Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-09-13
The Cessation of Hostilities.

w Nv AhioNehlhB ~ ANOtuluS 10 ltib lOi NOhJuO-
ture, nothing for explanation, nothing for doubt.
After four years Of failure to restore the
Union by the experiment Of t0ar, says the con-
yention, " justice, humanity, liberty and the pub
Il walfare demand that immediate efforts be made
Tor cessation Of hostillties, with view to an
ultimate convention Of all the STATES, or other
peacedble mans, to the end that at the earliest
pracucIble moment, peace may be restored on
he basis OF tho federal union Of The States"
There is nothing ambiguous about this Ian
guage. lt means peace, and only peace, peace
tirst last and all the time and never hints, that,
IN aly event, any thing but " peaceable means
are to be resortcd to, to restore the Union. War,
force, have no lace in the platform, are not
alluded 10 ~ a possible alternative, in case
+" peaceabe means" shall fail The only al.
tentative presented is " an ultimate convention
ofall the states, or other peaceable means; and
the men who preend that the convention had
any idea, IN any euent, OF prosecuting the war
are dishonest or do not understand the force Of
the English language.
And il the language comes at ali shot; Of
proving that the convention meant " cessa ton
Of hostIities,' never to be renewed even il JEFF
Davis marched into Washington with the whole
rebel army, the fact tba. Dean Richmond wish.
cd thst the platform should be modified 50 rs to
express def rminatIon to fight, If tho Union
could not be restored Otherwise, and his wish
was refused BY the platform makers, is conclu-
sye evidence that the convention did not mean
more than they said, or anything different IRON
what they said, on this subject Of peace And
that 1t If what the convention meant 10 say
Is further apparent from the following from the
Boston Courier whose editor was at Chicago
" la respect to the platform adopted as the
sentiment OF these repres natives OF the people,
we commend 1t to the careful consideration and
candid Judgment OF truly patriotic men. The
universal enthusiasm with which II was recely
cd by the Convention and by the vast crowds
which thronged the galleries, upon It's presenta-
ton by the Comm ttee afforded the most unms.
taxable evidence that it met the prevailing de-
sire and want OF intelligent and patriotic men
from every quarter Of the country Certainl,
here Is 10 II no sentiment and no phrase which
dad not receive the most ample scrutiny on the
part Of the large Committee"
We believe that when the Chicago convention
said " cessation Of hDstllities it meant ces-
sation Of h0stlllies, and no more fighting in
any event. Brooks Of the New York Express
says 1t means just that, -" no more fighting, -
and It can, II mal reads it honestly, mean
nothing else. Thls is the Democratic way OF
restoring he Union, the way, If the Democrats
get lower, they propose after the fourth Of
March next to deal with JEFF Davis, and bis
rebellion. ThlF is the policy to which they stand
solemnly committed.
We sta ed last week some Of the IumliAting
results which would follow the Inauguration Of
such policy. IL is not only intensely coward
ly in itself, but it would be most Illuminating
and disastrous 10 the Union cause But pro.
vidrd We could stand the disgrace of asking the
re jcls Tor peace, could We got it? Let US, by a
violent neglect f every probability Of the po-
liucal campaign, suppose Mcclellan elected
president in November. IL will theu become
his duty to declare ga cessation Of hostllites,
no matter what may be the CONDITION OF the
Union cause and a. JEFF Davis Ei not cease
e fight while Union armies are on the soil of a
single southern state, of course the federal Ar,
mics must be WITHDRAWN or bostilitis cannot
cease They will therefore be withdrawn, io
the sword is not to be the arbiter OF the quar-
rel. What next? jeff Davis and Mcclellan
will then talk the matter over, aud DAVIS, hav
ing got all he is lighting Tor the independence
: OF the Coniednacy, and knowing that coercion
IN any event is no part Of McClellans plan O
: reconstruction, will naturally tell the Demo
cratic PARTY, that If what then is left Of tb
9 old United States wants to JOIN his coniederac
: under his constitution perhaps he will tax
6 them IN, all but New England, otherwise no
At this point OF the negotiation, We shout
like 10 know what probably would become
u Democratic " answering fidelity to she unio
under the Constitution - IL could be of n
e possible use, inasmucb as the " Union under Il
8 constitution would be no longer possblit,
o except by the resort to that dreadful thing O
d efciou, and therefore Mcclellan would abandC
d that plank and 80 in for " peace on basis
the federal unioo OF the states not all /!
Is States mind You, the platform doesn +, say q
re the States NOR does IL say the old lininn HI
Is 1t says, d" federal union OF the States. Acoor
a. ingly McClellan would 20 to work and patch
rs new Union or Coniederscy, acknowledged
as the right Of any State to secede at plea.ur
Of denying the right OF the general govOrnmen,
IN coerco a seeding state, and making slavery s,
b, preme wherever JEFF Davis wants 1t to be- Al
al that would be the cOniederacy which the rebt
s. have been lighting nearly four years to csabls
m This will be the upshot of this cessstiono
:, hosulites " platform, manifestly, It can ha
ne no conclusion, If the people endorse it,-b
o. surrender to treason, and giving up Of
ic purpose of ever restoring the Union, under t
Il, federal constitution as our fathers made IT,
tie people understand it, they will soon
cut of their right hands, and pluck out the
to right eyes, than endorse IT, And il they dor
r. understand it, 1t shall not be our lault
-,
; Hos. l. B. Pack was voted for by th. c,
he sstiOn- Of hostlitles Democrats, iOr town re
so resentaIyc, here last Tuesday. 1t isa IA