TEP3 BEDFORD GAZETTE l PUBLISHED EVERT FRIDAY MORMWG 111 D. F. MEYERS, At the following terms, to wits $2 00 per cnnum, if paid strictly in advance. $2.50 if paid within 6 months; $3.00 it not paid within 6 months. CT-No subscription taken to r less than six months paper discontinued until all arrearages are paid, unless at the option of the publisher, it has been decided by the United States Courts that the stoppage of a newspaper without the payment of arrearages, is prima facie evidence of fraud and is a criminal oflence. courts have derided that persons are ac countable for the subscription price of newspapers, if they take them from the post office, whether they subscribe for them, or not- The i'misbiifs jH-essiige, mow Citizens of the Senate and House of Rep resentatives : Again the blessings of health and abundant harvests claim our profouudest gratitude to Al mighty God. The condition of our foreign affairs is reason ably satisfactory. Mexico continues to be a theatre of civil war; while our political rela tions with that country have undergone no change, wo have at the same time strictly main tained neutrality between the belligerents. At the request of the States of Costa Rica a id Nicaragua, a competent engineer has been authorized to make a survey of the river San Juan and the port of San Juan. It is a source of much satisfaction that (he difficult'- s which at one moment excited politi cal apprehensions and caused a closing of the inter-oceamc transit route, have been amicably adjusted, and that there is a good prospect that the route will soon be re-opened with an in crease of capacity and adaptation. We could not exaggerate either the commercial or politi cal importance of that great improvement. The new liberal Constitution of Venezuela having gone into effect with the universal ac quiescence of the people, the government under it has been recognized and diplomatic inter course with it has opened in a cordial and friend ly spirit. The long deferred AIIX Island claim has been satisfactorily paid and discharged.— Mutual payments have been made of the claims awarded by the late joint committee for the set tlement of claims between tho United States and Peru. An earnest and cordial friendship continues to exist between the two countries, and such effort as were in ray power have been used to remove an j avei q a threaten ed war between and Spain. Our relations are of *.' l ° most friendly nature with Chili, tho Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, San Salvador Hayti. During the past year ro differences of any L\ Q d have arisen with any of those Republics, and on the other .hand, their sympathies vv.th the United States are constantly exp-essed with cordiality and earnestness. It would be doing injustice to an important •South American btate not to acknowledge the directness, frankness and cordiality with which the United States of Colombia have entered in fo intimate relations with this Government. A claims convention has been constituted to com plete. the unfinished work of ihe one which ■closed its session in 1861. 'The claim arising from the seizure of the ;argo of the brig Maeaoman, in 1821, has been paid in full by the government of Chili. Civil war continues in the Spanish part of San Domingo, apparently without prospect of an early close. Official correspondence has been freely opened with Liberia, and it gives us a piea-ing view of social and political progress in that Republic. It may be expected to derive new vigor from American influence, improved by the rapid disappearance of slavery in the United States. I solicit your authority to furnish to the re public a gunboat at moderate cost, to be reim bursed to the United States by instalments. Such a vessel is needed for the safety of that State against the native African races, and in Liberian hands it would be more effective in ar resting the African slave trade than a squadron in our hands. The possession of the least or ganized naval force would stimulate a generous ambition in the republic, and the confidence which we should manifest by furnishing it would win forbearance and favor towards the colony from all civilized nations. The proposed overland telegraph between A meriea and Europe, by the way of Bcliring's Straits and Asiatic Russia, which was sanction ed by Congress at the last session, has been un dertaken under very favorable circumstances by an association of American citizens, with the cordial good will and support as well of the Government as of those of Great Britain and Russia. Assurance lias bean received from most of the South American States of their appreciation of the enterprise, and their readiness to co-operate in constructing lines tributary to that world en circling communication. I learn with much satisfaction that the noble design of a telegraph ic communication between the eastern of America and Great Britain has been renewed, .with full expectation of its early accomplish ment. Thus it is hoped that with the return of domestic peace, the country will be able to resume with energy and advantage its former high career of commerce and civilization"" Our very popular and estimable J live in Egypt died in ApriUhwtr- "An U)Vg„.'