Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-08-19
from Hnrper,s weekly.
AP.ao. AdminIotratIon.


give us peace. Let US look a moment and
see why this is. ...
If the peace party should come into pow
er the leaders must at once take some
practical steps to secure the object for
which they had been elected. They must,
of course first of all, proclaim cessation of
hostilities, and proceed to negotiate with
the rebel chiefs. Now there are but three
conceivable solutions of the question out
side of war. Either the peace administra-
ton and the rebels must aRreee to con-
yention by whose decision they will abide;
or theyEmust of themselves arrange some
terms Of reconstruction, or they must
consent to some kind of separation. The
peace party, if it obtains power must adopt
some one of there thrse measures.
The first of them, a convention, except for
the express purpose of arranging the terms
of dissolution, is plainly impracticable.-
For the rebels would of course refuse to
abide by any deliberations which might
result in declaring the indissolubllity of
the Union. Why should they not, when
the very fact of our offering convention
would show that We were irresolute and
tired2 If we agreed that the convention
should virtually let them have their way,
the rebels would naturally accept it. But
upon any other conditions does any reason
able man suppose they would accept the
action of a conVention2 Would not the
very fact that the peace party had come
into power prove to rebels that they were
already substantially successful, and pre-
vent their putting that success in peril2
The election of peace candidates would be
an advertisement that the people were
| ready to stop the war, snd that is done
always upon terms dictated to and not by
the party that asks for peace.
But if the peace administration should
undertake to arrange reconstruction we
know already the conditions Thep would
be substantially such terms as the rebels
might propose. The Constitution would
be vitality changed 80 as to secure the as
tendency in the government of the influ-
euce known as "the South" The grounds
of the action would be that slavery is
best for the negro, and that the produc-
tious Of the South are the most important
and valuable to the country.
If, however, there should be any ineradi
cable suspicion or conviction upon the
part of rebels that their safety lay in total
separation, our peace administration must
devise some method of securing dissolu-
/ ton of the Union. How can that be done?
1t is very easy cry, "Let them go, and
have peace" But how are they to GOT
The very first practical point is the settle
ment of line. Where shall it be! There
is no natural bouudary-no river or desert
or lake or mountain range-between the
rebel section and the rest of the country.
1t must then be an arbitrary line. But up
on what principle shall it be determined
Obviously by the slave system. The re-
bellion is to save slavery. When it is VIC
torious it will properly claim all the Slave
States. 1t must have Maryland, Kentucky,
and Missouri, equally with Georgia and
Alabama Shall they be set off to the
new Confederacy by the peace administra-
tion2 If they are, the Union citizens of
those States are abandoned more shame
fully than ever men were before, and they
will certainly refuse to submit. If they
are not set off, the question must be left
to the popular vote. But could 1t be so
left, with such tremendous issues pending,
without civil war and anarchy in those
States?
Or let US suppose that such Border
States asseuted to the separation-then
whst2 Then the adjoining Free States at
once border upon victorious foreign slave
empire which has proved it's power to de-
stroy the nation OF which those States
were parts. The inevitable consequence
would be that the question would be forced
upon every such State whether it would
try to form such an alliance with the other
States of the late Union, or join it's for
tunes to the triumphant COnfederacy. This
question would develop at once two embit.
tered parties; nor is there any possibility
whatever that it could be peaoeably deter
mined.
For it must be borne in mind that the
Union is no stronger than its weakest link.
When it is broken any where it falls every
where. The bond that holds Vermont to
New York is precisely the same as that
which connects New York WithISouth Car
olina When one State or ten States by
force of farms compel the united govern
ment to consent to their withdrawal, the
united go verhment must thencefortA allow
the secession of any other State atWill, and
becomes consequently of the exact weight
of a single state. This WAS ell practically
proved eighty years ago under the COnfed-
GRAFTON. Now as the Union is really an in
stinct among the people of the States-for
they are truly q nation-immediately upon
the dissolution Of the present Union by
any stronger Union of some of its States,
the remainder would instantly graVitate
toward that. But they could join it only
upon such terms as it;proposed, and those
terms would certainly be so vitality repug-
hant to an immenae party in each OF those
States as to lead once more to war and
chaos. L.-.-. --E..
II, therefore, the most Obsequious peace
party were brought at once into power it
Is impossible to conceive any policy which
tbey could adopt that would avoid war.
Their, most hatteriRg promises must fail.
They could save neither bloodInor money,
while they would transfer the seat of war