Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-07
pEAcE IN AMERICA.

The following document il being extensive
Is circulated throughout Gr'as Britain and
ireland:
Tie People Of the United Kingdom Of Great
B,ita,n and Helund. to the People Of The
Catsd States, Greeting:
Wea.e Of the same race, and many Of you
are cur brothers. Can we not, therefore, come
20 you ss peace makers, aud address you as
friends We would ask you, Has there not
heen ofetrife and bloodshed, ard misery and
suffering eaough2 and is it not time to cease
the cruel war in which you are engaged? We
believe there is net q Christian manor woman
amongst Id whose heart docs not rospond
nfirma,irel3 to this question. With this con-
v!c,ion We wish 10 sprak to you as plain men,
using rlain language. We have admired your
! rieo institutions, ard Eave gladly witnessed
your rise M people ~ emineroe in wealth
and political power. You ars Of the SazHn
blood. and we hoped that you would make the
New World renowned fur ,rua greatness
Ynu promised 10 become one mighty people
and great nation, famed for tho liberties Of
;ts citiz,re, the triumrLs Of peace, aud the
ooroue.,s of its commerce. We felt that you
were doing homer to the Mother Country
When, therefore, thi, unfit tunate war began,
our hearts wero more inclined towards you
than tow ards. your sister States, because We
believed with you that the action CT the
South was bat the work Of faction. The
events of the struggle, however, have convirc
ed us that more united people than those Of
the Southern States mex er rose up in defence
of their rights. :.
When YOU asserted that secession vas the
work Ct disappointed ambition, and promised
10 que!l it witoin sixty days, We accepted
your mas urances in coed faith, and looked for
the speedy restoration Of peace. We did not
wieh to sce ths American Union broken up.
Bot 70 far from this promise being fulfil cd,
land your efforts to accomplish it have en-
great. peace apd tbs restoration Of the Union
are apparently moro remote than ever. Surely
there must DO many now among you who
share with us the convio ion T. a. ii is utterly
imncssible t, suhdue the South, or t, restore
the Amsrio Union, IS 1t was in the pest
DAYS Of the Republic. You have tried suff-
ciently, and found the gulf between you and
the seeded States to widen with the effort that
Is made to subdue them. Is it net time. then,
to pause, and, aft calmly reviewing all toat
you have accom- plishea, tho distance which
you have travelled from your well-kr o~n land
marks, and the difficulties aud dangers that
are yet hsforc you-is it net time, We AK. that
you should take counsel together a. to the best
meaus of restoring peace? We canntt forget
thet tho question Of peace or war was never
submitted to you fr your serious oonsidera-
ton before hostiliiiesha had actually commenced;
that they came upon you little by little; and
that both Govern mont aud people found them-
selves plunged into this fearful contest almcst
unawares; nor have you al yet had an oppor-
tuuisy of consulting together in general Con.
veption for the purpose OF making known your
opinions ard wishes about tho war CT any of
the vast issues growing out Of it.
The war has changed (for tho present 81
lesstl tho oharaot,,r Of your Governmsnt.--