.Sant al tercation which arose between the ' porary in cumbent of the office and the Government of the Pacha resulted in a suspension of intercourse. The evil was promptly corrected on the arrival of the successor in the consulate, and o%r rela tions with Egypt, as well as our with the Barbary powers, are entirely satisfactory. The rebellion which has so long been flagrant in China has at last been suppressed under the do operating good olfices of this Government anS of the other Western commercial States. The Judicial Consular establishment has be come very difficult and onerous, and it will need legislative revision to adapt it to the extension of our commerce, and to the more intimate in tercourse which luis been instituted with Gov ernment and people of that vast empire. Chi na seems to be accepting with hearty good will the conventional laws which regulate commer cial and social intercourse among the western nations. Owing to the peculiar situation of Japan, and the anomalous form of its government, the ac tion of that empire in performing treaty stipu lations is inconstant and capricious. Neverthe less good progress has been effected by the VV est crn powers moving with enlightened concert. Our own pecuniary claims have been allowed VOLUME CO NEW SERIES. ami put in course of settlement, and the inland j sea lias been re-opened to commerce. There is reason also to believe that these proceedings have increased rather than diminished the friend ship of Japan towards the United States. ihe ports of Norfolk, Fernandina and I'en sacola have been opened by procla.nation. It i is hoped that foreign merchants will uow con- : sidcr whether it is not safer and more profitable to themselves, as well as just to the U. States, | to resort to these and other open ports than it is to pursue, through many hazards, and at vast' cost, a contraband trade with other ports which are closed, if not by actual military occupation, 1 at least by a lawful and effective blockade. I'or myself, I have no doubt cf the power and duty of the Kxecutive, under the law of nations, to exclude enemies of the human race from an asylum in the United States. If Con- j gross shall think that proceedings in such cases lack the authority of law, or ought fo be fur ther regulated by it, I recommend that provi sions be made for effectually preventing foreign slave traders from acquiring domicil and faciii ties for their criminal occupation in our country. It is possible that if it were a new and open question, the maritime powers, with the rights they now enjoy, would not concede the privile ges of a naval belligerent to the insurgents of the United States, dc.-titute as they are, and al- j ways have been, equally of ships of war and i of ports and harbor. j j Disloyal emissaries have been neither less as siduous nor more successful during the last year | than they were before that time in their efforts under favor of that privilege to embroil our; country in foreign wars. The desire and deter- I : ruination of the Governments of the Maritime States to defeat that design arc believed to be i as sincere as, and cannot be more earnest than | 1 our own. Nevertheless unforeseen political j < difficulties have arisen, especially in Brazilian and British ports, and on the northern bound- i ary of the United States, which hare required t and are likely to continue to require, the prac- I tice ct constant vigilance and a just and corieil- ; iatory spirit or. the part of the Urited States! : :;a - v>'oi as of the nations concerned and their j i Urovernrcents. Commissioners have bee;, appoinfed under the treaty of Great Britain on the adjustment of the claims of li,? Hudson Bay and Pugitt Sound Agricultural companies iu Or?£on, and now .proceeding to the trust assigned to litem, in view of the insecurity of life and property in the region adjacent to the Canadian border by reason of recent assaults and depredations *>■ i4l tj> t i.O*I 1-j miiiiieal uu<! who are harbored there, it has been thought proper to give notice that after the expiration of six months, the period conditionally stipula ted under the existing arrangement with Great Britain, the United States must hold themselves at liberty to increase their naval armament up on the Lakes if they shall find that proceeding necessary. The condition of the border will necessarily come into consideration in connec tion with the question of limiting or modifying the rights of transit from Canada through the United States, as well as the regulation of im posts, which were temporarily established by the reciprocity treaty of oth of June, 1864. 1 desire, however, to be understood, while mak ing this statement, that the Colonial authorities ot Canada are not deemed to bo intentionally unjust or unfriendly towards the United States ; but, OB the contrary, there is every reason to expect that, with the approval of Her Majes ty's Government, they will take the necessary measures to prevent new incursions to cross the borders. The act passed at the last session for the en couragement of emigration has, so far as was possible, been put into operation. It seems to need amendment, which will en able the officers of the Government to prevent the practice of frauds against the emigrants on their way ami on their arrival in the port?, so as to secure them here, a free choice of avoca tions and places of settlement. A liberal dis position towards this great national policy is manifes'ed by most of the European States, and ought to be, especially on our part, of giving the emigrants effective national protection. 