The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-09-11

Of those important successes could not haze
been achieved achen ii acas, but for the aid Of
black soldiers. Among the commanders holding
these views are some who have never had any
affinity with what is called Abolitionism, or
with the Republican party politics, but who
hold them purely as military opinions. lsubmit
their opinions as being entitled to some weight
against the objections often urged that eman-
cipation and the arming of the blacks are
unwise as military measures, and were not
adopted as such in good faith. You say that
you will not fight to free negroes. Some Of
them seem to be willing to fight for you but
no matter-fght you, then, exclusively to
save the Union.
issued the proclamation on purpose to
aid you in saving the Union. Whenever you
shall haze conquered all resistance TO the
Union, If shall atrye you to continue fight
ing, 1t tciU be an apt time then for you to
declare that yOu arW not fight to free negroes.
l thought that, in your struggle for the
Union, to whatever extent the negroes should
cease helping the enemy, to that extent it
weakened the enemy in his resistance to you.
Do you think differently? l thought that
whenever negroes could be got to do as SOL
diers, leaves so much less for white soldiers
to do in saving the Union. Does it appear
otherwise to you? But negroes, like other
people, act upon motives. Why should they
do anything for us, if we will do nothing for
them? If they stake their lices for as, they
mast be prompted By the strongest NOTICES
cuen the promise Of freedom; and the prom
isc being made, must be kept.
The signs looks better. The Father of
Waters again goes unvexed to the sea; thanks
to the great Northwest for it; nor yet wholly
to them. Three hundred miles up they met
New England, the Empire, the Keystone, and
New Jersey, hewing their way right and
left. The sunny South, too, in more colors
than one also lent hand, on the spot; their
part of the history was jotted down in black
and white. The job was a great national
one; and let none be banned who bore an
honorable part in it, while those who have
cleared the great river may well be proud.
|
anything has been more bravely and better
done than at Antietam, Murfreesboro, Get
tysburg, and on many fields of less note.
Nor must Uncle Sans web-feet be forgotten.
At all the waters margins have they been
present, not only on the deep sea, the broad
bay, and the rapid river, but also up the
narrow, muddy bayou, and wherever the
ground was little damp they have been and
made their tracks. Thanks to all For the
Great Republic-for the principles by which
it lives and keeps alive-for mans vast flu
ture; thanks to all
Peace does not appear SO distant as it did.
l hope it will come soon, and come to stay,
and so come as to be worth the keeping in
all future time. 1t will then have been proved
that among freemen there can be no success
full appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and
that they who take such appeal are sure to
lose their case and pay the cost and then
there will be some black men who can re-
member that with silent tongue, and clenched
teeth, and steady eye, and well poised bayo-
net, they have helped mankind on to this
great consummation, while fear that there
will be some white men unable to forget that,
with malignant heart and deceitful speech,
they have striven to hinder it. Still, let US
not be -over-sanguine of a speedy final tri
umph. Let us be quite sober. Let us dill.
gently apply the means, never doubling, that
just God, in his own good time, will give
us the rightful result.
Yours, very truly,
A. LINCOLN.