Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-01-21
SATURDAY MORNING, ~ JAN. 2
.Penco l. Prac,lcablc.


and members of the Cabinet since his n
turn from Richmond, and from the fact thi
he has again started for Richmond, we dra
the conclusion that Peace is now practices
BILE, beyond peradyenture, If the Admir-
istration Is willing to conclude Peace.
appears that there is large and GROWN
Peace party In Richmond, that, under tn
exercise of wise craftsmanship by tn
LINCOLN Administration, will grow int
such formidable proportions as to ovei
whelm all opposition, and thereby coerc
the authorities of the Confederate Govern
ment into making Peace.
The Administration started out with tn
declaration that we waged the War for tn
sole purpose of restoring the Union, AM
not for the purpose Of interfering with an.
State institution. This declaration sancti
fed the War at the commencement; !
electrified and aroused the country, ant
created spontaneous volunteering. Fol
this purpose the sacrifice of life and the ex'
penditure of vast treasure were accounted
holy offerings at the shrine of the Union.
Had che President proclaimed in his call
for 5000 volunteers for ninety days, that,
inasmuch as the South had reckless
ly thrown itself into the attitude
Of rebellion, because of an apprehension
that it was the purpose of himself and his
party to use such unwarranted interference
with slavery as should work out speedily its
destruction, theobject to be accomplished by
this volunteer force was to Abolish Slavery,
and thus to rid the country Of the cause Of
Rebellion, there would have been compar-
asively no response to the call. 1twas the
declaration that the object was to maintain
the authority of the Federal Government
and preserve the Union, that made our
people embark with enthusiasm in the
War. This object was viewed as para
mount to everything else-no other object
attracted attention, and the man vino had the
temerity to avow the belief that it was the
intention of the President, maugre his al
legation to the contrary, to change the
character of the War from a War for the
Union to War for the Abolition of Slave
ry on the first seemingly fair opportunity,
called down upon his head the malediction
of patriotic men. For avowing such an
opinion, in the darkness and stiffness of
the midnight hour, the bed-chamber
of DIR. OLDs was invaded and he
carried thence without even the mockery of
q trial to Fort Lafayette. 1t was for the
avowal Of such belief that feloniously and
burglariously was the house of VALLAN-
DIGHAM broken into when the pail and ST.
lence Of night rested upon ii, and he carried
precipitately to Cincinnati, whence he was
banished to the Southern Confederacy.
Then IL was criminal in the sight of the
Administration, to assert or to argue,
through public prints or from the stump,
that the War would be given an Abolition
turn, because it was calculated to throw in
the way of recruiting and raising volun-
teers powerful obstacle. If then, after
the War had run over year, 1t was an Of
tense of such gravity as to justify the incar-
ceration and banishment of leading Demo-
crats for declaring, as their deliberate con-
victions, that Abolition would be me5e the
be permitted to have a termination, of what
degree of enormity would be the crime
OF the Administration, if it were to refuse
TO stop this War--to stop the bloodshed that
is carrying sorrow and wretchedness into
thousands of homes in this country-to stop
the exorbitant drafts on tax payers and
on the capitalists-on the simple condition |
Of the Rebellious States returning to their
duty in the Union, without coupling with
it the exaction of the Abolition of Slavery? |
VIII you say, that the, late Presidential
election justified all the Presidents Adolf
tion measures and Proclamations, and that
thereby he was instructed to abate nothing
in the Abolition programme? We dissent
from such an assumption. Thousands voted |
for his reelection for fear that if McCLEL-
Lam were elected he might be tempted into
a recognition of the Southern Confedcracy
that he would allow the Union to be
broken up-and for no other reason what
ever. They did not vote for the reelection of
Mr.. LINCOLN because they have any qualms
in regard to Slavery. Other thousands
voted for his reelection for the only reason /
that they believed his reelection would
hasten the advent of Peace, by convincing
the South, without the shadow of doubt,
that the overwhelming majority of our
people are rcsolutely determined that the
Union must be maintained at all hazards;
md that, therefore, they would see in, this
unity Of sentiment the iutility of protract-
Ing the struggle. All these thousands,
with the thousands who voted for McCLEL-
LAN--and they embrace decisive and un-
questionable majority in the adhering
States--will applaud and bless whoever
shall now give to the country Peace upon
Ehe condition of Union alone. They viii
not haggle oyer the question of slavery, and
they win hold the Administration ac-
curscd. II 1t shall haggle over it, and in do
Ing % tail to secure Peace
THE Peace rumors, bottomed on the alle-1
CATION that JEFF. DAVIS had. expressed to
Mr.. BlAIn.a willingness to either receive or
send commissioners to negotiate peace, and
that President 1rxcoLN had been address,
Ing himself to the consideration Of meas
ares by which the country could be blessed
with speedy restoration Of peace, precipi-
'ated Ronl deWn.tc 2o5sono ) Thursday. A
victory In the field would not