Year: 1864

would enable The enemy To send portion o
lis Virginia Army TO threaten Gen Sher
mau's communications, and then perhaps com
pei him to fail back up0n Chattanooga anC
lose all the valuable results OF this long anC
difficult campaign. 1t is therefore OF the Ut
most importance that the rebel army at Rich
mOnd be kept 50 occupied that No portion of it
may be detached and sent in this direction.
Of late there seems to be a good desl oI
talk outside the army about peace, aud even
the semblsnce OF peace negotiation seems 20
have been recently enacted over the dark vnr-
tex of Niagara. 1t is proper to say that in
the army there is but one sentiment on This
subject, and that is the sentimen. expressed
by the President in his short. sharp aud de
csive" letter to the nOndescript rebel emiSsa-
ries. Peace without the Union? Hos ab
surd If such thing ever was reasonable.
or ever possible, it was before tine loyal people
Of the nation became involved iD this gigantic
war to maintain its integrity. II we were to
give up the government of our fathers we
should have done so before scores OF thousands
OF lives and untold millions of treasure we're
expended in its defense. That government, so
precious by reason of the great principles it
involves, is now rendered doubly so by the
vast sacrifice of our best blood which it has
cost US. 10 yield it now would be = base be-
trayal OF the patriots who have given their
lives to maintain it. 1t would be humilia-
ting concession to the enemies of constitution
al liberty, and cowardly recreancy from the
greatest, holiest trust ever committed to the
keeping of loyal people. Besides, the obsta
cleG to a peaceable division of the country in
to two independent governments are just as
great now as they ever were 1t would be
j ust as difficult to mark the boundary be-
tween freedom and slavery now as it would
have been at the outbreak of the rebellion
The same perplexing questions that would
have arisen then would arise now and would
be found quite as remote from amicable aud
honorable adjustment.


Had the war been total or even partial
failure upon our part, there might be some ex-
cuse for seeking the best terms of reconeilia-
ton with our enemies. But such has not
been the case. Considering the immense dis
advantages under which the war has been
waged it has been a marvellous success. Any
one who takes a map OF the country and fairly
and inteligently compares the present limits
of the rebellion with its boundaries as they
existed three years ago, must be filled with
wonder aud admiration at the vast achieve
ments of our armies. The enemy is now
driven to the wall. His armies have reached
those points from which it is impossible for
him TO retreat without bringing sure and
swift ruin upon his cause. The evacuation of
Richmond and Atlanta would be virtual
confession OF the utter utility and hopeessuess
of any farther effort to maintain the rebellion.


Let the war therefore continue not only so,
but let The war 6e waged with redoubled ener-
gy aud with that irresistible and unreenting
determination which never admits the thought
of failure. Let ihe people unite to sustain the
army with all possible moral and physical
support, and resolve that nothing shall be left
undone that can strengthen the arms and en-
courage the hearts Of those who Fight the bat
ties of the Union. Then shall we soon see the
beginning OF the end aud the dawn of that
lasting and substantial peace which is founded
upon the immutable principles of Justice and
truth. Thd monsIrous rebellion will disap-
pear as morning cloud and be chronicled
among the things that were, its authors cover
ed with the scorn Of tue civilized world, will
sink to deserved oblivion, and that best time
so long hoped and prayed for will come,


When bloody Mari


Is only known among the stars,


And his armor with its thousand scars,


In niche as a curious thing is bound


And peered into aud nothing found


When some sweet bird of the South


May build in every cannOn'S mouth


Till the only sound from its rusty throat


Shall be the wren's or the blue-bird's note


When doves may find safe resort


In the embrasures of every fort"


YOuIs Tor the war,


A. L. SECHAND.