New Albany Daily Ledger, June 21, 1861

The N. Y. Tribune intimates that it has knowledge that plans are on foot to bring about a settlement of our national difficulties and restore peace to this distracted land. The Tribune, of course, denounces everything that does not look to a bloody arbitrament of the questions at issue; but, with a St. Louis contemporary, we are of opinion that, notwithstanding all that the Tribune may say, efforts to restore peace to our land will be hailed with joy and gladness all over the country. We but echo the voice of all those who love their country, and desire to see the Union restored, when we say that the man who can successfully bring about this object without bloodshed, whether in Congress or out, will be immortalized, and have his name canonized on the roll with Washington and all the other benefactors of the human race. Bad as the temper of the people North and South undoubtedly is—overwrought as they have been by the appeals of a satanic press, seemingly delighting to revel in blood and misery and desolation—stung to the quick and exasperated as they have been, by constant misrepresentations of each other's political feelings and intentions—driven to desperation by the destruction of business, and all values in every city and State of the Union, leading to want and starvation and crime—still, one glad, general, almost universal shout would go up on the consummation of peace. This war is unlike all others in which we have been concerned. Hitherto we have always engaged in wars with foreign powers as a band of brothers, bound by a holy desire to maintain our rights and to stand by the honor of the nation at all hazards. Now, however, in the civil war which has called forth hundreds of thousands of men on either side, no battle can be fought which is not sure to carry woe and lamentation all over the country, North, South, East, and West—for, so blent and united are we by marriage and association, that all must suffer alike. Brothers are so placed by political feeling and connection with the two armies, as to make it almost impossible to avoid taking each other's life; and so, too, of father and son. There is no end to the calamities which the death-roll of every battle carries with it to every household; and that man must be strangely constituted who can sit down at his desk, and composedly protest against a return to peace, basing such opposition on political grounds alone. The devil must reign paramount in him. We do not know who it is that proposes to take the initiation in this attempt to restore brotherly and peaceful relations to the whole Union; but if it were our worst enemy—if it were the man against whom we have fought a political fight for a life-time—in common with the whole land, we would praise and honor him. Glad are we to know that such a thing is in contemplation even now; for, though it appears in a dim and uncertain light, and is opposed with a vehemence which is neither just, nor manly, nor Christian-like, it may be productive of glorious results before the session of Congress, now near at hand, shall be brought to a termination. Good men of all parties should unite in promoting this work of compromise and reconciliation, although it may not suit the views of politicians and speculators, who, followers of the armies, indulge the hope of rising to political power, of making immense fortunes out of the contracts which are sure to be the award of favorites.