The Portland daily press., 1865-02-02
Peace Rumors.

1t is quite amusing to read what the Rich
mond journals say about the .white- winged
messenger of Peace" Blair, and his visit to
the rebel capital. They make all manner OF
sport of him, and bury up his mission under
heap Of ridicule; and yet underlying all this
bravado are certain signs of grief which can
not be mistaken by the careful and intelligent
reader. No doubt this white-haired, veteran
politician started on his peace mission with q
hope that his labors might be crowned with
success, and if they were, he felt quite sure
that halo OF glory would encircle his venera-
BILE brow, and the nation rise up and call him
blessed. We are not disposed to find fault
with such an ambition. Such aspirations Of
ten lead to glorious results, but we have never
been very strong in the faith that this venera-
BILE paci6cator would exercise much influence
in fastening that peace which all good men
so much desire and pray for. 81 ae5
Mr.. Blair has been lifelong politician, and
studied well the arts which belong to such
profession. It must be confessed he seized
upon favorable time in the history of the
rebellion to start on his mission. Never be-
fore since the firing on Sumter has such ia
vorable moment occurred, and Mr.. Blair knew
it. Therein he manifested that wisdom and
cunning which were wont to characterize his
movements in the earlier periods of his politi-
cal life. The rebellion is fast approaching Its
close, and the cry for help from some quarter
must soon be sent up. 1t is very clear to all
close observers of the times, thahthis gigan-
tic instruction against our Government be-
gins to feel its inherent weakness and to give
out tokens Of dissolution. Bra
This venerable peacemaker saw all this with
the keen eye of politician, and thought this
was the very nick of time for him to start for
"Dixie" with the olive branch in his hand.
He reasoned well, and the conclusions he drew
from his premises were fair and legitimate,
but he had the devil to deal With; or what is
quite as bad, people who were afflicted with
that kind of madness that usually precedes
inevitable destruction. If his mission had
been to rebels of an ordinary character, if
they had not been shareholders, II they had
been insurgents against government that
had oppressed them and deprived them of their
constitutional rights, he might have been lis
tened TO with more respect, and his mission
fraught with more good. But such rebels as
JEFF. Davis and his coadjutors, have never been
recorded on the page OF history since that
great rebellion in Heaven which Milton so
graphically describes. zeq---
La all the rebellions on earth whereof histo-
ry gives any account, there has usually been
some wrong of which reasonable complaint
might be made, some injustice done by q gov
eminent to its subjects; some despotic power
exercised, and some injuries inflicted upon
the people; but in this slaveholders' rebellion
no such extenuating circumstances are found.
and never will be. There Is not a single re-
deeming trait in its whole character, and such
will be the record made for coming genera
tions to read. 49, ~ ~
In this view Of the great rebellion, how
could the venerable Blair hope to succeeds
And yet after all, his mission may result in
some good to the world. We hope it will,
but we are not able to give any good reason
for such hope. Aud If the rebel newspa-
pers are the true exponeats of public opinion,
or rather, if they express the opinions of the
leaders, we consider that Sherman, Farragut,
Porter, aud Sheridan. much better peacemak-
ers than Mr.. Blair, or any other gentleman
whose ambition may lead him TO visit Rich
mond as messenger Of peace.
The recent visit of Mr.. Blair to Richmond
has been seized upon as a very favorable
omen, and many believe it will be instrument
al in bringing peace to our distracted coun-
try, but not so the rebel journals They put a
very different face on the affair and endeavor
to turn it to their advantage. They say this
repeated visit of Mr.. Blair betrays the nerv-
GUS excitement and weakness OF our Govern.
ment, and most anxious desire for peace
They readily construe 1t into most signiH-
cant sign that the "Lincoln usurpation" Is on
its last legs, and willing to accept almost any
terms that may be offered. osiraS
Now these editors know better,-know that
they are filling their columns with absolute,
unmitigated lies, and all for the purpose Of
keeping the mass of their readers in gross ig-
norance, and Of SURPRISING the Union senti-
ment of the people which is occasionally
breaking out in various sections OF the Con-
federacy ia spite of the military despotism Of
JET. Davis. We have no confidence whatever
in the opinions expressed by these Richmond
editors. More INSCRIPTIONS and desperate
fellows never we're engaged 10 the public
Press.
Although the immortal Bard OF Avon
says 1sa1
"Thsre IS soul of goodness in things evil
Would msn observingly dstil 1t out"
Yet we entirely fail to distl any good out of
these Richmond. editorials. They are as full
of lies as an egg is OF meat. Why, they have
co,aa tn the conclusion that the march IF Sher-