Spirit of the age., 1865-02-04
- A 90

As we write tn. air is vSc1 with b sas ID lnu-
SIC every note of which vibrstes thrsngh the
heart of mas, woman aud cAtld throug ghoQt. the
Confe1esscy every silcs ,aka5 ~ -tle STRATA
asd 's.es tae gAd s;clAin, unil lrs:n ev trs
hill top in this broad land the echo i ~4fFej to
Heaven. Peace! Peace how the eve mois,cua.
the nerves quivea and the voice rises At -thc
sound; one grand .conclave Of signing sutfessis
unite their prayers TO beseeca tie GreT of al
good-things to besto" on them this boon ) how-
ever unworthy we may be to ask is, all gladly
iSin in the invocation with Loncst hearts aid
ou'strotched hands.
Much as we desire PEACE, much as We
would sscriiss to obtain it, and alxiously aa
we have looked for it we must sadly confess that
as set we can ce,taiu signs Of It's sp proaci
Ii is very true that oih 3rs 3re fiVorel may be
b.tt.r able to ia iss; ; as far as the C)afe laracv
ia concerned the wioie matter turns up9 tht
Congressional proceedings in secret sess ion an(
the revelations then and there made and unless
the inquirer is iuforDed of these matters he has
nothing on which 10 base an opinion ; all W,
know is that some very important statement
ware made and very important action was ia
ken thereon three Commissioners of the high
est standing and the greatest ability have bcel
despatched to Washington, ostensibly to trea
for Peacs, VIZ: Vice President Stephens, Scaa
tor Hunter OF Va, and Judge CAmpbsll Of Ala
A.s Secretary of War. Two of these d:tin-
eush ed envoys have before made efforts Ia. thi
same eud and both entirely unsuccessfaly wha
= further nducement has been held out to ther
for renewal of their overtur s. the Pabic 3
large is yet to learn.
While NC would make every exertion an
break through all the rigid rules of political e
iquettc to obtain the desired end we do not no
see that any thing is to DO gan.i by senIio
& -
the throne of Yankeedom; what invitations h
may have given to MIR. Dhys of course va d
not know, but We d. not believe any las bee
given in good faith we do Hst believe he wou'
now offer us any tcrus which in honor aud dIr
nifty We could OF would accept. The most i'm
portant preliminary, the ndcspsn n>able and far
E. damcntal a3e of the whole faaciful superstruC
ture is wanting and that is the cessation of ho
tities. The idea is absurd that anv powt
seemingly advancing to ucdisputed success j
armies gathering like ra:ens to the Feast
Death aud whetting their ss.ed beales for II
fnA repsst on the remains Of the SO cal
C,ntederacy' should Pause in its Greer aud !
Victory slip fcon its grasp to ofer us peace {
any tGrms, but snch as woud disgrace our hal
earned fame On hundred batl. fsds is not
he admitted by any saue mind. We would fa
hope 1t NAV be SO, but the whole thing looks
Us ike dclas!0n and 2 snare, a res fang
Yankee s.rdtagem TO outwit the wittiGss G.,
ederates. The Yaok ees vii never make pea
fwith us until forced to do 50, either lJ outwa
pressure from Ourselves or foreign nations or
ward pressure fram the suffering and struggli
masses at home and at no period of the war
ring the last two ye1rs has there been SO lit
probability of the urgency of either of these t
causes.
There is no better or stronger rsaRco for
than Our own strong arms and sharp :Words VI
an abiding confidence in the justice Of our ca
aad an unfaiing trust In tRe Mercy and 60
ness Of the Most High AMI the sooner our p
pc come to know and believe this, the $ ,o1
and moro certainly will We achieve success