1 regard our emigrants as one of the principal re plenishing streams which arc appointed by Prov idence to repair the ravages of internal war, and its wastes of national strength and health. All that is necessary to secure the flow of that stream in its present fulness and to that end the Government must everywhere make it manifest, that it neither needs nor designs to impose in voluntary military service upon those who come from other lands to cast their lot in our country. The financial affairs of the Government have been successfully administered. During the last year the legislation of the last session of Con gress has beneficially effected the revenue, al though sufficient time Las not yet elapsed to ex perience the full effect of several of the provi sions of the Acts of Congress imposing increas ed taxation. The receipts during the year from all sources upon the basis of warrants signed by the Sec- ■ retary of the Treasury, including loans, and the balance in the Treasury on the first day of July 1803, were $1,894,796,007 02, and the aggre gate disbursements upon the same basis were $1,298,056,101 89, leaving a balance in the Treasury, as shown by warrants, of $96,734,- 905 78. Deduct from these amounts the a nounts of the principal of the public debt re deemed and the amount of issues in substitution therefor, and the actual cash operations of the Treasury were: lleeeipts, $884,076,646 57. Disbursements, $865,234,087 86; which leaves as the cash balance in the Treasury, $18,842,558 71. Of the receipts, there were derived from customs, $102,316,152 09: from lands, $588,332 29; from direct taxes, $475,648 96; from internal revenue, $109,741,131 10: from miscellaneous sources, $17,511,448 10, and from loans, ap ;iied to actual expenditures, including former balances, $623,443,929 13. There wore dis bursed for the civil sen ice, $275,055,994 40; Freedom of Thonget and Opinion. BEDFORD, PA., FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 18, 1864. | for pensions and Indians, $7,517,030.87; for the War Department, $690,791,812 97; for the navy department, $75,833,291 77; for in terest on the public debt, $53,685,421 68, making an aggregate of $855,23-1,087 Sfi, and leaving a balance in the Treasury of $10,482,- j 558 71, as before stated. For the actual receipts and disbursements from the first quarter, and the estimated receipts and disbursements for the three remaining quar ters of the current fiscal year, and the general operations of the Treasury in detail, I refer you to the report oi the Secretary of the Treas ury. I concur with him in the opinion that the proportion of moneys required to meet the expenses consequent upon the war, derived from taxation, should be still further increased,\ and I earnestly invite your attention to this subject to the end that there may be such ad dition:,! legislation as shall be required to meet (he just expectations of the Secretary. The public debt on the first day of July last, as appears by the books of the Secretary of the Treasury, amounted to one billion seven hundred and forty thousand millions, six hun dred and ninety thousand four hundred and eighty-nine dollars and forty-nine cents. Prob ably, should the war continue for another year, that amount may oe increased by not far trom five hundred millions. Held as it is for the most part by our own people, it has become a substantial branch of national though private property, I<or obvious reasons, (he mora near ly this property can be distributed among ail the people the better. lo favor such a general distribution greater inducements to become owners might perhaps, with good effect, and without injury, be presen ted to persons of limited means. With this ; view, 1 suggest whether it might not be both competent and expedient for Congress to pro vide that a limited amount of sonic future is sue of public securities might he held bv any j bona fide purchaser exempt from taxation and j from seizure for debt, under such restrictions and limitations as might lie necessary to guard I against abuse of so important a privilege. This i would enable every prudent person to set aside a small annuity against a possible day of want. IVivihgi s like these would render the posses-. .-ion of such securities, to the amount limited, roost desirable to eve:y person of small means who might be able to have enough for the pur- The Secretary reiterntes Lis rccommcnda tiuas, and to them the intention of Congress is inviteJ. Tin srvrt-irti \yj\ - paying pensions to invalid soldiers and *at'o"3 ; of the Republic, and to the widows, orphans ( and dependent mothers of those who Lave fai-; leu in battle or died of disease, contracted, or wounds received in the service of the country, ; have been diligently administered. The great advantage of citizens being credi- \ tors as well as debtors with relation to the pub- j lie debt is obvious. Men readily perceive that they cannot be much oppressed by a debt which j they owe ;o themselves. The public debt on the first day of July last although