VOLUME k >.
The President's Message.
Frllon fltizonM of tin* Senato
rtiid llosixi' ol'ltopriMi niiUivos:
Again the blessings of lie:il(h aud abuii
Jaiit harvests claim our profound grati
tude to Almighty God.
The condition our 112 coign affairs is
remarkably ,satisfact"iy Mexico contin
ues to he a theatre n!' civil war. While
our political relations w' h that country
hare undergnne no (hinge, we have at
tha same time strictly maintained neu
trality between (lie belllgerants.
At the request of llie States ef Costa
Rica and Nicaragua a competent engineer
has been authorized to make a survey of
the river San J'tan and the port of Sun
Juan It is « source of much satisfac
tion that the difficulties, which tor a mo
ment excited some political aj<prehen
sions, an*', caused a closing ot the lnter
oceani« transit route have been amicably
■ adjusted, and that there is a good pros
't that the routes w ill soon he re-opened
with an increase ot capacity and adapta
tion. AVc could not fxa*."." rate either
the commercial or the political import
ance of that great improvement.
It would be doing injustice to an im
portant South Ameiican State, not to ac
knowledge the directness, frankness and
eordiality with which the United States
of <'olutubia have entered into intimate
relations with this Government. At laims
< 'iinvention has been constituted, to com
plete the unfinished wo:k of the one
which closed it- sessions in Ixol.
Tiro new liberal < institution of \ ene
zuelia, leiViiui gor.e into cfleet with the
universal acquiescence of the people, the
government under it has been recognized,
and diplomatic intercourse with it has
been opened in a cordial and friendly
spirit
The 10,,g deferred Avis Island claim
has been satisfactorily paid and discharg
ed. Mutual payments hvc been niaile
of the late Joint Commission for the set
tlement of claims between the Uuited
States and Peril. An earnest and cor
dial friendship continues to exist between
the two countries, and such cfiorts as
were in my power have been used to re
move misunderstanding and avert a t hrcat
cned war between Peru and Span.
Our relations are of the most friendly
nature with Chili, the Argentine Repub
lic, Bolivar, Costa lliea, Paraguay, San
Salvador and Ilayti During the past
year, no differences <>l any kiud have
arisen with any ot these ilcpublies, and
on the other hand their sympathies with
the Uuitud States are Con aliily expressed.
claim ar .- u.: from tit'- e.zare 01'
thu cargo of the I»r.i I'vlou.i. n l v ol.
has been : ii I in lull •> ;w\c.nuiei;
oft hih. Ihe difficulty with he >"in;*h ;
eoast ol San ibnyiugo ■ p .vntiy with
mi. any piospoct •« .oi .:y <. -. Oth
ei ii c . re.-, o ten ■ ■ i•»- ' 'pen
ed with l.ibofi i.and it .-v." u> a pleas
ing viewot the >t:i :ti mi political condi
tion of that Republic. It is expected to
derive new vigor trom American inHu
ence. improved by the rapid disappear
ance of slavery in the tailed States.
I solicit your authority to furnish the
Republic a gunboat at a moderate cost, to
be reimbursed to the United .States by in
stalments. Sueh a vessel is needed for
the safety of that State against the Afri
can race, and it would be more ellective in
arresting the African slave trade that; a
squadron in our own bauds.
The possession ot the least organized
naval force should stimulate a generous
ambition in the Republic, and the confi
deuce which we should manifest by fur
Dishing it would win favor and forbear
ance tovvarils the colony from all civilized
nations.
The proposed overland telegraph be
tween America and Europe,'»by way of
liehring's Straits and Asiatic Rus.-ia.
which was sanctioned by < <n,:ic-- at the
last SOS-MII. has been undertaken under
yeiy tavorable circumstances by an a-so
ciatiou of American citizens, with the
cordial g'pod will on'l supp nt a- well ot
this government as of those ot Ureal l>rit
ain and Uus.ua. Assurances have been
received frouiQiost ot' the South American
States of their high appreciation' of the
enterprise and their readiness to eo-4|P;r
ate in constructing lines tributary to this
world-encircling communication.
