National Republican., 1880-10-19
LET us HAVE PEACE.

When General GRANT assumed the preSi-
dental chair ho invoked with memorable
language the spirit of peace, and during
his entire administration stroye to bring
about the end so much desired. That Gen
eral GRANT is a sincere man there can be
no doubt. Whatever may have been his
imperlections and faults of character, he
stands before the world rs man who
means what he says, if any man ever did.
one of his prominent traits. He clung to
Vicksburg till it fell, and when his grip was
once fast on LEES army it never relaxed
until the army was captured. When LEE
surrendered he received such lenent terms
from GRANT that he was amazed. Some
say he wept at the unexpected magnnnimiy
of the great conqueror, who not only cx-
tended the usual graceful cour tesies of such
an occasion, but went beyond til require
ment and the custom and fed the traitors
who had been in arms against their own
country and flag. When, the refore, GRANT
said Let us have peace" he had already
initiated peace by lenienSy, magnanimity,
courtesy TO the fallen comman der aud char
ity to the starving foe and the spirit he
then showed animated his administration
lowed fast and free. Disabilities fell, priv
ileges were extended faster than the recipi-
ents could give guarantees that they would
not be abused. Help to the exhausted was
profIered with liberal hand and good will
aud forgiveness were manifes ted without
stint or reservation. Along near the last
days of the dying conlederl cy Governor
VANCE of North Carolina said 1--WE know
at last precisely what We should get by
ubmssion-abolition Of slavery, confsca-
ton of property aud terri torial vassalagc."
That was the expectation. They got aboli-
ton of slavery, and that was ALL
Why, then, DOVE not have peace ? Seem
ingly all the conditions of peace but one
have been granted. Slavery is gone, but
that was inevitable and there is no help
for it, and it is no longer cause of COM
plaint. We do not have peace, because of a
solid south and the way it is made solid.
The south aims at entire domination. 1t
aims to shape the policy of the country.
1t aims at absolute power and scruples not
at the means to obtain it.
To aim at power is not necessarily wrong.
If the south can get power by fair means
for purposes that are right and legitimate
there could be no just cause of complaint,
but in this case the south wants power in
order to avenge itself for tho mischances of
war. 1t wants power to make up for its
pecuniary losses. 1t wants power that it
may stand before the world as conqueror
instead of conquered. 1t wants to put its
aristocratic heel on the northern labOrer to
pay him for marching to put down seces-
sion, slavery and plantation rule. This is
why we do not have peace-this and be-
cause the democratic party holds out the
promise to the south that its ends can be
attained.
Now we shall never have peace while
these aims continue at the south. This
country can never be ruled by q section
again for any length of time. The demo
cratic party, for the sake Of office, may
ioin the south and through fraud and
bribery may succeed in giving them the
power, but that will not make peace il
| will be the commencement Of war, for the
southern idea of governm ent is not suited
to the interests or the principles of republic
can institutions, and secured by fraud anC
attempted to be maintained by fraud, forc'
will most likely have to be used for its re-
covcry, aud that will be war. One year o
HANCOCK and a solid south will make thii
nation sicker than it was of the extra ses
sion but the brigodors will hardly yield tC
votes, so there will be no peace.