Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-11
DAILY LEADER.
From the Riohmond Wig Nov. ..

from the blcnfnonQ wing, NOV o.
The Peace Spirit, North and south,
We are glad to hear less talk Of peace on
the Confederate side, because we are con-
WINGED its only effect was to lower the tone
of our people and to divert attention from
that which is the sole business of the time,
a continued resistance to the enemy. We
would not omit to employ any instrument
tslity calculated to strengthen the disposi-
tion 70 peace Of the enemy; but the evil of
90 much discussion of the topic among our
selves is that its effects are felt only here,
where the peace spirit does not need to be
encouraged, and where it can only take the
form of non-resistance and submission. 1t
rests with the enemy, and not with our au-
thorities to terminate q struggle, which,
from the beginning to this hour, has been
Tor the defence Of the latter against the as
ssults of the former. President Davis, in
his interview with Jaques and Gilmore,
indicated the only way in which peace
can come: Withdraw your gsrrisons
from our towns withdraw your armies
from our State; withdraw your squadrons
from our ports; cease 10 burn our dwell
ings, murder our people, to plunder our
property, to steal our slaves, and war will
have ceased between us. You shall be free
TO navigate our rivers and trade with our
ports. If you do not do this, the blood
wuich is shed in your attacks and in our
defence-the blood of murdered prisoners
and outraged women, as well as of soldiers
slain in open battle-rests on your souls
alone" Such wRs the substance of the
Presidents reply TO the pacific expressions
of bis guests. In a war Of conquest peace
is at the option Of the aggressor; it can
only be obtained by the assailed, by sub
mission. The South VIII not and can not
abandon her independence; there will be
peace only when the North ceases to at
tempt our subugstion, and this time
will arrive all the sooner if we main
tsin a firm 'front.' and continue
TO exhibit such evidences of union
and resolution as leave no ground for the
hope thst we will ever succumb. It is the
policy Of the enemy to make It appear
that we are becoming weak in means
and faint in spirit but as long as we
meet the libel with forces In the field strong
enough to check or beat back their hosts,
it can make but little impression. Grant
may say we have robbed the cradle and
the grave to man our breastworks, but
when he tries those breastworks, he is met
in such a way as 10 make him glad enough
to get behind his own again. Sheridan
may claimed to have destroyed the army
ofthe valley but the boast is proven to be
a falsehood when his own army is beaten
back FIVE miles, and is saved from com
plete disaster by the thoughtlessness and
misconduct of our own men. Sherman
may proclaim that the South is at his mer-
cy, but the vsUnt has few believers when
be Is seen burrying back to his own rear,
hundreds of miles, to save his communion
tions. It is By such arguments as these
that we reason most effectively with the
enemy, refute the false statements Of their
leaders, and will sooner or later convince
the entire people Of the impossibility OF
our subjlgat and the hopelessness of
our submission. Our shortest road to
peace, then, is to bend all our energies to
war. Already the peace feeling is strong
in the North. The display of proper
vigor and determination on our part will
make it dominant.