I learn with much satisfaction that the
noble design of a telegraphic communi
cation between the eastern coast of Amer
ica and Great Britain, has ..ecu renewed
with full expectation of its early accom
plishment. Ihus it is bo,ed that with
the return of domestic peace, the couutry
will be able to resume .vitli energy and
advantage her former high career of com
merce and civilization.
Our very popular*aud estimable repre
sentative in Egypt, died in April last.
An unpleasant aLereaiiou which arose be
tween ths temporary incuuibeut ot the
office aud the government ui the I'acha,
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
resulted in a suspension of intercourse.
The difficulty was promptly settled on
the arrival of his successor in the consul
ate. and our relations with Kgypt, as well
as the relations with the Uarbary powers,
are entirely satisfactory.
The rebellion which has so long been
flagrant in China, has at.last been sup
pressed with the co-operating good offices
of this government, aud of the other com
mercial States.
The Judicial Consular establishment
has become very difficult and onerous,
and it will need legislative action to
adapt it to the extension of our commerce
and to the more intimate intercourse
which has beeu instituted with the gov
ernment an<l people of that vast empire.
China seems to be accepting with hearty
good will the conventional laws which
regulate commerce and social intercourse
among the Western nations.
Owing to the peculiar situation of Ja
pan and the anomalous form of its gov- j
eminent, the action ot that Empire iu j
performing treaty stipulations is incon-!
distent and capreeious ; nevertheless good
progress has been effected by the western
powers moving with enlightened concert.
Our own peculiar claims have been al
lowed or put iu course of settlement, and
the inland sea has been reopened to com
meree. There is rea-on also to believe
that these proceedings have increased
rather than diminished the friendship of
Japan towards the i'nited States.
The ports of Norfolk, Fernandia and
Pensacola have been opened by procla
mation. It is hoped that foreign mer
chants will now consider whether it is
not safer and more profitable to them
selves, as well as just to the I'nited States,
to resort to these and other open ports,
than it is to pursue, through many haz
ards. and at vast cost, a contraband trade
with other ports which are closed—if not
by actual military operation, at least by a
lawful arid effective blockade, For my
self, I 1. ive no doubt of the power and
duty of the Executive, under the law of
nations, to exclude enemies of the human i
race from an asylum in the I'nited States. ,
If Congress should think that the pro
ceedings in such cases lack the authority
of law, or ought to be further repudiated
by it, I recommend that provision be
made for effectually preventing fore gn !
slave traders from acquiring domieil fa
cilities for their criminal occupation in
our country.
It is possible that if it were a new and
open question, the maratime powers, with [
the light they now enjoy, would not con- !
cede the privileges of a lr'val belligerent |
to the in- ;rgeir t :he United States. ,
destitute as they are. and always have
been, equally of ships and of ports and
h* burs.
Ihsioyal euiis ;tres have been neither
less assiduous nor more successful during
the last, year than they were be torn that
time in their efforts,' under favor of that
privilege, to embroil our country in for
eign wars. The desire and determina
tion of the luaratime States to defeat that
design are believed to be as sincere, aud
cannot be more earnest than Europe : !
nevertheless, unforeseen political difficul
ties have arisen, especially in Brazilian
aud British ports, and on the north-west
ern boundary of the I'nited States, which
have required, and arc likely to continue
to acquire, the practice of constant vigi
lance aud a just and conciliatory spirit on
the part of the I'nited States, as well as
of the nations couce tied aud their gov
ernments.
Commissioners have been appointed
under the treaty with Great Britain on
the adjustment of the claims of the Hold,
son Hay and l'ugot's Sound agricultural
companies in Oregon, and are now pro
ceeding iu the execution of the trust as
signed them.
Iu view of the insecurity of lile in the
region adjacent to the Canadian border,
by the recent assaults and depredations
committed by inimical an t desperate per
sons who are harixued there, it has been
thought proper to give notice, that after
the expiration of six months, the period
constitutionally stipulated iu the existing
arrangements with (iieat Britain, the
United Slates, must hold themselves at
liberty to increase their naval armament
upon the lakes, if they shall find that pro
ceeding necessary.
