The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-11-15
PEACE PROPOSITIONS,


| Peace is blessing not only desirable, but to be
sought after. Good men will make sacrifices fol
peace-will take some risk to promote it, Hence
We have always been favorable to every proper eff
fort to end this war, at all times We opposed the
war before it came, courselled and voted against
every measure and every Office seeker whose policy
tended to bring on the war, yet we have been al
ways particular to lay the blame Of inception and
origin upon the right shoulders
1t is said that "fghting will not end the war u
If 1t be meant by this, that fighting alone will not
end it, We admit it. Fighting cannot settle the
quarrel Fighting must be done before the terms
OF settlement can be agreed upon. But it is per-
fectly plain, that fighting must 60 on until both
contestants are sotHing to settle. Hence we have
all along been in favor, since the war began, of
fighting hercely, vigorously, deterninedly, but at
the same time, whenever we have been successful
we have been in favor of offering to negotiate.
We were in favor of proposing terms two years
ago, when we were victorious. But a year sgo
and more we were not favorable to 'speace propo-
sitions." We had been badly used during the
campaign-our people were discouraged and many
were alarmed, and hence it was no time to propose
terms, If we expected to get any. Last April and
May We were favorable to negotiations, because we
were successful, but since the fall of Atlanta we
have seen no good to be gained by proposing terms
When we are up, triumphant, successful that is
the time for brave people to be ready to settle
quarrel; but when worsted it is eraven. hearted
and cowardly to beg for peace.
Many who advocate peace seem to be ready for
anything and everything that they fancy looks to
peace. They seem not to weigh the case fully
to investigate the various schemes proposed More
over, many get out of humor and quarrel with the
President because he does not take up with every
ones idea or whim Now we would have pre-
ferred if the President had, regardless of the con-
temptuous and insulting course of Lincoln, pressed
upon him propositions Of peace every time we were
victorious. The moral effect of it upon the YAM
KEGS and the world would have been good Il
would have given US an advantage in the contest.
But having made several unsuccessful attempts to
secure hearing, and having so repeatedly pub
shed to the world his anxiety for peace, ought he
TO be blamed Is it right, is it just to the Chief
Magistrate of the nation, to represent to the pub
lie, that he the government will not seek peace
will not make peace, is really opposed TO peace,
after what he has done Certainly not. What
stronger proof can he give of his anxiety for peace
than he has given by his declarations Moreover,
Congress has published its manifesto to the world,
that it desires peace, that both the government and
the people are ready to do any and every honorable
thing for peace.
All this avas nothing with those who are de-
ternpiEed to find fault with the government We
do not endorse Mr.. Davis administration. We
have never proposed to do so But it is manifest
that great injustice is being done him and the
government, not only by individual complainers
but by portion Of the PUBLIC press and by some
of our public men. Mr.. Boyce's recent letter,
while it contains much truth, does injustice to the
President by intimating that the two governments
are not willing to have peace, and hence proposes
a Convention of the States. He would take the
matter out of the hands of the government where
the Constitution places it. Why ? -s'If the two
governments will not settle it," whose fault is it
Is it Mr. Davis Is he not ready to settle it to-
morrow !? Does not the whole responsibility lie
with Lincoln ? Docs not every one believe this?
Who can believe otherwise? Would Mr.. Boyce
and those who agree with him, be willing to settle
it 1pon different terms than those of Mr. Davis
There lies the rub.
But what could Convention of the Southern
States alone do towards settlement, more than
the government can, unless il would offer different
terms-nay offer to submit +? What evidence is
there that the North would meet US in Convention?
x = But SO long as Lincoln is President and
remains in his present mind, is it not sheer non-
sense to talk of Convention of the States, or any
other peace movement or plan, unless we hew it
out by the sword? Let the friends of peace re-
feet -Rdleiyh Conservative.