Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1862-01-03
For the ChronicIe.
Old Abe's Lkst Mestsge
AND
vALEDICToRY ADDRESS
Delivered in petscn TO both nouscsOf Congress.
Cerss@rn sf u, Ssast c.S
Hosse sf Rcpseseas,tipss:

IconEresation and 10 ye Judge the thing that i
ric BIT, o yc sons Of menf fea, ye imaginc mis-.
CHIEF IN yopr hearts uycs .he earth, md sour hand'
deal with wicSeduess. The pnSodly are ftoward
even from theit mothers wo,ub q. soon tboy
are horn, they SO sstrAy and sperk lice They ere
as vtnouious as the pcs.oa eF a scsrent even like
the deaf adder, thai sorFetA Der ears. Which ny
fuseth TO hear the voice II the cbarMer, charm hC
ever 30 wisey-psALE o.
| Gentlemen Since assumed the reins Of Gov
eminent, the sun has contnsed on IN his annual
orbit. Tire rain has descended in refreshing show.
ers sad BY the blessing Of Providence, plenty has
crowned the efforts of the husbshdmsa throughout
my dominions. And my blockade has had the sal
utsry effect Of reducing the price Of the neessaris'
Iof life in the Northwest, far below the minimum
price Of former years, to sl those who have the
money to buy. e
The rebellion which, broke out in the South al
the time Of my election to Office, which at first was
no bigger than mans hand, has assumed immens,
proportions and somewhat jostled the wheels o
my Government, yet have thus far been enabled
to hold on to the Chair Of State and congratulate
you that washington is safe
It is true that to do this, dives.ed myself Of the
clogs and restrictions which surrounded me, and
were bequeathed TO us by our grandfathers, called
constitutional Law, and having exploded the Old
maxim that "In multitude Of councillors there is
safety" have grsspcd the sceptre, and welded the
sword with my own right artn, believing that one
sagacous mind with all its mighty energies con-
centrated to particular object is more potent fol
success than the ciashing Of many--thereby show
ing that necessity has law to control it. for il
is of vital Importance that my Government should
be sustained, and the Union preserved at all haz.
ards.
i And by TINS deyotug myself to my country''
good, have been charged with violating my oath
to support the Constitution Of the United States l.
| Gentlemen, it was well known fact that the Con.
stiluloa. had suffered from many severe attack,
during several years past That at my election tC
rule over you, 1t virtually died and on the eve oi
my Inauguration il gave up the ghost and became
a lifeless corpse. IT. therefore, there was no Con
stitution for me TO 'proteot and defend" there
could be no control over me. wash my hands anf
clear my skirts of the vile imruiation. Remembe-
too, 1t follows that you are not q lawful BODY &C
cording to former usages, nor am the President
{ nd the hundred vacant seats in this Capitol attes
the fact Old things have passed away. Behold
lall things have become new II
| In my proclamation against the rebellious State
in April last, set forth that would first ''retake
hold and possess the forts &C. and called fortl
rs, 900 men, assuring the world that would crusl
out the rebellion in ninety days. Superficial anC
\ L.. r .f.1t
plish it, as "the harvest is past the summef L
ended" and mdwinter is upon us. But let then
) remember that ny proclamation was ambiguous IL
its meaning. The days in question are prophet
days--an uncertain duration of time. A day, il
scripture language, is sometimes m age, genera
tion, or thousand years, and citcdmstances hav'
transpired which have prevented me from selecting
lany one Of these particular periods; but from
present indications most probably the latter viii
he chosen. have the satisfaction TO state, how
ever that portions of my veteran troops now occu
py and possess Castle hnckney in the very harbo
of Charleston, the tobacco psrehous,s at Richmond
and many in their ardent zeal for the preservation
, of the Union have anticipated my orders by "pds
sessing and occupying" the prisons of Tuscaloosa
Mobile New Orleans, and at other minor points
all of v hich compose the departments Of Coils
Corcoran and Ely couimandirg!
L. In July last the 'grand army of the Uuion,
composed Of all nations, languages, kindreds an,
tongues, moved forward from the Capitol into "Dix
les land, with. chariots and horsemen, with trum
nets aud other instruments of martial music, voca
with the stirring sound Of Yankee Doodle ami,
; the shouts of the multitude, crying "ouward Il
Richmond But, alasl the overseers of the roai
had left it in such bad condition, filled with s.
many distractions of such a character as seriousl.
I to retard my progress, aud on arriving at "Bul
Run" IA place hitherto unknown to fame,) | foun
, il filled with the slain of my veteran army, which
from some terrific cause, fed in disinay, pani
i stricken, routed ruined; my capitol tremblcd wit
> the tramp Of the fugitves, producing consterua
d ton only surpassed by the destruction of Jsrusa
I lem. For particulars | refer you to the graphi
! description giveR by Russell Of the London Time
Wo is me, that dwell 10 the tents of Kedar.-
The Elders have ceased from the gates, the younl
men from their music. The JOY Of heart
= ceased, Our dance is turned into mourning, Tn
,rown Is fallen from our head Woe unto US, tha
we nave klunCul Tor tnls our ncaIt IL lhiht, 10
lbese things our eyes are dim-JER o.
1t Is of the Lords mercies that we are not con
,umed, because his compositions fail not--JER. 1872
There are many reasons given for the destruc
on of this grand army; civilians atiribate Il to
practical demonstration Of the word retreat, whicl
1 IS SO often laid down in Scots tactics but III
nost probable reason given is that which the fagi
dives themselves reported ~ Headquarters, wh.e
r. was that they heard, with terror, the sieutora
{ voice Of the rebel chief shouting forward no.
brave columns forwardP aud that they met ID
levin himself vomiting forth hre asd briulstons
while his nosiris sent Up clouds Of suphurou
\ smoke, aud ffou The pi6us education Of man. the
verify believe that the time has come that tie devi
iwiI remain unclaimed for thousAld years and
ear that this belief wit exercise governing in
! auence upon their martial department hereafter
and detrimental lp the sacred cause in which the.