The condition of-the border will neces
sarily come into consideration, in connec
tion with the question ot. continuing or
! modifying the right of trausit from Can
! Ada through the United Stales, as well as
the regulation of imports, which were
temporarily established by the reciprocity
treaty of the tilth ot Juue, 1854. 1 de
-1 sire, however, to be understood while
I making this statement, that the colonial
| authorities iu e uot deemed to be intention
! ally unjust or unfriendly toward the Unt
! ted Stales ; but on the cuutraay, theifc is
I every reason U> expect that witii tko ap-
"Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let ns, to the end,dare to do our duty as we understand it"— LINCOIN.
BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1864.
provnl of the Imperial Government, they
will take the necessary measures to pre
vent new incursions across the border.
The act passed at the last BOSS on for
the encouragement of immigration has, as
far as was possible, been put into opera
tion. It seems to need an amendment
which will enable the officers of the gov
ernment to prevent the practice of frauds
against the immigrants while on their
w ly. and on their arrival in the ports, so
as to secure them hero a free choice of
avocations and places of settlement. X
liberal disposition towards this great na
tional policy is manifested by most »112 the
European States, and it ought to be recip
rocated. on our part, by giving the immi
grants effective national protection. 1 re
gard our immigrants as one of the princi
pal replenishing streams which are ap
pointed by Providence to repair the rava
ges ■ 4 internal war and its wastes of na
tional strength and health.
All that is necessary is to secure the
flow ot that stream iu its present fullness,
and to that end the government, must in
every way, make it manifest that it nei
ther needs or designs to impose involun
tary military sci vice upon those who come
from other lands to cast their lot iu our
country.
The financial affairs of the government
have been successfully administered dur
ing the last year. The legislation of the
last session or Congress has beneficially
affected the revenue, although sufficient
time has not yet elapsed to experience the
full effect of several of the provision* ot
the acts of C ingres imposing iucreased
taxation.
The receipt during the year, fr. ni till
sources, upon the basis of warrants signed
by the Secretary of the Treasury, includ
ing loans, and the balance in the treasury
011 the first day of July. 1803, were 91,-
394,790,0' 7 02; and the aggregate dis
bursements upon the same basis, were j
81,2tt5,050.1nl vt—leaving a balance iu j
the treasitij. as shown by warrants, of j
$90,739,9' •> 73. Deduct from these j
ifluouuts the amount of the principal of i
the public debt redeemed, and the amount j
of issues in substitution thorwl'or, aud the |
actual operations of thu treasury were :
receipts fcv 1 "70.010 *7; disbursement*, J
8851,281. <7 Sj— which leaves a cash |
balance in flu trc.isuary of 81*,842,5-)8 j
71.
Of receipt •, there wero ik. Ed from
customs. 5? I '2,310.152 99; frosu .i n-J .
5 V X,29 ; from direct t,.xe-, $17").0 < •
it;'); from intoinal Revenue, S 109.741.1-11 I
lit; from nitsc llaiieous s;urces.-$ 17,511,
Ho 10; and I'.viu loans applied to ac
tual expenditure's, including the former
balance, 111.
I here were d-burscd for the civil ser
vice 8J7.-I >.). ' •!» iii ; tor pensions kiid
iudiaua. 9.547.930 97; for the War De
piiiiucnt, 50.791.512 5*71 for the Navy
Department. £ v 5,7-«i,292 79; tor inter
est of the public debt, $53,685,421 09—
making an
and leaving a halaucc iu she treasury of
515,*42,558 71, as before stated, for the
actual receipt; und disbursements for the
first quarter, and the estimated receipts
and disbursements for the three remain
ing quarters of the current fiscal year.
For the general operations of the treas
ury iu detail, I refer you to the report of
tho Secretary ot the Treasury. I concur
with him in the opinion that the propor
tion of the moneys reqirtred to meet the
cxpen-es consequent upon the war, de
r.ved from taxation, should be still fur
ther increased, and 1 earnestly invite
your attention ?■. this subject, to the end
that there may he such additional legis
lation as shall be required to meet the
just expectations of the Secretary. The
public debt on the first day of July last,
as appear* by the books of the Treasury,
auiou&te l to one billion seven hundred
an i forty millions six huudred and ninety
thousand four hundred aud eighty-nine
dollars and forty-nine cents. Probably,
should the war continue tor another year,
that amount may bo increased by not far
fr an five hundred millions. Ilcld as it
is for the most part by our own people, it
lias become a substantial brauch of na
tional, though private proiierty.
