The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-25

u IL,
caver ,avar 4 cain be broken. But while they
d..;ra ra.ca tbev are firmly resolved that such /
peace shall rest on justice, ON viuolcA'ou
national honor, and that the fullest aad am
nIest security for the future SHAH 90 EiVen.-Tl
rhsv are deter mined that the vast amouat of
Mood and treasure already expended shall not |
have bean expended 10 vain. They are deter |
mined that those who iustigatsd the rebellion |
shall be made to feel how hard it 10 to "kick |
against the prieks." They are firmly resolved |
that red handed traitors, who have sported |
with q nations life, shall NOT; shas4 -ssuer- he
reclothed with power, and occupy or reoccupy |
seats in the councils Of the nation. They are |
further determined, that the cause of the re-
beilion shall be rooted up, aud that no vestige
2 Of It shall remain in this broad land Of ours.
With such feelings, strong before but now
intensified by recent damning outrages at the 1
national capital, the botched up peace nego.
tiations OF Sherman and Johnston of necessi-
ty could find no favor With the loyal people of
the country. 1t is astonishing that a man
standing so high as Gen. Sherman in public
estimation, should have committed 90 gross q
blunder, but IL affords another illustration
shat man may be good soldier, or terse
and graphic writer, and yet be deficient in all
the great qualities Of good statssmanship.
Sherman's terms Of peace would in effect
make Of the present struggle draw game
BY them the confscation of rebel property
would be nullihed, and the men whose hands
have baen clntched at the nations throat
might rs-enter the halls Of Congress TO crack
their whips again over american freemen.-
JEFF Davis himself might be the next nomi
nee of the Democratic party. and If he could
get sufficient number Of votes, be the sue
cessor Of Andrew Johnson in the Presidential
Office Even Slavery, the cause OF all our
suBarings, would be practically reassured,
while Western Virginia, born Of the agonies of
) this rebellion, might become subject to the
very men who have, in their criminal conclave
at Richmond, been for three or four years
racking their brains and torturiag their inge-
nuity for means to murder our sons and BROTH
ers. .s----- -
Thank Heavenswe have at this juncture-
the most critical aud perhaps the most danger
ous Of the whole war--pertectly united cour-
ellis, and degree of frmness at the head Of
affairs that cannot be shaken. There are sew.
erai considerations for which, just now, the
people-the loyal people who have sacrificed
and suffered; whose sons and brothers, fathers
and friends have bled on Southern battleAelds
or starved In rebel prisons-liave especial
reason to be grateful. ia
* i. That telegram Of the lamented Pres.-
81 dent, so recently slain by hemurderons hand
OF the rebellion, published yesterday. shows
q that he was radically opposed to any such as
d sumption OF diplomatic power by a. military
officer as Gen. Sherman has assumed, and
gives warrant for the belief that, had he been
living, he would have been foremost in the
cabinet TO rebuke IL. We say this isa grati-
tying fact, for since Mr.. Liseni--'- dasth he has
become embalnnad N . nations memory and
canonizsd in their affections, 80 that his
words and acts are appealed TO with the same
confidence as are these Of Washingtc MS Fare.
well Address or the constitution ofthe United
States. lshETseB
q 1t is a source ONO small degree OF graft
location that the Cabinet is unit, and that
itpromptly vetoed this attempt to have rebel
lion unslaip, and rebels left with the arms and
munitions Of war deposited where uuholy ann
bition could reach them at any moment.
8. Il Is still an additional source of gratia-
cation that the noble, unselfsh, simple-mind-,
r. ed GRANT fully agrees with the President
and Cabinet. and with the loyal feeling of the
country, and that he is SO situated that he can
in person take charge Of affairs in the Caro-
lnas. 81 ta1 ,soas@asw
Nor are we to forget in our grateful re-
collections how the armistice was viewed by
Gen. Sherman's own soldiers: in the brief
terse words Of the telegraphic dispatch, .sthe
armistice order was received very coldly by
the army" The soldiers wish for no half
way work. They wish to make one lob of
putting down the rebellion and its cause and
Its authors, and to leave no seeds to sprout
and trouble their posterity. SIS
8. It's gratifying fact, in addition to all
other considerations named, IL such an abor-
tion was to be proposed to The American peo-
pie in the name OF Peace, that it should be
done at moment when, by the browning act
OF barbarism at Washington, the public mind
was In the exact state to rebel against it. and
thus avert all the dangers Of apatched-up
compromise with rebels in arms and blood
stained traitors. ssas sHsa eama svs =
We are not surprised to find Democratic
editors expressing regrets that such golden
opportunity to secure peace should be thrown
away, and speaking of the objections to the
Sherman-J Johnston armistice as '.ridicuIously
frivolous" They would. perhaps, rejoice at
the restoration of JEFF. Davis and his wicked
coWreres to their former positions OF in
huence, and gladly welcome into.full fellow
ship all the shsdders of loyal blood. But
they will not be accommodated. The
voice Of The nation is unmistakable. Rebel |
lion Is played out, and so is the rebel army. |
The Union Government is strong, and will
move with majestic dignity, trampIing under
foot all attempts to reinstate traitors, or toi
give absoluton to treason. No i'll effect will |
result from this ill-advised movement unless
1t be to Sherman himself 1t may destroy |
him, unless he is good soldier enough to sub |
nit gracefully to being snubbed when going
in the wrong direction But whatever result
may come to Gen. Sherman, or whatever NAV
: happen tothe doubtful patriots who had hop
90 g shake hands in fellowship with the lead
se'ss o. the rebellion, the work will 20 on:
treason viii be crushed, slavery. will not be
reViVed' and condign punishment will fail. In
que process Of law, upon the guilty leader,
uniess .ney are lucky enough to escape by
the back door, and cast their lots on foreign
shores. = : ~ ''' ~
A Significant Fact. -