The daily gazette., 1880-03-04
FIRST EDITION.
From the Lancaster Int lligencer.
Bayard's Peace speech.


Certain journals of influence have
assumed that the republication Of
Mr.. Bayard's speech in favor of peace,
made to the people of Delaware at
the outset of our civil war, necessarily
takes him out of the field of presi-
Dental candidates and this, not be-
cause he may be charged with any
unfriendliness to the union or lack Of
sympathy with its cause, after the
struggle had been fairly entered into,
but solely because of his belief that
the war should have been avoided.
The idea is not that Mr.. Bayard's
disloyalty units him for presidential
candidacy, but that he is tabooed, be
cause his judgment was against Obe i'll
augurati0n If war that resulted sue
cessfully and in restored Union. No
sccusatioD sf disloyalty is made; it is
simply one Of false judgment; and a
judgment which, II false, would al least
have spared the blood and treasure, the
debt aud death, that the war cost. 1t Is
not even question whether this war was
not repaid by the restored Union fol
II cannot be assumed that the separation
of the States, If then sceedcd to, would
ests OF all the people of the United
States summon them TO union with each
other In one government aud II this is
the tact the States would not have re-
manned long apart. Ii it Is not the fact,
then certainly the Union would have
been; Ii IL Is moi the fact the Union will
not long exist, now that 1t has been re-
stored. 1t is not TO be di puted that
single democratic government cannot be
permanently maintained over sections of
| diverse interests when their political
union is, upon the whole, found TO be
disadvantsReous to any of them. The
guarantee of the perpetuity Of our Union
is based upon the mutual interest of the
States in 1t, or 1t Is founded upon sand.
That Mr.. Bayard has ceased 20 be
available as candidate because he was
for peace instead oi war, even for two
months after Fort Sumter had been fred
upon In 1861, is not 80 certain as it has
been assumed to be at first blush by very
| many, II not most of hose who have
on idered 1t. The o.ls weight 1t Is ELL
Titled to Is an Indictment Of his political
judgment, VI he was wrong. He boldly
assumes now the. full responsi bility for
what he Id then, AMI declares that he
stands just there to-day. 81 am oppos osed,"
he declares to iaternecine strife," and
he challenges the Republican party, and
asks tue Democratic party, TO make this
the issue OF the political contest this
year.
The demand Is at least worthy If con-
sideration. Mr.. Bayaru has this advan-
tage IN bis position token in 1851, that II
was taken by the great mars of the
Democratic party at that time. Their
advi was not taken and their judgment
vas not followed. We are not con-
vine, Il that they were mistaken; bnt it
would scarcely be wise in US, now that
we have paid oLr full share Of the cost
of the opposite policy, TO put ourselves
n position to -eject the profit that may
come tn us from It. The Union ls now
la our bands and Its power Is ours ~
control the political element that fou MI
1t To Its advantage to bring on the fra
tricidal war, and which uid bring IL on
for selfish purposes. 1t Is not to our
political advantage to maintain pur po-
sition of 1861; we can well afford TO try
the Idea then acted upen that Union OF
force ~ the kl MI we have. 1t ~ certain
TO be reversed whenever the interests OF
the Staes become TOO diverse, II they
ever do; but meanw hile the idea will an
swer o subcue every weak show OF re-
bellion.
But we can frankly assume full share
with Mr.. Bayard tor our peace proclivi-
| Ties III 1901. we nave no TchbOu 10 De
ashamed of them. n we were wrong
headed our hearts at least were right;
aud wo would not be at all afraid to put
| up now candidate who declared IN
1861 that he was for peace. The people
are not 30 senseless rs TO strike down a
good man, loyal to the Union all
through the war, be cause he did not
| want 10 TO be.
fthey have this disposition we have
| very little available presidential timber
| In the Democratic party, and even the
Republicans would find their public
Iuen mi ore than decimated. Mr.. Tilden
was thoroughly with his party in its OPP
| position to the war, aud OF course, II Is
not he who casts this first stone at Mr.
Bayard. For Mr.. Tilden and Mr.. Bay
ard to contend over this matter would
be a yeritable Kilkenny cat fight. they
had better both boldly stand by their
position in 1861, aud the Democratic
party will stand there along with them.
1t ls paying a very poor compliment
| to the Intelligence OF the voter to sup
pose that the war Democrat or war Re-
publican OF 1861, who believed In war
from the very outset and never doubted
its exPedIency after Fort sam or bad
been tired on, will vote against Mr.. Bay
ard because he was then for peace. IL we
are to have another civil war soon, or
TO be threatened with 1t, 1t would excuse
the Union men tor voting against him;
| for he could not be for such war, he
said then and says now. But rs such an
issue In not contemplated in this genera
ton II hardly enters fairly into an esti-
mate OF Mr.. Bayard's presidential quail
tications. We have objections To his
candidacy, but this is not one of them;
and We do not believe IL affects greatly