l-'or obvious reasons, the more nearly
this property can be distributed among
all the poople. the better. To favor such
general distribution, greater inducements
to become owners might, perhaps, with
good effect and without injury, bo presen
ted to persons of limited means. With
this view 1 suggest whether it might not
be bull expedient and competent for Con
gress to provido that a limited amount of
some future issue of public securities
might be held by any bona fide purchaser
ex«ipt from taxation, and from seizure
for debt, under such instructions and lim
itat on .is might be necessary to guard
avaiusi the abuse of so important a priv
' ilege. Thia would enable prudent per
i sous to lay ajoJo a ?mad uuuuity agaiutt
a possible day of want. Privileges like
these would render the possession of such
securities to the amount limited, most de
sirable to every person of small means
wl»j'might be able to save enough for the
purpose. The great advantage of citi
wms being creditors as well as debtors
with relation to the public debt, is obvi
ous. Meu readily perceive that they can
not be much opprassed by a debt which
they owe to themselves.
The public debt on the first day of Ju
ly last. although soitiewhat exceeding the
estimate of the Secretary of the Treasu
ry. made to Congress) at the commence
ment of last session, falls short of the es
timate of that officer made in the proceed
ing December, as to its probable amount
at the beginning of.this year, by the sum
of *3,895,079,33. This fact exhibits a
satisfactory condition and conduct of the
operationsof the Treasury.
The National Banking system is prov
ing to be acceptable to capitalists and to
people. On the 25th of November, five
hundred and eighty-four national banks
had beeu organised, a considerable num
ber of which were conversions from State
banks' Changes from the State system
to the national system arc rapidly taking
place, and it is hoped that very soon
thvre w ill be in the United States no bauk
of issue not authorized by Congress, and
no bank note circulation uot secured by
the Government. That the Government
and the people will derive general benefit
from the change in the banking systems
of the couutry, can hardly bequestiimed.
1 he national system will create a reliable
and permanent influence in support of
the national credit, aud protect the peo
ple against losses iu the use of paper
money.
Whether or uot any further legislation
is advisable for the suppressiau of State
bauk issues it will be for Congress to de
termine. It seems quite clear that tho
'treasury cannot be satisfactorily conduc
ted unless the government can exercise a
restraining power over the bauk note oir
culatiuu of the country.
The report of tho Secretary of War,
aud the accompanying documents, will de
tail the campaigns of the armies in the
field, since the date of the last auuual
'message, and also the operations of tho
several administration bureaus of the
W;ir cpaitmeut during the last year. It
w ill also specify the measures deemed es
, iitial for tho national defense, aud to
keep up and supply the requisite military
foreo.
The report of the Secretary of tlio
Navy piesents i comprehensive aud satis
tory exhibit of the affairs of that Depart
ment aud of the naval service. It is a
subject of congratulation aud laudable
pride to our countrymen, that a navy of
such vast proportions has been organized
in so brief a period aud conducted with
so much efficiency aud success. The
goueral exhibit of the navy, including
vessels under construction, on the Ist of
December, 1804, shows a total of six
hundred and seventy-one vessels, carrying
4,619 guns, and 510,390 ions; being an
actual increase during the year, over
eighty-three vessels, one hundred and
sixty seven guns, and 42,-127 tons.
The total number of meu at this time
in the naval service, including officers, is
about 51,000. There have beeu captured
by the Navy, during the year, 321 ves
sels; and the whole number of naval cap
tures since hostilities commenced is 1300,
of which number 267 arc steamers. The
gross proceeds arising from the salo of
condemned prize property, thus reported,
amount to ? 14.300,250,51. A large
amount of such proceeds is still under
adjudication and yet to be reported.
The total expenditure of tho Navy De
partment of every description, including
tho cost of the immense squadrons that
have been called into existence from the
4th of March 1861, to the Ist of Novem
ber 1864, are $238,647,262 35. lour
favorable consideration is invit'ed to the
various recommendations of the Secre
tary of the Navy, especially in regard to
a navy yard and suitable establishment
for the construction and repair of iron
vessels, and the machinery and armature
for our ships, to which reference was made
in my last annual message.
Your attention is also invited to the
views expressed in the report in relation
to the legislation of Congress at its last
Session, in respect to prizes on our inland
waters.
1 cordially concur in the recommenda
tion of the Secretajy as to the propriety
of creating the new rank of Vice Admi
ral in our nuval Rervice.
Your attention is invited to the report
of the Postmaster General, for a detailed
account of the operations and financial
condition of the Post office Department.
The Postal revenues, for the year end
ing Juue 30th, 1804, amounted to 512,-
044,780 20, the excess of expenditures
over receipts being 8200,052 42.
The views presented by the Postmaster
General on the subject of special grants
by the Government in aid of the estab
lishment of new lines of ooean mail
steamships, and the policy he recommend
ed for the development of increased com
mercial intercourse with adjacent and
neighboring countries should receive the
careful consideration of Congress. It is
ot noteworthy interest that the steady
expansion of population, improvement
and governmental institutions over the
new aud unoccupied portions of our couu
try have scarcely beeu checked, much
less impeded or destroyed, by our great
civil war which, at first glance, would
seem to have absorbed almost the entire
energies of the nation.
The organization and admission of the
State of Nevada has been completed in
conformity with the law, and thus our ex
cellent system is firmly established in the
mountains which ouee seemed a barren
aud uninhabitable waste, betweeu the
Atlantic States and those which have
grown up on the coast of the Pacific
Occaa.
The territories of the United Statss are
generally in a condition of prosperity aud
rapid growth. Idaho and Moutauo, by
reason of their great distance aud the in
terruption of communication with them
by Indian hostilities, have been ouly
tially organized ; but it is understood
that these difficulties are about to disap
pear which will permit their goverumeuts,
like those of others, to.go into speedy
and full operation, as intimately connec
ted with, and promotive of this maternal
growth of the nation.
I ask the atteutiou of Congress to the
Valuable information aud iuiportaut rec
ommendations relating io the public lands
aud Indiau affairs, the Pacific Railroad,
aud mineral discoveries contained iu the
lie-port of tlio Secretary of the Interior,
which is herewith transmitted, aud which
report also embraces the subject of pat
ents, peusions and other topics of public
interest pertaining to his department,
The quauti'y of public land disposed
of during the five quarters endiug on the
30th of September last, was 1,221,342
acres, of which 1,538,614 acres were en
tered under the Homestead law. The
remainder was located with military land
warrants and agricultural scrip certified
to by the State for railroads aud sold for
cash.
Tlio cash received from sales aud loca
tion fees was 81,019,415. The income
from sales during the fiscal year endiug
J tine 30th, 1801. wa; $67,800,721 against
>113,007.705 recurved during the proceed
ing year.
The aggregate of acres surveyed du
ring the year lias been equal to the quan
tity disposed of, aud there is open to set
tlement about 133,000,000 acres ot sur
veyed laud. The great enterprise of «ou
uectiug the Atlantic with the Pacific
States by railways and telegraph liues has
been entered upon with a vigor that gives
as.-uranco of success, notwithstanding the
embarrassment arising from the prevail
ing high prices of material and labor.
The liberal provisions to invalid sold
iers and sailors of the Ropublio, and to
the widows aud orphans and dependent
mothers of those who have fallen iu bat
tle or died of diseases contracted, or of
wounds received iu the service of their
country, have been diligently adminis
tered.
The route of the road has been defi
nitely located for one hundred miles
Westward from the initial point at Omaha
eitv, Nebraska' and a preliminary location
of the Pacific Railroad of California has
been made from Sacramento Eastward to
the Great Bend of Mucker River in Ne
vada. Numerous discoveries of gold,
silver aud cinnabar mines, have been ad
ded to the many heretofore known, and
*he country occupied by the Sierra Neva
da and Rocky Mountains, and the subor
dinate ranges, now teems with enterpri
sing labor which is richly remunerated.
It is believed that the products of the
mines of precious metals in that region,
has during the year reached, if not ex
ceeding $1U0,000,000 in value.
It was recommended in my last annual
message, that our Indian system be re
modeled. Congress at its last sessiou,
acting upon the recommendation, did pro
vide for reorganizing the system in Cali
fornia, and it is believed that under the
present organization the management of
the Indians there will be*tten<Ted with
reasonable success. Much yet to
be done to provide for the proper govern
ment of the Indians in other parts of the
country, to render it secure for tho ad
vancing settler, and to provido for the
welfare of the Indians. Tho Secretary
reiterates his recommendations, and to
them the attention of Congress is invi
ted.