somewhat exceeding the estimate of the Secretary of the Treasury made to Congress ' at the commencement of the last session, falls 1 short of the estimate of that officer made in the preceding December, as to it 3 proCablc a- ) mount at the beginning of this year by a sum ■ of $3,795,097 Hi, This fact exhibits a satis- j factory condition and conduct of the operations of the Treasury. The National banking system is proving to fie acceptable to capitalists and to the people. ' On the 25th day of November 574 National Banks had been organized, a considerable nuin- ! her of which were conversions from State banks. ! Changes from State systems to the National sys tem are rapidly tukiftg place, and it is hoped I that very soon there will be in the United I | States no banks of issue not authorized by Con- j ! gress, and no note circulation not seemed by I I the Government. That the Government and ! | the people will derive great benefit from this' | change in the banking system of the country I . can hardly be questioned. The National sys- j tern will create a permanent and reliable in licence in support of the National credit, and protect the people against losses in the use of j paper money. Whether or not an}' further legislation is ad ; visable for the suppression of State bank issues, l it will be for Congress to determine. It seems ! to be quite clear that the Treasury cannot be satisfactorily conducted unless the Government ' can exercise a restraining power over the bank I circulation of the country. The report of the Secretary of War and the ' j accompanying documents, will detail the cam- I ; paign of the armies in the field since the date | of the. last annual message, and also the oper ations of the several administrative bureaus of the War Department durißg the last year. It j will also specify the measures deemed necessary j for the national defence, and to keep up and : supply ihe requisite military force. The report of the Secretary of the Navy pre j sents a comprehensive and satisfactory exhibit of the officers of that Department and of the j naval service. It is a subject of congratulation and lauda ble pride to our countrymen that a navy of such j vast proportions has been organized in so brief ■ a period, and conducted with so much efScien |cy and success. The general exhibit of the navy, including vessels under contract on - the Ist of December, 1864, shows a total exhibit of six hundred and seventy-one vessels, carry ing four thousand six hundred and ten guns, and of 510,390 tons being an actual increase during the year over and abo r e all losses by shipment or in battle of 83 vessels, 167 guns and 4,247 tons. The total number of men at this time in the naval service, iucluding officers, is about fifty one thousand. There have been captured by the navy during the year, three hundred and twenty-four vessels, and the whole number of ' naval captures since hostilities commenced, is r j thirteen hundred and seventy-nine, of which r two hundred and sixty-seven are steamers.— • | The gross proceeds arising from the sale of con , denined prize property, thus far reported, amount i' to $14,396,250,51. A large amount of such . i proceeds is still under adjudication and yet to Ibe reported. The total expenditure of the Na ! val Department of every description, including the cost of the immense squadrons that have been called into existence since the 4th day of March 1860 to the first of November 1864, are §238,617,262 35. lour favorable consideration is invited to t j the various recommendations of the Secretary ij of the Navy, especially in regard to a navy yard and suitable establishment for the con struction and repair of iron vessels, and the . machinery and armature for our ships to which reference is made in mv last annual message. , y t o lour attention.is also invited to the views ex pressed in the renort in relation to the legisla tion of Congress at its last session :n respect to prizes m inland waters. 1 cordially concur in the recommendation of the Secretary as to the ! propriety of erecting the new rank of Vice Ad miral in our naval service. 1 our attention is invited to the report of the Postmaster General tor a detailed account of the operation and financial condition of the | Tost Oliice Department. The postal resources j for the j r car ending Juue 30, 1864, amounts to $12,438,253 78, and the expenditures to $12.- 641,786 20. The excess of expenditures over j receipts being §20,665,242. 1 he views presented by the Postmaster Gen eral on the subject of special grants bytheGov | ernment iri aid of the establishment of now lines ot ocean mail steamships, and the policy he recommends for the development of increased commercial intercourse with adjacent an 1 neigh boring countries, should receive the careful con" i sideration of Congress. Jt is of noteworthy interest that the steady expansion of popula tion, improvement and governmental institu tions over the new and unoccupied portion of i our country have scarcely been checked, much less impeded or destroyed by our great civil war, which, at first glance, would seeme to have absorbed almost the entire energies of the . nation. I'he organization and admission of the State of Nevada has been completed in con formity with law, nnd