The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-02-16
KELTON

probable just now that our country
will be drawn into the present great
war. do hope that she will not on
account of the great loss of life, prop
erty and suffering untold. If she does
instead of peace, almost every country
will be practically drawn into it either
on one side or the other. If not actu-
ally engaged they will be sympather-
ically. This great war has brought
about conditions unthought of so
years ago. International laws have
been made more for the small nations
than larger ones by patriotic states
men,, so that the small or weak ones
could have fair showing in the bus
mess world with big ones just as the
Sherman law of this country was to
hold down big corporations and give
the small ones chance to live. But
the big dogs got to fighting and it
looks like all international laws are
being trampled under foot by either
one side or the other. When President
Wilson sent his peace note to the war
ring nations and England refused to
hear to conference or negotiations
for terms of settlement of this great
est of wars and Germany agreed to
them the shedding of all the blood af-
ter fell upon the head of England. If
Germany had been the cause of all the
bloodshed and suffering before that
she was no more to blame unless Ger
many finally refused to agree to reas-
enable and righteous terms of peace.
Let us see the history of our own
country over so years ago. In Jan
uary, 1865, there was a move on foot
by Mr.. Francis P. Blair, Sr., to try
to end that cruel war, so he went I.
work and both presidents, Lincoln and
Davis, agreed to have a conference.
Davis named three, Alexander H.
Stevens, Senator Robt. M. T. Hunter
and Assistant Secretary of State Jno.
A. Campbell, as his commissioners un-
instructed. What did the great Lin
coin do?-named w. H. Serbard, his
secretary of state, full instruc-
tions that he would not countenance
any propositions, only for the South to
lay down her arms, free her slaves
and go back into the Union. What
could be done by President Davis?
Only to fight to the finish. And what
was the report that went from this
conference. It was that Lincoln said.
"Uet me write Union on a scrip of
paper and the South can fill in the re-
mainder of terms for peace" Now
readers, is there any reason to such
language? So read the facts in his
tory. This all took place in February
1866. heard an old Confederate Vet
eran few months ago say that when
this conference ended that the news
was circulated down the trenches at
Petersburg that Lincoln had offered
to pay a fair price for the slaves and
free them and jeff Davis refused the
terms and that some who had been
good soldiers before laid down their
arms and went across the line.
Now back to Germany. If Germany
agreed to Wilson's peace note I, for
one, say that would use my greatest
weapon to gain the victory and think
that she had just right to warn all
neutrals what she was going to do. If
the whole world was against her. The
world has made enough money out of
this great European war already, so
let them stand still and see those
fighting nations fight to the finish
Talk about humanity. What is Eng
land doing? She has a blockade on
Germany and for what? To perish
her soldiers, old men, women and
children. Which is the worst. for
warning nation to do, warn all other
neutral nations that she will destroy
lives and property without further
warning when the nations can prevent
1T or build wall around their enemies.
as the case may be, and starve them
all out, old men, women and children.
when thew can't help themselves with
out sacrificing their nations principal.
as we had to do in 1865. My readers.
be your own Judge. Individuals and
nations will be much profitted if they
will study the sermon on the mount
and heed its teachings. How many of
us when an enemy smites one on one
cheek turn the other also? No, we
return the first blow. If Christ would
have one treat his enemy thus why
does it not apply to nation? No,
you would hear the money lover rath-
er than the liberty lover say that ma
tion has backed down and is a cow
ardly one. Dear readers, / got my sat-
isfaction of war in the sixties. Sher-
man gave a good definition of war.
fear that the oat crop is a total
loss in this community.