The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-12-04

rial acquisition. Having practieed the &C
QUESTION of territoay for nearly fifty years
! the question of constitutional power to dc
so, is no longer an open one with US. Tht
power was first questioned by Mr.. Jeffer-
son, who, however, in the purchase of Lou
: isiana, yielded his scruples on the plea o.
1 great expedience. If it be said that the
only legitimate object of acquiring territory
| i to furnish homes for white men, this
measure affects that object for the emigra-
ton of colored men leaves additional room
| for white men remaining or coming here.
Mr.. Jefferson, however, placed the impor-
lance of purchasing Louisiana more on po-
litical and commercial grounds than on
providing room for population. On this
whole proposition, including the appropria-
ton of money for the acquisition of terri
tory, does not the expediency amount to
absolute necessity-that, without which,
the government cannot be perpetuated7
In considering the policy to be adopt
ed for suppressing the instruction,
have been anxious and careful
that the inevitable conflict for this purpose
should not degenerate into violent and re-
morseless revolutionary struggle. | have,
therefore, in every case thought it proper to
keep the integrity of the Union prominent
as the primary object of the contest on our
part, leaving all questions which are not of
vital military Importance to the more DELHI
crate action of the legislature. In the exer-
else of my best discretion l have adverted
to the blockade of the ports held by the in
surgents instead of putting in force by pro-
clamation, the law of Congress enacted at
the late session for closing those ports; also
obeying the dictates of prudence as well as
the obligations of law instead of transcend
ing have adhered to the act of Congress to
confscate property, used for insurrectionary
purposes. If new law upon the same sub
ject shall be proposed its propriety will be
duly considered.
The Union must be preserved and hence
all dispensable means must be employed
We should not be in haste to determine
what radical extreme measures, which may
reach the loyal as well as disloyal-are in
dispensable. The Inaugural Address at the
beginning of the administration and the
Message to Congress at the last special ses-
sion were both mainly devoted to the do
nestle controversy out of which the insur-
rection and consequent war have sprung.
Nothing now occurs to me to add or sub
tract from the principles or general purpos-
es stated and expressed in those documents.
The last ray of hope for preserving the
Union peaceably expired at the assault up
on Fort Sumpter, and general review of
what has occurred since, may not be I'M
profitable. What was uncertain then, is
much better defined and more distinct
now. and the progress of events is plainly
lie the right direction. The insurgents con-
idently claimed strong support from North
of Mason and Dixon's line, and the friends
of the Union were uot free from apprehen-
sion on this point. This, however, was
soou settled definitely, and on the right side.
On the south of the line, noble little Della
ware led off right from the first. Mary
land was made to seem against the Union.
Our soldiers were assaulted, bridges were
burned, and railroads torn up within her
limits, and we were many days at one
time, without the ability to bring a single
regiment over her soil to the Capital
Now her bridges and railroads are repair
ed and open to the Government. She al
ready gives seven regiments to the cause
OF the Union, aud none to the enemy, and
her people, at a regular election have sus-
tanned the Union by large majority, and
a larger aggregate vote than they ever be-
fore gave to any candidate, or on any ques-
ton Kentucky, too, for some time il
doubt, is now decidedly, and | think IN
changeably ranged on the side Of the Union.
Missouri is paratively quiet, and be-
ieve cannot again be overrun by the in
surgents These three States of Maryland,
Kentucky and Missouri neither of which
would promise a single soldier at first, have
now an aggregate of not less than forty
thousand men in the field for the Union,
while of their citizens not more than
third 10 number are among the insurgents,
fbav- IF Il tint hara hp11fs nd Az
istence. After a somewhat bloody strug-
gle of months, winter closes On the Union
people of Western Virginia, leaving them
masters of their own country. An insur-
gent force of about fifteen hundred, for
months dominating over the narrow PENN
sula region, Aconstituting the counties Of
Accomac aud Northampton and known as
the Eastern shore of Virginia, together
with some contiguous parts of Maryland,
have laid down their arms, and the people
there have renewed their allegiance and &C
cepted the protection of the old flag. This
leaves NO armed insurrection north of the
Potomac, or east of the Chesapeake. Al
so, we have obtained a footing at each of
the isolated points of the Southern coast Of
Hatteras, Port Royal, Tybee Island, near
Savannah, and Ship Island; and we like
| wise have some general accounts of popular
movements in behalf of the Union in
North Carolina and Tennessee. These
| things demonstrate that the cause of the
Union is advancing steadily southwark
Since your last adjournment Lieutenant
| General Scott has retired from the head of
| the army. During his long life, the nation
/ has not been unmindful of his merit, yet
on calling to mind how faithfully, ably and
/ brilliantly he has served the country from
time far back in our history, when few OF
the men now living had been born, and
thence forward continually, l cannot but
/ think that we are still his debtor. l sub
NIT, therefore, for your consideration, what
further mark of recognition is due to him
and ourselves as a grateful people.
With the retirement of General Scott
came the executive duty of appointing in
his stead, a General-in-Chief of the army.
1t is fortunate circumstance that neither
in counsel nor country was there, as far as
l knew, any difference of opinion as to the
I pre- per person to be selected. The retiring
chief repeatedly expressed his judgment 10
| favor of General Mcclellan for the position
| and in this the nation seemed to give d
unanimous concurrence. The designation