Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-31

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IT'S possible, barely possible as we have a"eaoE
sid. thai Ill recent c6ueSe OF t-e fsui-"' ''of
eminent. in nc matter ci ues0tio, ..' '-!
pra,apted bya desire for peace on some oJa.r terms
t,sr those which il has insisted on from the very
bsy,nuin- as Indispensable precedent conditions
Bnt i, IS not very Prcbatle. No one, OF course
doubts that Lincoln and his crew, aud in tact, the
vs., msicriSy Of ell parties in the Federal States
5ezIre peace-excepting the shoddy men OF Ne"
England. the army contractors, the spectators IN
rrsrcv the cotton steaers, the land graboerS, the
rs,rui, brokers, and the bounty jumpers Who form
cr,,. d respcctable party as 10 numbers, and COM
rs-7,fvely highly respectable party as TO elaFac-
e. Tbe,, energetic and euJerprisiug creatures
5oror want peace On any terms e.tueI fanEee q"
confederate. They would very naturally agree with
1,,s-stius. had they ever read that renowned ana
l,.,;,sI sutEor that 1t is d very Inc thing 10 watch
ths hattie from a.aT aud much trsi tang the!
cusst;orless consider It, while seated securely on
tbs-r sboidy piles and stolen cotton bales, to view
N, Grand spectacle OF war AID spplaUi the drama
&c points Of struggle which they Imagine 20 be
,,o,Sr,ted expressly Tor their benefit. conflict
which brings green5acss to their gaping pockets
ans plenty 10 their hungry homes ought surely 70
bs psreunial. But as every universal Yankee can
-, -, his yrshsusile finger into this tempting pie.
.. s-sry Yautee cannot pass from the obstr0ctly
covstous 70 the practically larceuious since 70 the
Gar greater number the danger o. being sent to the
actual feId much surpasses any chance OF partici-
mating IN the plumber and the profits Of the war,
The majority Of that calculating people must 5y 'As
zine lie very anxious for the contest 10 come 10 an
and. That is 10 say, the maJori;! 40 not want
war for tue mere saSs Of war sliH less 90
they want GghJing for the mere sake oi Eight
ing. Bat there IS no evidence that tho are
~. still willing to carry on the war Tor thai
great otiec,-the Uuion-whicu involves, OF course
%bs collateral and cherished Yankee Objects Of safe
thunder. ana secure stealing They are tired Of the
war il s., tue extremely tired Of IT, They see
TOO tbat they cannot recruit their armies 10 thar
amazing magnitude than which nothing less VIII
satisfy tteir vanity and The possible ex.gencies OF
the co,uiux campaign. II these we're the only IN
.tuences operating on the Yankee mind we nigh
REASONABLE anticipate speedy end OF The war
through en- abaui amenJ OF the whole scheme Of
subiussror, ami HEaiiy OF the deiusive hypothesis
OF reconstruction and Union. But Just at the mo-
laeut when these causes are beginning 20 produce
their natural and iurvabl, effects IA the a6atemeuI
of the sarSpigjt other and ryaius influences
Intervene T. sustain che hopes AMI encourage th,
aims 81 the Washington Government These Iu1u-
ences f ov from the variou, military reverse> sur
fered br tie C.ui,iasacc during the last SIX months
yhe fsII of atlanta, >hcrmaus march aud the cap
rure of Savannah Hoods defeat. and the taking OF
Fort .Eer Added % these g, a general belief al
shs North tuat tie South i, in state Of exhaustion
and collapse iaclpJJie OF further strenuous efforts
if willing % make them ana 10th 70 make then
esen fl capable. Tie effect, therefore, of the de
cline Of the wsr-spirit, and the ImpucI, conviction
OF cling power 20 carry the contest, is TO be ac
eurate.y measured Only through a. comparison with
these couuterya3iiue Influences The result Of the
combination IS TO be found, might reasonably be
anticipated not in a total abandonment Of all coer-
Give ideas, bus 10 simple modification Of pro
srramme in that general substitution Of recon
struction and re MON, for absolute conquest and
subiugattou which nov Ends expression in the new
and popular Yankee catch-phrase Of, The Con-
stitution as it Is; and the Union ssi was" This,
be sure, is enough 20 show that Yankee pubic
opinion Is ia a state OF transition but II is
likewise enough 10 show that while it has
recedeJ ffom the extreme idea of suppress
sion add conquest &c does uotyet tolerate the other
extreme Of separation and independence. Thus
while We see, on both sides concurrent express
sion Of the wish for peace, we and radical n.om-
pstibiht7 Of meaning on the respective sides In
deed. q curious prt5ri demonstration Of the iuet-
Acscy Of the impending negotiations IS furnished
bv the opposite IDEAS attached in the North and in
tbe south 20 the tern peace In the North,
pesce mesus reconstruction and reunion, AND, con
secuenti,, under the impression Of its approach,
gold falls In the south peace means separation
and Independence. A, least that is its general if
not is universal meaning II il meant anything
else, the efec, Of any expectation Of an end OF the
war would no only make gold rise, but it would
render Confederate paper absolutely worthless
The fact thar the peace rum0rs are coiucdent With
marked fall in gold, shows that the Southern opin
ion On tits subject is the precise antitbesis OF the
Northern opinion. Until the two opinions begin 10
loss their au;agonism aud 10. tend towards con-
mon sisniHear~s negotiations must inevitably fail
OF tbs our people SnOy rest assured, aud they
ought 20 prepare themselves accordingly.
SPIRIT OF TVv ARMY