thus our excellent sys tem is lirmly established iu the mountains which were ouce deemed a barren and uninhabitable waste between the Atlantic States and those which have grown up on the coast of the Pa cific ocean. The territories of the Union are id growth. Idaho and Montana, by reason of their great lb-dunce and the interruption of with them by Indian hostilities, have been only partially organized. But it ;s understood these difficulties are about to disap pear, which will permit their governments, like those of the others, to go into speedy and full operation, as intimate and connected with and pr lrno' ive of this material growth of the nation. I ask the attention of Congress to the valua ble information and important recommendations relative to (he public lands, Indian affairs, the Ihieitic railroad, and mineral discoveries, con-1 tained in the report of the Secretary of the Interior, which is bore with transmitted, and which report also embraces the subjects of pat ents, pensions and other topics of public inter est pertaining to his Department. The quan tity of public land disposed of during the five quarters ending 30th December last, was 4,- 221,342 acres, of which 1,538,614 acres were entered under the Homestead law. The re mainder was located with military land war rants, agricultural scrip, certified to States for railroads and sold for cash. The cash received from sales an 1 location fees, was $1,016,466, and the income from sales during the fis cal year ending June 30th, 1864, $678,007 21, against $ I 30, 077 95 received during the pre ceding year. The aggregate number of acres surveyed dur ing the year, has Lean equal to the quantity disposed of, and there is open to settlement a bout 138,009,000 acres of surveyed land.— The great enterprise of connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific States by railways and tele graph lines, has been entered upon with a vigor which gives assurance of success. Notwith standing the embarrassment arising from the prevailing high prices of materials and labor, the route of the main line of the road has been definitely located for one hundred miles west ward from the initial point at Omaha city, Ne braska, and a preliminary location of the Pa cific railroad of California has been made from Sacramento to the great bend of the Trace ri ver, in Nevada. Numerous discoveries of gold and silver, and similar mines, have been added to the many al ready known, and the country occupied by the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, and the suburban ranges, now teein with enterprising la bor, which is richly remunerative. It is be lieved that the product of tiie mines of precious minerals in that region lias already reached, if uot exceeded one hundred millions in value. It was recommended in my last annual mes sage that our Indian system be remodelled. — Congress, at its last session, acting upon the recommendation, did provide for a reorganiza tion of the system in California, and it is believ ed that under the present organization the man agement of the Indians there will be attended with considerable success. Much romaius to be done to provide for the proper management of the Indians in other parts of the country to render it secure for the advancing settler, and to provide for the welfare of the Indians. There has been added to the pension rolls during the year ending the 30th day of June last, the names of 16,770 invalid soldiers, and 271 disabled seamen, making the present num ber of army invalid pensioners, 22,767, and of navy invalid pensioners, 7,121. Of widows, orphans, and mothers, 22,198 have been placed on the army pension rolls, and 248 on the na vy rolls. The present number of army pen sioners of this class is 25,433, and of navy WHOLE NUMBER, 3088 pensioners, 793. At the beginning of the year, the number of revolutionary pensioners was 1,- 430. Only twelve of them were soldiers, of whom seven have since died. The remainder are those who, under the laws, receive pensions because of relationship to revolutionary sol diers. During the year ending the 30th ot June, 1864-, £4,004,61t> 92 have beeu paid to pen sioner of all classes. I cheerfully commend to your continued pat ronage the !>cnevolent institutions of the Dis trict of Columbia, which have hitherto been fostered by Congress, and respectfully refer for information concerning them, and in relation to the Washington Aqueduct, the Capitol and other matters of local interest, to the report of the Secretary of the Interior. The Agricultural Department, under the su pervision of its present energetic and faithful head, is rapidly commending itself to the great and vital interest it was created to advance. It is particularly the department in which the people feel more directly concerned than in any other. I commend it to the continued atten tion and fostering care of Congress. | The war continues. Since the last annual | message all the important lir.es and positions \ then occupied by our forces, have been main tained,and our armies have steadily advanced, thus liberating the region left in /he rear, so that Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and parts of other States have again produced reasona bly fair crops. The most remarkable feature in the military