The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-02-11
THE PROSPECTS FOR PEACE.


When the Convention, representing grea
political party at the North, declared at Chi
cago last Summer, that the true solution Q
all our domestic troubles was to be found il
peaceful negotiation, and the adoption of
just and liberal policy toward the insurgents
it was denounced from Maine to Oregon T,
treat with rebels with arms in their hands
was declared humiliating and reasonable
Death to the rebels by public execution, Sc
questration of their property by sweeping
act of Confseation an universal upturning O
Southern society, and the total destruction
of every element opposed to New England
ideas of propr.ety and interest-were the
only maxims and war cries which the Ad-
ministration and its party chose to promulgate
respecting the future policy toward the South
ern States. The refusal of the President to
hold any intercourse with Stephens, as a
Commissioner from the South last Summer,
was applauded-and the sword, fire, emanci-
pated negroes, destruction and waste, and
death, were the mildest instruments of nego-
tiatlon that found favor with the Administra-
ton organs.
I Upon this platform the Administration pre-
vailed at the elections, yet even before the
installation of the President, if we are to
believe the loyal telegraph, the whole
is changed. The Executive
avows itself DESTROYS to treat with the rebels,
still with arms in their hands. We have in
timations fawillingness tddeclare general
amnesty for all past political offenses-to re-
store the States to their former places in the
Union, and to seek through peaceful consul
tation for that peace and union which four
years of bloody, fruitless conflict has shown
to be unattainable through any other me-
dunn
What has, caused this change of front this
theft from the planks of the Chicago Platform
Are we to presume that this party which has
shown itself politically and morally insane
which has made the United States for four
years stagger like foaming lunatic IN the
arena of nations, are we to presume that it
las returned to reason in the act of taking
ease for another official term? Has the black
blood of hatred curdled into sweetness Have
owe and truth bubbled up from the fmtid,
residential springs of Puritanism? Has God
Almighty issued another EDITION of the Ten
come now, for the first time,
o the knowledge of those who have so long
hrived by the violation of every ordinance
numbered to men from the flames and dark
ess of Sinai? 1t is impossible to believe
hat the Administration is sincere. The Re-
ublican party lives on war. 1t is its meat
nd drink. Take it away, and the party dies.
stalks like the uneasy spirits of the ghostly
cad over bloody battle plains, and the ashes
f plundered honesteads and burning cities.
draws the inspiration of its life and move
rents from the unthinking enthusiasm of
outh; the bigoted fanaticism of a faction1
lat is never happy unless when forcing others
believe and act as they do; from the sordid,
loddy patriotism OF the contractor, the
ofin-maker, the embalmer, the drug-yender
nd thousand occupations that directly and
ldirectly can "turn penny /" in the miseries
their country and their fellow men. When
EcEssITY takes this description of men by
he throat, and compels them and their mas
RS to desist from further violence, they will
include peace-and not till then. The
70 elements of instinct and interest are too
osely combined in the prosecution of the
ar for any reasonable man to expect any
ncere effort for peace to emanate from
'ashington. Instinct, we say, because the
ar is but an outward, gigantic expression /
an inherited, imperishable impulse to
eddie with the business of others, and to
mpel them of necessity to conform to their
vn peculiar modes of thought and action
instinct that will work on for little good
ID much evil, until all the world has learned
speak through the nose, and to eat Goldfish
however, will never be accom-.
lshed by feats of arms.
If any proffers of peace have been made at
by the Executive with q sincere wish to
ose up this civil war, they eventually will be
ind to arise from influences which have not {
t come to the surface. Whether the offer {
mes from threatening clouds mon the !