Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-09-15
could not have been achieved when it was
but for the aid of black soldiers.

1 but for the aid OF black soldiers.
Among the commanders these views ar
some who have never had any affinity witt
what is called, "Abolitionism," or Will
Republican party politics" but who hoIc
them purely as military opinions. sub
NIT their opinions as being entitled TO some
weight against the objections often urged
that emancipation and arming the blacks
are unwise as military measures, and were
not adopted as such in good faith.
You say you win not fight to free ne
groes. Some Of them seem wiling to fight
for you-but no matter. Fight you then,
exclusively, to save the Union. | issued
tho Proclamation on purpose to aid you in
saving the U4ion. Whenever you shall
have conquered all resistance TO the Union,
if shall urge you to continue fighting, it
will be an apt time then for you to declare
that you viii not fight to free negroes. |
thought that in your struggle for the I'm.
ion, to whatever extent Tie negroes should
cease helping the enemy, to that extent it
weakened the enemy in his resistance to
you. Do you think differently thought
that whatever negroes can be got to do as
soldiers leaves just 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 tbeir
lives for US they must be prompted by the
stronger motive, the promise of freedom.
And the promise, being made, must be
kept.
The signs look better. The Father of
Waters again goes unvexed to the sea-
Thanks to the great North west for it.
Nor yet wholly to them. Three hundred
miles up they met New England, Empire,
Keystone and Jersey, hewing their way
right and left. The sunny South, too, in
more colors than one, also lent a helping
hand. On the spot, their part of the his
tory was jotted down in black and white.
The job was great national one, and let
none be sighted who bore an honorable
part in it. And while those. who have
cleared the great river may wen be proud,
even that Is not all. 1t IS hard to say that
anything has been more bravely and well
done than at Antietam, Murfreesboro, Get
tysburg and on many fields of less note.
Nor must Uncle SANS web feet be forgot
ten. AT all the watery margins they have
been present, not only on the deep sea, the
broad bay, and .he rapid river, but also up
the narrow muddy bayou, and wherever
the ground was little damp, they have
been aud made their tracks. Thanks to
all. For the great Republic-for the
principle it lives by and keeps aliye-for
mans vast future-thanks to all.
Peace does not a pear so distant as it
did. | hope it will come soon and come
to stay; and so come as to be worth the
keeping in all future time. 1t viii then
have been proved that among freemen there
can be no successful appeal from the ballot
to the bullet, and they who take such ap-
peal are sure to lose their case any pay the
cost. And then there will be some black
men who can remember that, with silent
tongue, and clenched teeth, and steady
eye, and well poised bayonet, they haze
nelp6Q lnankind Oh 10 tuiS SlSdt OoHSuih
nation; while | fear there will be some
white ones unableto forget that with ma
lignant heart and deceitful speech they have
striven to hinder it.
Still, let us not be over sanguine of
speedy, final triumph. Let US be quite So
Der. Let US diligently apply the means,
never doubling that . just God, in His own
good time, will give ui the rightful result.
Yours, very truly,
A. LINCOLN.