operations of the year is <5; ueral Sherman's at tempted march of three hundred utiles directly through tile insurgent region. It tends to show a great increase of our relative strength that our General-in-Chief should fee! able to con front and hold :n check every active force of the enemy, and yet to detail a well appointed large army to move on such an expedition The result not yet being known, conjecture in regard to it is not here indulged. Independent movements have also occurred during the year to the effect of modelling soci ety for durability in the Union. Although it is much in the right direction that* twelve thousand citizens in each of the .States of Arkansas and Louisiana have organ ized loyal State Governments with Free Con stitutions, aud are earnestly struggling to main tain and administer them, the movements in the same directions, more extensive though less definite, in Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee should not be overlooked. . Bu' Maryland presents the ex impleof complete the Union for all the future. The genius of rebellion will no more claim Maryland. Like another foul spirit, being, driven out, it may sock t' tear her, but it will woo her no more- At the last session of Congress a proposed amendment to the Constitution, abolishing sla very throughout the United States, passed the Senate, but failed for lack of the requisite two thirds vote in the House of Representatives. Although the present is the same Congress and nearly the same members, and without ques tioning the wisdom or patriotism of those who stood in opposition, I venture to recommend the reconsideration and passage of the measure at the present session. Of course the abstract question is not chang ed, but an intervening election shows almost certainly that the next Congress will pass the measure, if this one does not; henoe it is only a question of time when the proposed amend ment vviil go to the States for their action, ' as it is to go at all events, may we not a * the sooner the better? It is not claimed t the election has imposed a duty on members change thtir views or their votes, any furt than as an additional element to be consideN U how far their judgment may be effected bj It is Ibc voice of the people for the first t heard upon the question. In a great national crisis like ours, nnan ity of action among those seeking a conn end is very desirable, almost indispensable, vet no approach to such unanimity is attai ble unless some deference shall be paid to will of the majority, simply because it is the will of the majority. In thiscase the common end of the maintenance of the Union, and a mong the means to secure that end such will, through the election, is most clearly declared in favor of such constitutional amendment. The most reliable indication of public purpose in this conntry is derived. Through i>ur popular elections, judging by the recent canvass and its results, the purpose of the people within the loyal States to main tain the integrity of the Union was never more firm, nor more nearly unanimously than now. The extraordinary calmness and good order with which the millions of voters met and mingled at the polls, give strong assurance of this. Not only all those who supported the Union ticket, so called, but a great majority of the opposing party also, may be fairly claimed to entertain and tn be actuated by the same purpose. It is an unanswerable argument to this effect, that no candidate for any office whatever, high or low, has ventured to seek votes on the avowal that Le was for giving up the Union. There has been much impugning of motives, and much heated controversy as to the proper means and best mode of advancing the Union cause, but on tho distinct issue of Union or no Unton, the politicians have shown their instinctive knowledge that there is no di versity among the people. In affording the people the fair opportunity of showing one to another and to the world I tho fairness and unanimity of purposes, the e i lection lias been of vast importance to the na- I tional cause. The election lias exhibited another fact not less valuable to be known. The fact that we do not approach exhaustion in the most im portant branch of our national resources—that of having men! —while it is melancholy to re flect that the war has filled so many graves, and carried mourning to so many hearts, it is some telief to know that, compared with tlw surviving, the fallen b&ve been so few. When corps and divisions and brigades and regiments have formed and fought, and dwin dled and gone out of existence, a great major ity the men who composed them are stiil living. The same is true of the naval service. The election returns prove this. So many vo ters could not be found. The States regular ly holding elections, both now and four years ago, to wit: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana. lowa, Kentucky, Maine, Ma ryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey. New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Is land, Vermont, West Virginia nnd Wisconsin, cast 3,982,011 votes now, against 8,870,222 cast then, showing an aggregate now of 3,982- 011. VOL. 8, NO. 20 To this is to be added 33,702. cast now in the new States of Kansas and Nevada, which States did