken from fan.
lilies, who were not allowed to carry on o
trade or branch Of industry. a rigid and
offensive espionage has been introduced 70
ferret out '~'disloyalty." Persons have hoen
forced to choose between starvation of help
| less children and taking the oath Of allegiance
TO a hated Government. The cartel for ex-
change of prisoners has heen suspended and
our unfortunate soldiers subjected TO the gTus-
aest indignities. The wounded at Gettysburg
we're deprived of their nurses and inhpmanly
left to perish on the field. Helpless women
havo boon. exposed to the most cruel ortrages
and to that dishonor which is infinitely worse
than death. Citizens have been murdered by
the Buffers ard McNeils and Milroys, who
arc favorite generals of our enemies. Refncd
and delicate ladies have. been seized, bound
with oords, imprisoned, guarded by negroes,
and held as hostages for the return Of re-cap-
| tuted slaves. Unofending no~n-comtatants
have been banished or dragged from their
quiet homes to be immured in filthy jailS.
Preaching the gospel has been refused except
49,. - - - A. 18Th ~ nIlx-,n0.n