There have been added to the peusiou
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 number of army in
valid pensions 22,707; aud of the navy
invalid pensions 712. Of widows, or
phans aud mothers, 22,198 have been
place!! on the army pension rolls, and 248
ou the navy rolLs. The number of anuy
pensioners of this class is 25,433, aud of
the navy pensioners 79.3.
At the beginning of tlieyearthe num
ber of revolutionary pensioners was 1,430.
Only twelve of them ware soldiers, of
whom seven have since died. The re
mainder are those who uuder the law re
ceive pensions because of relationship to
revolutionary soldiers. During the year
ending the 30th of June, 18G4, 1*450,-
401,692 have been paid ta pensioners of
all classes.
I cheerfully oouimend to your contin
ued patronage, the benevolent institutions
of the District of Columbia, which iluve
hitherto been established or fostered by
Congress, aud respectfully refer, for in
formation concerning them, aud iu rela
tion to the Washington aqueduct, the
Capitol and other matters of local inter-'
est, to the report of tho Secretary.
The Agricultural Departments uuder
the supervision of its present energetic
and faiihxul head, is rapidly oomiueuding
itself to the great aud vital iutercst it was
created to advauoo. It is peculiarly tho
people's Department, iu which they feel
more directly concerned thau iu auy oth
er. I comuicud it to tho coutiuued at
tention aud fostering care of Con
gress.
The war continues. Since tho last an
nual message, all tin* iiuportaut lines aud
positions then occupied by our forcos have
been maintained, aud our armies have
steadily advanced, thus liberating the re
gions left iu their rear, so that Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee aud parts of other
States, have agaili produced reasonably
fair crops.
The most remarkable feature iu tho
military operations of the year is Gener
al Sherman's attempted march of three
hundred miles directly through the in
surgeut regiou. It tends to show a great
increase of our relative strength, that our
(Jenoral-iu-Chiefshould feel able to con
front and hold in chock every aotive force j
of tho enemy, an 1 yet to detach a woll- j
appointed large army to move on such an
expedition. The result uot yet being j
known, conjecture iu regard to is uoi here !
indulged. Important xnovouaeuts havo
also occurred during the year, to the of
fect of moulding society for durability iu
the Union. Although ihort of complete
suoeess, it is much in tho right direction,
that twelve thousand cituoua in each one
of the states of Arkansas and Lousiana
have organized local State Governments
with free constitutions, aud are earnestly ;
struggling to maintain and administer j
them. The movement iu the sams direc
tion is more cxteusive, though IJSS defi- ,
uite, iu Missouri, Keutucky uud Teunes- j
see should not be overlooked; but .Mary
land presents the example of complete
success; aud Mary laud is secure to liber
ty and the Uuiou for all tho future.—
The genius of rebellion will no more claim
Maryland. Like another foul spirit, be
ing driven out, it may seek to tear her.
but it will woo her no more.
At the last session of Congress, a pro
posed amendment of the Constitution,
abolishing slavery 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 sauie Congress, aud
nearly the same members, without ques
tioning the wisdom or patriotism of those
who stood in opposition, I venture to rec
ommend the reconsideration and passage
of the measure at tho present session.—
Of course tho abstract question is not
changed; but au intervening election
shows almost certainly that the next Cou
gress will pass the measure, if this does
not. Hence there is only a question of
time as to when the proposed ameudment
will goto tho States for their action ; and
as it is to so go at all events, may we not
agreo that the sooner the better. It is
not claimed that the electien has imposed
a duty on members to change their views
or their votes, any further than as an ad
ditional element to be considered. Their
judgment may be affected by it. - It is the
voice of the people now for the first time
heard upon the question. In a great na
tionalcrisis like ours, unanimity of action
among those seeking a common end is
very desirable, and almost iudispeusi'olc,
and yet no approach to such unanimity is
attainable unless some defereuee shall be
paid to the will of the majority, simply be
cause it is the will of the majority. In
this case tho common end is the mainten
ance of the Union, aud among the means
tosecure that end, ?uch will, through the
NUMBER 2
election, is most clearly declared iu favor
of such constitutional amendment. The
most reliable indication of public purpose
in this couutry is derived through our
popular elections. Judging by tho recent
convass and its result, the purpose of the
.people within the loyal States to maintain
the integrity of tbe Luion, was never
more nearly unanimous than new. Tho
extraordinary calmness and good order
with which the millions of voters met and
mingled at thepolls, gave strong assur
ance of this. Not only all those whosup
portail the Union ticket, so called, nut a
great majority of the opposition party,
also, may be fairly claimed to entertain
and to bo actuated by tho same purpose.