not vote in 1800, thus swelling the aggregate to 4,015,773, and the nett increase during the three years and a half of war to 145.551. A table is appended showing par ticulars. To this again should be added tho number of all soldiers in the field from Massa chusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Indiana, Illinois and California, who, by the laws of those States, could not vote away from their homes, and which number cannot be less than 90,000. Nor yet is this all; tho num ber in organized territories is triple now what it ; was four years ago, while thousands, white and I black, join os as the National arms presfi back the insurgent lines. So much is shown affirma tively and negatively of the election- It is not material to inquire how the increase has been produced, or to show that it would have been greater but for the war, which is probably true. The important fact remains demonstrated, we have more men now than wc had when we began; we are not exhausted rtor in process of exhaustion but we are gaining strength, and may, if need be, maintain the contest indefinitely, and that as to men, our material resources are now more complete and abundant tbren ever. The Natioaal resources, then, are unexhaust ed, and, as we believe, inexhaustible - The public purpose to re-establish and maintain the National authorities is unchanged, and we be lieve, unchangeable. The manner of continu ing the effort remains to choice. Oa careful consideration of all the evidence accessible, it seems to me that no amicable negotiation with the insurgent leader would result in any good. Ha would accept nothing short of a severance of the Union, precisely what we can not an 1 will not give. His declarations to this effect are explicit and often repeated, fie does not attempt to deceive us; he affords no excuse to deceive ourselves, lie caunot voluntarily re-accept the Union, we cannot voluntarily yield it. Between him and us the issue is distinct, simple, and inflexible. It is an issue which can only be tried by war, and decided by victory. If we yield we are beaten If the South ern people fail him he is beaten. Either way, it would be the victory and defeat following war. What is true, however, of him who heads the insurgent cause, is not necessarily true of those who follow. Although he cannot re-accept the Union, they can. Some of them, wa know, alreadv desire peace and Union. The number of such ua , Ci( f . by laying down their arms and s! jfc'm\tiß the National authority under the Constitution After so much the Government C.JUIJ not, if it would, maintain war against them. Loyal people would not sustain or allow it If questions should remain, we would adjust theni by the peaceful means of legislation, con ference, courts and votes, operating only in constitutional and lawful channels. Some cer tain and other possible questions are and would l>e beyond the Executive power to adjust; as, for instance, the admission of members into Congress, and whatever might require the ap propriation of money. The Executive power itself would be greatly diminished by the ces sation of actual war. Pardons and remis sions of forfeitures, however, would still be within the Executive control. In what spirit and temper this control would be exercised, can be faitly judged by the past. : i t/wm rrx.x.j-:KS, ar al pardon and amnesty, J CIDER MILLS, CLOVER HULLERS, GRAIN DRILLS, MOWING t* REAPING MACHINES, which I will sell during the winter at much Isu than they will be sold for next season. SAUSAGE MEAT CUTTERS, Alius prai-i.ioai. J year open to all except such as were not in con dition to make free choice—that is, such as were in custody or under restraint. It i 3 so still open to all. But the time may come, prob ably will come, when public doty shall demand that it be closed, and that in lieu more vigor ous measures than heretofore shall be adopted Iu presenting the abandonment of armed re sistance to the national authority on the part of the insurgents as the only indispensable con dition to the ending the war on the part of the Government, I retract nothing heretofore said as to slavery. I repeat the declaration made a year ago, that while I remain in mv present po sition, I shall not attempt to retract or modify the emancipation proclamation ; nor shall I re turn to slavery any person who is free by the terms of that proclamation, or by any act of Congress. If the people should, by whatever inodo or means, make it an Executive duty to re-enslavn such persons, another and not I must be then instrument to perform it. In stating a single condition of peace, i mean simply to say thai the war wiii cease on the part of the Government whenever it shall have coas ed on the part of those who began it. (Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN Washington, Dec. G, 18G4. cy.Tohn Leech, the artist of the London Punch, ia dead. His loss is greatly mourned by the English litterateur*. fcyWisconsin shows a large Democratic gain over last year. Lincoln's majority will be auiall. An exchange, whose editor has not the fear of Abraham before his eyes, thus defines : "Treason—digging your way to Richmond Strategy—sitting down l efore Petersburg Vic tory—overaweing New Ifork"
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers