Year: 1863

Peace-when shall we have Peaces


We copy the following from the Raleigh Daily
Progress of the 18th instant:


1--WE favor peace because we believe that peace
now would save slavery, while we very much fear
that prolongation of the war will obliterate the
last vestige Of it We.are for peace because there
has been enough of blood and carnage, enough Of
widows and orphans, heartbroken mothers and sor-
rowing fathers We are for peace, because, with an
sins of nations as of individuals will overtake them,
and that God will avenge himself on this American
people, if this unnatural fratricidal butchery is
suffered to 60 on We have nothing TO- advise,
nothing to suggest but We know-we but express
the truth when we declare that the earnest prayer
Of sl right thinking men, everywhere is for peace,
and tha. our pse1le here. in North Carolina, now
that does not enslave and degrade theu-any peace
that is honorable aad that respects our rights.


We earnestly hope that the peace element at tho
North will revolt at the great struggle at Gettys
burg, And compel the despotism that is consuming
them to agree to settlement of the whole matter,
upon terms that we can accept They have to
choose between giving US peace upon our own terms,
and fighting on for we have three or four hundred
thousand men in the field and can fight for years
yet


The horizon is dark and gloomy, people are
thoughtful and anxious, and men are eagerly asking
what is to come. We have no comfort for any one
for our perils great and our future is gloomy
Let every man put himself on . war footing and
nerve his arm and steel his heart for the trying
scenes through which he is to pass"


We agree with our cotemporary in much of the
above. But we have no idea that We can obtain
"peace upon our own terms" The most powerful
nations seldom succeed in doing that What the
great mass of our people desire is cessation Of
hostilities, and negotiations If they could reach
that point they would feel that the conflict Of arms
would not be renewed, and that some settlement
would be effected which would leave them in the
future in the enjoyment of life liberty, and hap
piness."


1t is great crime especially at time like this,
to conceal the truth from the people. We intend
to tell them the truth far We know it. let the
consequences be what they may.


From the beginning Of the war to the present the
enemy has slowly but surely gained upon us; and
but for the extraordinary endurance and courage Of
our troops, his flag would now be floating At the
capital of every State. We have lost Missouri Ms
ryland Kentucky, Tennessee, the Mississippi valley,
Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and considerable por-
tions oother States Vicksburg has alen as We fear


ed many months ago it would Port Hudson has fallen.
Charleston, Mobile, and Savannah will probably 60
next Gen. Lee is attempting to retire from Nary
land with his spos, but no substantial victory has
| crowned his arms. We are weaker to-day than


when be crossed the Potomac into Maryland. Our


recruits in the way of conscrpts will scarcely keep


our regiments full, and we cannot hope to add ma


terially to our forces. Our fighting population is


pretty we'll exhausted Every body knows this


The North knows it. and so does Europe. On the


contrary, our enemies, flushed with triumph, have
large army in the field, and their President has


Just called for three hundred thousand more. He


will get them The movement on Pennsylvania by


Gen. Lee, and the fall Of Vicksburg and Port Hud


son, have hushed all camors for peace in the North


and have banded tie people there as one man fol


the prosecution of the war. We have nothing II


hope for from foreign nations and just as our cause


is we see no indications that Providence is about


:nterpose in our behalf The war, then, will 60 on


One side or the other must conquer. Will tive mil


lions of whites conquer twenty millions of the same


race, Will they conquer peace on the very sol


Of these twenty millionsl Not, in any event, l


these twenty millions possess ordinary manhood ant
will fight. They fought at Sharpsburg and at Get
tysburg. and they worsted at the latter place.
Northern troops are not towards, they fight ne.r
7 " as well as Southern troops. We cannot achiev


signal victories over them on their own soil.
} What thenl If the worst is destined to over
nd tn
less than the worst, provided we could do so com
patibly with honors =
3 The Richmond Enquirer recently declared th'
there were but two roads before the South-one,
l invade the North and conquer apeace and the ots
er. to restore or reconstruct the old government


That paper was either indulging vain speculation
as to the future or it win be prepared to abando
the contest if Gen. Lee should fail in his efforts
: conquer peace by invading tho North. 10 aban
don the contest or to attempt to endure the pres
;. euce of Northern armies our soil, and to res's


them only by guerrilla warfare, is most prooaoi
to be conquered It does not follow that natlo


is not CONQUERED because all its troops, or > COZ
siderable portion Of them are not whipped or car
- tured. Whipped we have pever been' ana ne'e


will be, but we may be overcome by mere physics
N force. Such was the fate OF Poland, Hungary, an
Ireland. 1t is no disgrace to. people to be ove


powered by mere brute force. if they resist MANU-
=. ly and desperately. No troops since clvilzss'o
n commenced have fought with more courage, or col
8 stancy, or ardor than the Southern troops Inc
n ! future and the future of the country for wnic
IN they are still contending, can never BE- IN al
,e event. otherwise than respectable and honorao
'e among nations. We grope in the dark like chill
y ren looking for the designs, and endeavorng to


terpret the workings Of Providence in the analrs
,. nations The birth Of nation on this planet Is
d. great event. The decay and death Of nation Is
he great event If it should please ] Him to oul'o
ii. and perpetuate this new nationsof Coniedera
he states, He will do it; if not He will not 90 H.
nd That is all we know about it.
to 1t Is time to consult reason and common sens
ut and to discard prejudice and passion Our peol
n. must look at and act upon things IS they are
=, | -. .. thav would have them They must rsme