It is an unanswerable argument to this
• efl'ect, that no candidate for auy office,
whatever, high or-low, lias ventured to
seek votes on the avowal that ho was for
giving up the Uuiou. There have been
much iuipuguing of motives, aud much
heated controversy, >n to the proper meas
ures and the best uiodo of advancing the
Union cause; but iu tho distinct issue of
Uuiou, or no Uuiou, the politicians have
shown their instinctive knowledgo that
theie is uodiversity among the people. Iu
awarding the people a fair opportunity of
showing one to another, and to the world,
this firmness and uunuimity of purpose,
tho election has bceu of vast value to tha
national cause. The election has exhibi
ted another fact uot less valuable to be
known—the fact that we do not approach
exhaustion in the most important branch
of the national resources, that of living
men. While it is melanoholy to reflect
that the vrar has filled so many graves and
caused mourning to so many homes, it-is
some relief to know that, compared with
the surviving, the fallen have been few.
Whola corps, and divisions, and brigades,
and regiments, hava formed and fought,
an 1 dwindled and gone out of existence.
Still a great majority of tbe men who
cumposed them, are still living. Tbe
same is true of the naval service. The
election returns prove this. So many vo»
ters cou'.d not else bo found. The states
regularly holding election Is both now and
four years ago, to wit: California, Con
necticut, Delaware, Illinois. Indiana, lowa
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachu
setts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin,
cast 3,9-<2,011 votes now against 3,870,-
222 oast then, -bowing tin aggregate now
of 2,898,211, to which is to be added
33,702, cast now in the States of Kansas
and Neva !a, which States did not vote-in
1860, thus swelling the aggregate to 4,-
075,778, and the net increase during the
three years and a half of war to 115,751.
A table i.; appended, showing the partic
ulars. To this again should be added the
number of soldiers in the Geld from Massa
chusetts, llhodo Island, New Jersey,
I>olawarc, Indiana, Illinois and California,
who, by tho law of those States, could not
vote away from their homes, aud which
number cannot be less than ninety thous
and. Nor yet is this all. The number
in organized territories is iriplo now to
what it was four years ago ; while thous
ands, white and black, join us as the na
tional arms press back the insurgent lines.
So much iti shown affirmatively and nega
tively by tho eleotioa. It is not material
to enquire how the increase has been pro
duced, or to show that it would have been
greater but for the war, which is preba
biy true, tho important fact remains de
monstrated that we have more men. now
thau when tho war began; that we are
not exhausted, nor in the process of ex
haustion ; that we are gaining strength,
aud may if need be, maiutain the contest
indefinitely. This as to men. Our ma
terial resources are now more complete and
abundant than ever. The national re
sources, then, are unexhausted, and, as
we believe, inexhaustible. The publio
purpose to re-establish aud maiutain tho
national authority, is unchanged, and, as
wu believe, unchangeable. The manner
ot continuing the ctfort remains to be cho
sen. On careful consideration of all the
evidence accessible, it seems to me that
no attempt at negotiation with the insur
geut leader could resultiu any good. He
would accept of n'othing short of tbe ser
vcrance of the Union. His declarations
to that effect are explicit and oft-repeated.
He docs not attempt to deceive us. He
affords us no excuse to deceive ourselves.
We cannot voluntarily yield it. Between
him and us the issue is distinct, simple
and inflexible. It is au issue which can
only be tried by war and decided by vic
tory. If we yield we are beaten; if tho
southern people fail, he is beaten.—
Either way it vrould be the victory and
defead following war. What is true,
however, of him who heads tho insurgeni
cause, is not noce -arily true of those
who follow. Although he cannot reao
cept the Union, they can. SKime of them