Year: 1864

In his sudden change of base in the Peace
Conference negotiations at Niagara, Mr. Lincoln
struck the key note of the radicals. 1t is the
entire unconditional surrender Of slavery, or
fighting to the last man and dollar Some
of his most influential party adherents have
placed themselves in opposition to the dictum
of the President, and handle his conclusions
without gloves. 1t is becoming more apparent
every day that the political contest of the day is
not alone between the President and the con-
servative men of the country. He is met
squarely upon this issue by some Of his own par
ty organs, who foresee the hopele. sless of Il .
result if the policy of Mr. Lincoln is to prevail
by his reelection.


The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, a Republi-
can paper, holds the following language


We are aware that it has become the fashion
with class of silly, unrehecting men to scout
the idea of any peace, and to refuse to listen to
deliberate reflection or discussion upon the sub
ject as an abandonment Of principle. Such men
seem to consider the present struggle as a sort
of Kilkenny fight, involving the total annihila-
tion of one or the other of the parties to it, and
regard the mention of peace very nearly allied
to treason itself X


The North entered upon the present struggle
with the declared purpose of maintaining the
Union President Lincoln in his inaugural ut
tered sentiments which would to-day be entirely
satisfactory to the south as a basis of peace





ment Of hostilites, resolved with all the solem-
nifty Oflegislation that the war should be prose-
cuted with no purpose of aggression upon the
Federal Rights of the South. The ink of the
engrossing clerk scarcely dry before the ma
tional faith thus pledged was violated. Three
bloody years have sealed the qualification
which was then enacted.


The key of the great problem now before this
people may be found in this question: What
are we fighting for Is it the maintenance of
the Union or is it the reconstruction of the
Union upon basis of emancipation Are we
fighting to assert and yindicate the power of the
Federal Government, or to regulate and reform
the domestic abuses Of the South In the an
swer to these questions lies the solution of all
the issues Of war.


We venture the opinion that if reliable as
surance could be given to the people of the
South that the Federal Constitution and its
strict maintenance were the sole ultmatum of
peace, that the rebellion would cease within
three months"


The NewburypOrt Herald another able Repub-
lican journal appeals for Union in peace in
opposition to Mr.. Lincoln's idea, as follows


'What we want to secure is no emancipation
or slavery not the success of this party or that;
but the nations integrity-the Union as it was.
All other considerations of no consequence
not worth name. Give us the Union in peace,
and we shall be fully capable of taking care of
all else. Slavery will settle itself; it was doing
so as rapidly as it could before this war COM
menced. Give us union in peace, and the ma
tional debt would be nothing. If it was two
thousand millions more than it is to-day the ma
tlonal stock would at once advance 20 per cent
above par and gold would sink till both would
come near a level. Give us Union in peace and
we should present such a front to the world as
to be ever after secure against encroachments,
and insult from abroad, and we should hold the
destiny Of the Western Continent in our own
hands"