Year: 1861

We are informed by those who know best, that
a large element of the population of North Car
oIina is composed Of Quakers or descendants of
Quakers, who are proverbially lovers of peace.
This may help to account for the rumors which
reach Us Of the possibility of Union movement
In that State The Peace party in the South is
probably not large now, and every exertion will
be used TO keep it down; but when it becomes
sufficiently strong to make itself heard at the
North, il will find response here neither low nor
doubtful The Northern papers, which ridicuie
all peace men and peace-lovers, make decided
error. There are great many excellent Chris
tians in the world who practice the principles of
the gospel Of peace after the fashion of the Qua
kers and who sincere in their belief that it is
better to suffer wrong than to strike blow. IT
is rather striking fact. toe, that some men who
have been known ardent abolitionists, and
whose hatred to the South is on record in prose
and poetry, are peace men now, because they are
consistent members of the non-resistance party,
an0 are, on principle, opposed TO war.


A broad distinction exists between those who
are lovers of peace for its own sake, on principle
and those who cry peace when there is no peace,
for the purpose of aiding an enemy, or with the
design of embarrassing the Government. Ii
would be well for every one who imagines him
self impelled by pure Christian motives in oppo-
sing war AMI counselling peace, to inquire calmly





which he desires. In other words, let him sit
down with pen and paper. and draw up plan or
treaty of peace for the present emergency. 1t
has been tried by good men, and they have failed.
The same experiment has been tried in every
war of modern times. We can always name
terms of peace for ourselves, but we seldom can
for our enemies and hence in every instance
where Christian nations have been plunged into
war, the hearts of good men have sought with
far, from tba INF of fha FIRST
collision, but finding no opening, have been con-
tent to wait the time when the Providence of God
should make it possible To cry peace, peace,
is way for reasonable man to obtain peace.
If you demand thing as duty, show the way
to do it, and when you say the country must have
peace. add to it a suggestion of the practical
course for the Government to purs ne in laying
down arms 81


That the moment will come when a lasting,
honorable and glorious peace can be effected, we
have not the slightest doubt. We shall be ready,
and we believe the whole North are ready to
welcome the moment with exultation. But we
do not expect it until We see some indications of
a desire for il on the other side, and when that is
visible the end of the war is at hand.


In the meantime, we counsel our neighbors
that they are making mistake in their sweeping
denunciations of ali peace lovers. If one could
look in the hearts of many good women we
should find ardent lovers of peace, who are no
traitors at heart. The man who would deliber-
ately call such woman traitor is coward
himself, and yet these wholesale accusations,
thoughtlessly include just such innocent per-
sons.


No man who sincerely believes that peace
ought to be purchased at any sacrifice, should be
called a traitor because he so reads his Bible.
Let US have done with this calling of men traitors
for what they think and believe 1t is enough to
deal with reasonable acts, but in the name of
the martyrs don't let us hang or imprison men
here, even if they think the New Testament
teaches Mormonsm or Mohammedansm. If
man deserves the name of traitor, he deserves
rope and gallows. If every man in America,
North and South, was 8 believer in the doctrine
Of peace for the sake of peace, we should not
need to look long for settlement of the war.
But so long side cries war, it is in vain for
the other to cry peace. 1t takes two parties to
make peace just as it takes two to make war,
and North and South must deliberately look this
fact in the face.-N Y. Jour. Of Com -