Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-01
LED the People speak.

RIcHLAND COUNTY, OHIO, July, 1854.
EDITORS or THE STATESMAN
Having examined thoroughly the-corz
respondence between Mr.. lincoln and the
southern Commissioners. c. &. Clay, j. b.
aolconlbe, Jacob Thompson aud q. N, SAN
iers. through Mr.. Greeley and Major Hay,
che Presidents Private Seeretary;and being
.,fully satisfedthat the propositions for peace
made by those Southern Representatives
would be acceptable to large minority, Of
;he1ieople Of this country; ;and being fully
convinced that they did not make those
propositions without authority Of or I, m
the authorities ofthe Southern Confederacy
1.-The propositions having nothing in them
that should be distasteful to any true lover
of the Union formed by Washington and
his compatriots-in accepting them there
would be no compromising any of the prin-
i'ciples Of our Nationality; and would, on
the other hand, accomplish the very pur-
pose for which our brave soldiers enlisted
and for which they have SO nobly and
bravely defended the American Flag.
Now that there appears to be q glimmer-
ing hope that negotiations may he opened
by which an honorable peace may be
brought about, it seems to be fitting time
for the people to speak. Let there be meet
ings held--meetings in schoolhouses--meet-
ings in towns-neetings in county seats
meetings, mass meetings, in every place Of
public resort--and there, in a public and
lawful manner, make KNOWN their wishes
in unmistakable terms not in the midnight
conclave but in open day and in a Cohsti-
tutional way. Let Reason Ionce more take
the place of fanaticism-that fanaticism
which has goaded the people to madness (;
which has carried along in its trail its coun-
terparts, hatred, envy, malice, and revenge,
which no people protesting christianity or
civilization should for a moment entertain.
President Lincoln has appointed day
on which he requests the people to assemble
Mt their places of public worship, and pray
that their sins may be forgiven, that blood
may be stayed and peace once more reign
in the land. Now that he has good chance
to make those prayers available, let him ac-
.eept those propositions, or stand condemned
by not only the American people, but by
the whole civilized world. Propositions
which are more favorable than under the
circumstances could have been expected I;
or in fact all that any reasonable people, not
blinded by fanaticism, could ask. .8n. 7
In our system of government as under
stood by the people Of former years, it was
held that the people were the soyereigns,
and all the truly loyal maintain that doc
trine yet. Let, then, the people speak out
in such laundering tones that those not en-
tirely crazed by the effusion of blood, may
take heed, AM shat our bleeding and dis
tracted country may once more have that
of all things the most to be desired-PEACE;
that blood may be stayed and the groans Of
the wounded shall no more be heard; that
devastation sand destruction shall cease;
that deep mourning shall not pervade the
few remaining households in the land that
it has not already visited. Iaff-rf
tits an undoubted right the people have
peaceably to assemble together and petition
for redress of grievances, and in the dis
tracted condition in which our once be-
loved country is now placed. it is not only
the right but the duty of the people to as
,semble together in constitutional manner,
to consult the best interests OF themselves
and their country. 1t seems as though it
was time the people should think more for
themselves and not be led by political
tricksters and demagogues, who care but
little for the tears of the widows and or
phans, and for the purpose of carrying out
some dogma of their own or of their party,
would devastate the whole country and de-
stroy every vestige of that noble structure
of Government handed down to us by our
fathers. a<la.E t.n-
silos5-yf ONE WHO LOVES HIS COUNTRY.
What n Tod Paper I'm 1862, Thinks