The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-02-17
WHAT REM AIysi

IiNofubie tuu bOnOraDle teFIis OH tu
lpart Of Mr.. Lincoln-there remain
but two means of gaining peace; rec
lcgnizing the Confederaey os an inde
lpendent nation, or the breaking o
their martial power--suhjugotin!
them if need be--and forcing then
back into the Union. Which Of th'
two shall we ohoosef
We might choose the first, but W,
could not do 40 without giving til,
lie to all our protestation Of devotion
: to the Union; without acknowledging
TO the world that we had been fol
four years carrying on merciles;
war against people who were In the
right; that the blood Of millions o.
men was on our skirts; that the prop.
osition TINT a people were able to gov
ern themselves 10 lie ; that the con
stitution framed by our fathers, In
almost infinite wisdom, was not pow.
erful enough TO sustain itself; that
we we're better tit to be the serviles oil
a foreign power than to govern our.
selves that freedom is but the phan.
tom Of n crazed brain. All this,
and the half has not hoen told, must
we bear. But suppoae we do recoe
Inize the Confederacy, have we the as.
surance OF permanent peace. A
recognition would be a virtual 40
acknowledgement of onr inability to CON
'qucr them--of our being unable to
whip them. What follows? They
would pat down the screws. Is any
one foolish enough TO think that there
would not be trouble about the
boundary lines between the two
countries ? Are the rebels prepared
to give up the fertile fields of Ken.
tucliy or Tennessee, or the rich lands
of Missouri and the State of Western
Virginia? We should have to give
them up or more bloodshed follows.
In recognizing we admit that we have
been in tie wrong, and to make, in a
measure, retribution for that wrong.
we should have to pay their war debt,
though they chad to wiring it ont of
our hearts" Millions of acres of
their territory has been laid waste,
cities burned, railroads destroyed.
used by our armies are we
TO reimburse them FOR all this? Sup.
pose we should attempt it, To whnt
extent would our taxes be increased?
Already certain class are beginning
10 groan under the burden of taxation
that class being the very one in fa-
yor of peace on any terms. 70 as
sumo what we should be obliged to
in case Of recognition, would double
or treble our taxes, and our posterity
would curse the weakness Of their
fathers for transmitting them legacy
of needlefs burden.
On the other hapd, q continued and
prosecution of a holy war
Sill entail upon the present and fu.
.ure generations less burdens than q
loose, unsettled peace. 1t may he.
ceSs;tate one. two, or even three more
Jralts--mateYially increase our ma.
-ional debt; but the end justifes the
ontiay-a restored rnion--a free peo-
pie governed not by M aristocracy,
but by themselves.
These two propositions are before
rs and we have our choice.
In the armies Of Grant. Sherman,
Thomas, etc, lays our only means OF
a permanent, honorable peace. Push
Oh our armies, drive the enemy before
us, give him no rest until he is willing
TO own allegiance to his government.
and then we may have peace--peace
which has no ending; a peace which
will shed honor on the country of
Washington.