Year: 1863

solved, whether the Republic can withstand
the shock it has received, and outlive the
ruin that threatens its existence, or wheth
er it will go down, like Greece and Rome
expiring amidst the conhagration of its own
greatness


The question of the greatest Importance
to the people of this nation is--Can the evil
effects consequent upon the unjust policy OF
this war be averted, and the country saved
from the direful calamity that now awaits it?
As above stated, if the war is to be contin-
ued, and be prosecuted with the same policy
that has characterized it for the last twelve
months, there seems to be no star of promise
rising in the horizon of hope to cneer the
wayfaring patriot. All seems to betoken
destruction, misery, and an utter extermi
nation of one or the other of the belllgerent
parties now battling for the mastery. But,
cannot the policy Of this unholy contest be
changed? Are the people, in whom are
vested the right and power to govern, TO be
chained to the principle of mastery mac.
tivityn like Prometheus to the mount, and
thus endure eternal suferings, or shall some
brave and noble Hercules arse 10 release
them from the terrible inertia in which they
so supinely repose2 Let the people remem-
Der the f.bled response of Hercules to the
desponding teamster who so piteously I'M
plored the heathen hero for assistance to
help him out of the mire-"first put thine
own shoulder to the wheel, and then call
on Hercules and h. will help thee" was the
instructive reply Let the people attempt
to release themselves from this "masterly
inactivity" and then call on the hero Of
the times, who will be at hand,
to assist them in the holy struggle
Is not the preservation Of our liberties a
prize worthy of every sacrifice? Has the
heart Of man became so corrupt that the
prospect of gain, the giddy enticements of
honor, the pleasing anticipation Of power
and the glory of renown outweigh and over
balance the inestimable blessings of liberty,
justice and right If this war is waged for
party purposes, party agrandizement and
party emoluments; cannot the people change
such policy2 1t may truly be said that
the people are not capable of seIf-govern-
taept, if they willingly permit those smong
them TO usurp their rights and establish
a despotism over them. What a comment
on the frailty and instability Of republican
forms OF government if the people of such a
government allow a fanatical faction to in
augurate detestablo policy which, like
Aaron's rod, shall swallow up all other
policies of long and tried standingl 1t is
plain to every rejecting mind that the pres
ent policy of the war, as conducted by the
CABAL at Washington, must be changed or the
ship ofState will go to pieces upon the wild
and destructive breakers ofAbolitionism. The
only hope of restoration of the "Union as
it was" lies in the speedy and complete
change of the policy Of the war. Instead
Of thrusting the constitution aside it
must be made the polarstar Of every ae-
ton and every measure. 1t must become
the sheet-anchor of four faith in the restora-
tionof theUnion. Let us so demean ourselves,
looking to the Constitution, the soul of the
Government, for our guide; that the lovers
of the Union in the South, seeing our prin-
cples and purposes, may sigh for the good
times of old and manifest desire for q re-
union.


We must resort to the ballot-boX and Sc
cure good, reliable men to Congress who re-
feet the willof thepeople and labor orestore
confidence in the minds Of our Southern
brethren that they shall be regarded as
equals, with all Of their rights restored and
guaranteed from any infringement. War
cannot be made the harbinger of hope for
return of peace, if the policy Of that war
be declared to be subgugation or extermI-
nation. We cannot conquer peace II
we desire peace, PEACE should be blazoned
upon our banners. Then let the people
array themselves on the side of peace
peace to this distracted country,-peace to
the homes and fresides of mourning mil
lions-peace to the storm-beaten soldiers
who dream of happy home as they sleep
upon the tented -field-peace to the wailng
orphans and weeping, desolate mothers
who are furnishing unnoticed and unknown.
Without this talismanic word, we need not
hope for better days. Without it the
moons of this Republic-now only in name,
is numbered.


UNION AND PEACE.
For the Wheeling Register