Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-12-12
WHOLE NUMBER 729.

J ed the best qualities OF our be;ny ana A.. a.,
est s'eai OF tbe genuine patriot Let God bs
praised that all was not lost 10 the very op,..,
OF the struggle. We we're but just saved h ON
a violent revolution.
Delivering us from tbis. onr e.yl;e,t .,a
greatest danger, Providence has smiled upon
our cDorf' to greater extent than some seen,
10 understand. II acy complain that more has
not been done, it may be well to consider what
mas been done. We have retained Delaware,
maryland Kentucky. Missouri and Western
'"g'n'ai OIL OF which would have been sveps
INTO the whirlpool Of secession, but for the pres.
ence and activity OF the Federal forces.
We have maintained along a sea-coast NJ
several thousand miles, very effective block. &.
ade' as proven by iis consequences upon The
manufacturing interests Of Europe. We have
pnid the entire expenditure without borrowing
dollar from aDy foreign country. No nation
Of modern or ancient times ever presented such
tremendous array Of force, as we now have
at the disposal OF our Government. We now
understand the foe. We now see what We
have 10 do, and are prepared to do il
Again. In regard to actual victories. the cd.
vantage has been decidedly ours. True we
iailed at Bull RIM and before Richmond. but
we did not fail at lIattcras Inlet; at Port Roy.
al; at Roanoke Island; at Fort Henry; at Fort
| Donelson; at Somerset; at Shoah; at Corinth;
at Pea Ridge; at Memphis; at New Madrid;
at Island No
IN Maryland; at Gettysburg; at Helnena;, at
Ficksburg; at Port Hudson; at Chattanooga
and other places too numerous too mention.-
We have gained ten times as many victories 90
we have lost we have captured and paroled
many more prisoners than the rebels; we have
taken from them large number OF important
positions which they had gained not by fght-
ing. but By treason; and DO position of any con.
sequence, once recovered from them, is now in
their hanis. They new occupy much less ter
ritory than they did. They have not been able
to carry the war into the Loyal States, but We
have possession of very important points 10 ev.
cry disloyal State and the Mississippi river Is
in our hands. The rebels can show no such
record Of facts
| Looking at these facts. as patriots and chris.
tians, we have ample occasion to thank God
fol the favors Of His good providence, and take
courage. Though not at the end Of the war.
We have gained much.
Believing our cause TO be just. we have ap.
pealed to the God Of Nations. We have pray.
ed for the President, for his Cabinet, for Con.
gress, for the officers and privates 10 the army
and navy. aud what God has wrought,,i quite
sufficient to make us grateful people.
III. Another great thing the Lord has done
for us. is found in the fatherly chastisement that
He is administering to U.s. for our present and fa.
ture good. Sometimes, as with individuals, 90
with nation, the best lessons oflife are Taught.
and the highest virtues cultivated. in the midst
Of the severest adversely. Prosperity often
generates vices which nothing bat adversely
can cure. "When Gods judgments are abroad
il the land, the people learn righteousness"
Tie immutable problems Of morality aud right
tLen make their appearance, and enter as facts
no history.
The pulpit and the religious press have des-
canted largely upon the sins Of the American
people, as sustaining moral connection with
the evils we now sufrer.
This is just. Ills right 10 say, that this war
is the rod Of God for the correction Of guilty
people. We have sipned in various ways. and
for all our sins deserve Divine displeasure.
We have been proud and naughty people.
forgetful of the God of our fathers and sscri.
bng to our own wisdom aud strength the glory
of our own unparalleled prosperity.
! We have been 40 incorporate people, 6evot.
ing body and SOUL reputation and property, oil,
upon the alters Of BAcHUs. ea
| We have been aprofsne people. "Because
OF swearing the land mourneth." Gods holy
name has been everywhere taken in vain and
the deseern,ion of his holy Sabbath has been
sanctioned by the administrators Of our Gov
ernment, t"'A
We aave been cruel aud oppressive people.
We have DIVIDED the poor Indian before the
| point of the sword, fur away from his home,
! from the graves OF his fathers, and have insult.
ed him by the payment OF a mere tithe OF the
real value of his lands. And cannot conceal
| lIoln Ieeii, nor VIII " SouScei "S'AA
you. the fact that the sin Of human bondage 10
not the least for which God is now Furnishing
us as q nation. How any one can fail TO see
this is to me inexplacibe. For what did the
South threaten to seceds in the event OF Mf.
Lincoln's electioni For what did they make
the same threat at The time the Missouri Com.
promise was adoptedi What has been the
subject Of their persistent agitation for she last
forty yearss What has been the great subject
of coract between the North and the South
during the whole history Of the Goversmenis
For what have compromises been made repeal.
edi To what did Mr.. Crittenden's proposed
compromise refer' What was the subject
the Peace Congress met at washington
to coesideri What was the ground on which
the State Conventions based their acts OF 80
cessi,ns What is the main point OF difference
49,