The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-07-08
ROBT. MILLER,
WM. LAII1ioN,
~
Noun VERNON, O., June Il.


GENTLEMEN: Your note is before me, and
with pleasure | comply with your request
There is always danger of civil war among q
free people, and DO not believe th;,; mere force
edR restore peace, or preserve the Union. In
my humble judgment, wisdom and patriotism
alike demand an armisIice; and | believe that
a cessation Of hostiities would resni: in an hon
a''aRRiif Ri anl happy pas;l,reed susnansor of ~
tlhiIes between UengrIyns, Co.. a,,,seIfIed time
and for given purpose. In wars between civ
ilized nations an aruistice always precedes peace
though sometimes Tesorted to for other purpo-
ses None but barbarian powers pursue hos
tlhtieS TO determination, and exterminatior OF
complete exhaustion Of both contending parties
would be the necessary result in all wars. did
not the opposing parties agree TO suspend hos
tlitles So that the question in dispute MT ght be
submitted TO The arbitrament of reason, after
brute force had failed
Durlng an armlstlce the hostile armies main
taintheir respective positions, anu If terms of
adjustment are not agreed upon, hostlities can
be ecommenced. But as a general and almost
nvTlable rude, an armstice is followed by peace.
Ihl proposition for an armis;ice generally comes
trtn the victor, and thus, after the battle of
Sderlno, gained by the French, the emperor
NPoleon proposed an armistice to Francis Jo-
sch OF Austria, and peace was the result
| Without magnanlmity there can be no real
glfltness, and the absence of it is the certain
eulence of tie want Of proper self-respect.-
! lie cause of the Union has been nobly vindi-
| cted on more than hundred batlIe-felds, and
| s deeds OF soldiers have reflected imrnor-
| Il glory upon our arms. But our enemy has
len equally brave; and, although we hate Sc
| @sion, we accord an honest admiration for the
| ToiSm which has half redeemed a mistaken
| ,use
| TIhe world has never seen such battles, either
| point OF numbers or dauntiess intrepidtv.-
fe have sent to the field more than two mil
ions OF men, and nearly, it not full. one half
them have gone down to their graves. More
ban one-tenth OF the entire population of the
9yal states have been actual combatants in this
var Whole regions Of country have been
nade desolate; the busy hum of workshops has
zen hushed, as if palsied by eternal death
he pow has been lett in the middle of the fur.
ow, and the father, the husband and the son
iave alike gone out to battle. And yet naught, I
ibsolutey naught has been gained toward the
restoration OF that grand and noble Union form
ID 10y our fathers. / say, then, for a time let
he torrent OF blood be stayed, let the olive |
ranch supplant the sword, and heaven-born
eason take the place of force Victory has
rowned Our banners on unnumbered fields, and
will add lustre 10 our arms
Say to our counlrymen of the South "Let
IS reason together. Your homes are draped in
1ourning, and 50 are ours. Many Of your no.
lest SONS have perished on the field of battle,
nd such, alas, is the case with US. We are
and We have been friends and even
ow, amid the red storm 9f battle, we are proud
each others deeds. We honor the name Of
zee, Sidney johnson, and of jackson; and YOU
'spect those of Mcclellan, Of Grant, and of
edgwiek. Let us talk together and call back
e sacred memories Of the past Washington
as yonrs and ours, and Franklin and Madi-
N sat side by side in the convention which
AIMED the great Constitution.
Reason is the attribute of the gods-carnags 9
the festival of fiends. Then let us assemble ,
ound the council fire, and for once initiate our {
Others of the forest and smoke tho calumet $
peace. .
In word, Let the result at Richmond be what {
may, Let us declare in favor Of an armistice I