The Tipton Advertiser

TIPTON, IOWA:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1861

About the Peace Congress.

The above is the name given to the Convention of commissioners of several of the States that convened at Washington, on the 4th inst. We do not expect that any good will come of the meeting. One of its first acts was to elect John Tyler, of infamous memory, as President. He is now an avowed secessionist, and of course he will covertly act so as to accomplish his treasonable purpose. John Tyler first made himself infamous by betraying his party; he is now a traitor to his country, and if he is the best man in the land to head a movement, that it was hoped would save the country, Heaven save the rest of the men and the country, for there can be but little hope from such men. Of course we do not intend to say that all the members of the Peace Congress are of the kind referred to, for there are many honorable men in it, who unless there is a change in its course, will ere long be sorry that they ever consented to sit with the traitors, even with a view, to save the Union. It is possible that when the commissioners of all the States, that have appointed, get together, there will be a better feeling prevalent. None of the seceding States have appointed commissioners, which shows that they have no desire to effect a settlement of the difficulty, and as the border, Slave States say they will not permit the Government to enforce the laws in the seceding States, which will not return to their allegiance, we see no chance for a peaceable settlement, unless we recognize the right of a State to secede at any time and for any cause, and that would result in a virtual dissolution of the Federal Government. Nothing is more certain than if a State can secede, there can be no strength in the General Government, for it would be impossible to borrow money, (as every State but Rhode Island might secede and she is not able to pay the national debt if she was willing to do so) or to enforce any law. We must first establish the fact that we have a government that has power to protect itself, and then we can talk about granting favors. To grant the demand first, is to admit that we have no government.