The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-06-27

before the President, and no clerk so ap
pointed shall be removed from office ex
cept for cause stated in writing, which shall
be submitted To- Congress at the session
first following such tsnsyaL s.G1G8lh.
An Armistice Proposed.
The writer Of the following letter is
Gen GEORGE B.. MORGAN, late of the 'Fede-
raj army, and celebrated for his brilliant
in the retreat from Cumberland
Jap, lem. ~ !.G1 -. So
Of Mourn VERNON, Ohio, June II, "a
/" Gentlemen: Your note is before me, and
with pleasure Tcomply with your request.
There is always danger of civil war among
a free people, resulting in the overthrow OF
liberty; and | do, not believe that mere
force can restore peace or preserve the
Union. In my humble Judgment, wisdom
and patriotism alike demand an armistice;
and I believe that cessation of hostilities
would result in an honorable and a happy
peace. f......
An armistice is an agreed suspension OF
hostilities between belligerents for speci
fed time, and for given purpose. In wars
between civilized nations an armlstice al
ways precedes peace, though sometimes re
sorted to for other purposes. None but
barbarian powers pursue hosti]ities to ex-
termination, and determination or complete
exhaustion of both contending parties,
would be the necessary result in all wars,
did not the opposing parties agree to sus>
pend hostilities, so that the question in dis
pute might be submittedIo the arb.t ament
of reason, after brute force had failed.
During an armistice the hostile armies
maintain their respective positions, and if
terms of adjustment are not agreed upon,
hostilities can be re commenced. But as a
general and almost an invariable rule, an
armistice is followed by peace. The propo
sition for an armisticegenerally comes from
the victor; and thus lafter the battle of
Solferno gained by the French, the Empe-
ror Napoleon proposed an armistice to
Francis Joseph of Austria, and peace was
the result.
Without magnanimity there can he no real
greatness, and the absence Of it is the GER
tain evidence of a want of proper self re
spect The cause of the Union has been
nobly indicated on more than a hundred
battle fields, and the deeds of our soldiers
have reflected immortal glory upon our
arms. But our enemy has been equally
brave, and althous h we hate secession, we
accord an honest admiration for the heroism
which has half redeemed mistaken cause.
The world has never seen such battles,
either in point of Of numbers or dauntless
intrepedity. We have sent to the field
more than two million Of men and nearly,
if not full one half of them have gone to
their graves Whole regions of country
have been made desolate; the busy hum of
workshops has been hushed, as if palsied
by eternal death; the plough has been left
in the furrow; AND the isther, the husband
and the sou, have alike gone out to battle.
And yet, naught, absolutely naught has
been gained toward the restoration of that
grand and noble Union formed by our ia
theirs. say, then for a time let the tor
rent of blood be stsyed-let the olive branch
supplaut the sword, and heaven-born rea-
son take the place Of force. Victory has
crowned our banners on unnumbered fields
and magnanimity will add lastre to our
arms.
Say to our countrymen Of the South;
"Let Us reason together. YOUR homas are
draped in mourning, and 80 are ours
Many of your noblest sons have persisted
on the field of battle, and such alas, is the
case with us. We are countrymen aud we
have been friends, and even now, amid the
red storm of battle. we are proud of each
others deeds We honor the names of Lee,
of Sidney johnson and of jackson; and you
respect those Of Mcclellan, of Grant and of
Sedgwick. Let us talk together and call
back the memories of the past. Washing-
ton was yours and ours; and Franklin and
Madison sat side by side in the convention
which framed the great Constitution.
Reason is the attribute of the Gods-car
mage is the festival of Fiends. Then let US
assemble around the council fire, and for
once initiate our red brothers of the forest
and smoke the calumet Of peace"
In word, let the result at Richmond
be what it may, let us declare in favor of
an armistice of sixty days. We can make
the proposition with honqr because it would
be done on Southern soil. We blockade
all the ports of the South not in our pos.
SESSION, and the great Fa.her Of Waters is
ours from its souce to Its mouth. But We
want peace We want Union We want
cessation Of the carnage of war and these
blessings can only be obtained through an
armistice
In my letter to the State Central Com
nittee in September, 1863, denounced
the policy Of President Lincoln in refusing
TO receive Alexander H. Stephens as Con,
ederate Commissioner and, since then,
frequently urged the appointment of Com
on our part, to meet with Others
% be appointed by the authorities at Rich ]
nond, and 1 again respectfully advise
What | have so often recommended before.
With earnest hopes for the preservation
# the Union, and the return of peace, l
emain, gentlemen, your obliged fellow |
;itizen, 80. l'' -. ~ !
GEORGE W. MORGAN.
To RoBr. MILLER and W. LEMON, Esqs.
a