Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-12-14


cavalry was undoubtedly necessary, !. hns
reached numerical strength more than adj.
quate to the wants Of the service. As it can
only be maintained at great cost, measures
will be taken for its gradual reduction.
10 organizing our great army, ! was ehec.
lively aided by the loyal Governors Of the diff
5erent States, and | cheeifully acknowledge
the prompt patriotism with which they re-
spouded to the cell of this Department.
Congsess, during it's extra session, autho.
rized the army TO be increased by the accept.
ance OF o volunteer force OF 500 900 men, and
made an appropriation of Eve hundred mil
lions OF dollars for its support. A call for the
troops was Immediately made but so hume.
rous were the offers that it was found difficult
to discriminate 10 the choice, where the patr
otism Of the people demanded that there
should be no restrictions upon enlstments,-
Every portion Of the community was anxious
that 1t should be represented in q cause that
appealed to the nobest impulses of our people.
by reference to the records OF the revolu.
tiou it will be seen that NJ Massachusetts,, with q
population of 100000, had at one lime, 56,.
600 troops 10 The field, or over one sixth Of ber
entire peope-a force greatly exceeding the
whole number Of troops furnished by all the
Southern States during that war. Should the
present loyal States furnish troops in like pro.
should any emergency demapd it, the Govern.
meut could promptly put into the field an ar.
my of over three millions.
Ii gives me great satisfaction to refer TO the
creditnble degree Of discipline of our troops,
most Of whom we're, but q short time since, en-
gagged in the pursuits Of peace. They are rap.
idly attaining an efficiency which cannot fail to
bring success TO our arms. Officers and men
alike evince. 8n earnest desire to accomplish
themselves 10 every duty Of the camp and
| held and the various corps are animated by an
emulation 20 exceed each other 10 sodierly
qualities.
The conspiracy against the Government ex-
tended over 90 area of 733. l44 square miles,
possessing q coast line of 1923 miles, and a
shore line Of 25.4l4 miles, with on interior
boundary line of 7,03l miles n length. This
conspiracy stripped US OF arms and munitions,
and scattered our navy to the most dstDnt
quarters of the globe. The effort TO restore
the Union, which the Government entered or
in April last was the most gigantic endeavor
in the history of civil war. The interval Of
seven months has been spent 10 preparation.
The history of this rebellion, in common
with all others, for obvious causes records the
| FIRST successes in favor OF the insurgents. The
| disaster of Bull Run was but the natural con
| sequence OF the premature advance of our
brave but undscipliDed troops. which the i'm.
patience of the country demanded The be.
| trayal also Of our movements by traitors in
our midst enabled tbe rebels to choose and
entrerch their position and by reinforcement
! in great strength, at the moment OF victory,
10 snatch it from our grasp. This reverse,
however, gave no discouragement to our gal
| laut people; they have crowded into our
ranks, aud although large Numbers have been
/ ~. ,,,.t. s,.pt
BILE array stands eager to precipita;e itself
upon the foe. The check that we have receiv.
ed upon the Potomac has, therefore, but post
poned the campaign for a few months. The
other successes Of the rebels, though dearly
won, were mere affairs, with no important or
permanent advantages. The possession Of
Western Virginia, and the occupation Of II at
teras and Beaufort, have nobly redeemed our
trensient reverses.
The geographical position Of the metropolis
of the nation, menaced by the rebels, and re.
quireG to be defended by thousands Of our
troops, induces me to suggest for consdera.
tion the propriety and expediency Of a recon.
struction Of tbe boundaries of the States OF
Delaware, Maryland and Virgins. Wisdom
aud true craftsmanship would dictate that the
seat of the National Government for all time
TO come should be placed beyond reasonable
danger Of seizure by enemies within, as we'll as
by foes without. by agreement between the
States Named such as wac effected, for simi.
lar purposes, by Michigan and Ohio, and by
Missouri and Iowa, their boundaries could be
so changed as to render the capital more re-
mote thnn at present from the influence o
State Governments which have arrOyed in re-
bellion against the Federal authority.
TO this end, the limits of Virginia might be
so sltered as to make her boundaries consist
of the Blue Ridge on the east, and PeDUsylva
MIA on the north, leaving those on the south
and west as at present. BY this arrangement
two counties o! Maryland (Alleghany anc
Wash!ngtoD) would be transferred to the ju
risdictiou of Virginia. All that portion o
, Virginia which lies between the Blue Ridg,
aud Chesapeake Bay could then be added Il
Maryland, while that portion Of the peninsula
between the waters Of the Chesapeake and th,
Atlantic, now jointly held by Maryland an,
Virginia, could be Incorporated into the Stat
Of Delaware. a reference to the map vii
! show that these are great natural boundaries
which, for all time to come, would serve t
mark the limits of these States.
10 this connection, it wonld be the part o
, wisdom to reaunex to the District Of Colum
, bia that portion OF its original limits which b.
: act of Congress, was retroceded to the Stat
, Of Virginia.
! ! 1t is already grave question, what shall b
, done with those slaves who are abandoned b
2 their owners on the advance of our troops int
: Southern territory, as at Beaufort district i
= South Carolina? The number left within on
= control at that point is very considerable, an
, similar cases will probably occur. What sha
! be done with them? Can we afford to sen
= them forward to their masters, to be by ther
y armed against US or used in producing supple
q q to sustain the rebellion? Their labor may b
y y useful to US. Withheld from the enemy
: . lessons his military resources, eId withholdiu
q them has no tendency to induce the horrors c
. iusurrection even in the rebel communities
o o They constitute military resource and bein
q such, that they should not be turned over t
: the enemy is too plain to discuss. WhV de
q prive him Of supplies by blockade, and vo
n unfairly give him men to produce supplies ?
y The disposition to be made of the slaves Of rt
" " bells after the close of the war, can be safel
n n left to the wisdom and patriotism of Congress
y y The representatives of the people will unquei
. tionably secure to the loyal slave holders ever
q right to which they are entitled under th
= | EnnStitnfinn of the cOuDtrU