The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-09-12

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the opinions Of others, that some of the
commanders of our armies in the field
who have given us our most Important
victories, believe the emancipation poll
cy and the aid Of colored troops consti-
tutc the heaviest blows yet dealt to the
rebellion and that at least one of those
impor ant successes could not have been
achieved when it was, but for the aid of
black soldiers. Among the commanders
holding these views are some who have
never had any affinity with What is call
ed Abolitionism or with "Republican
party politics." but who bold hem pure
y as military opinions. | submit their
opinions as being entitled TO some weight
against the objcc ions often urged that
emancipation aud the arming of the blacks
are unwise as military measures, and
were not adop ed as such in good faith.
You say that you will not fight to free
negroes. Some Of them seem to be will
ng 10 fight for you; but no matter
fight you, then, exclusively, to save the
| Union.
issued the proclamation on purpose
to aid you in saving he Union. When
ever you shall have conquered all resist
ance to the Union, it shall urge you to
continue fighting, it will be an apt lime
then for you to declare that you will not
light to free negroes. thought that, in
your struggle for the Union, to wha ev-
er extent The negroes should cease help
ing the enemy, to that extent it weaken
ed 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 1t appear otherwise 10 you2 But
negroes, like other people, act upon mo-
ives. Why should they do anything
for us, if we will do nothing for lheln /
If they stake their lives for US, they must
be prompted by the strongest motives
even the promise of freedom and that
promise, being made, must be kept.
The signs look better. The Father
Of Waters again goes unve.ed 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 aud left
The sunny South, too, in more colors
than one, also lent hand, on the spot :;
their par. Of the history was iotted down
IN black and white. The job was great
national one and let none be banned
who bore an honorable part III 1t, while
those who have cleared the grea. river
may well be proud.
Even tia is not all. 1t is hard to say
hat anything has been more Jraycly and
better done than at Antietam, Murtrees-
boro', Gettysburg, and Oh many fields of
icss note. Nor must Uncle Sans web
Get be forgotten. At all the wator's
margins they have been present, no
only on the deep sea, the broad bay,
and the rapid river, but also up the mar
row, muddy bayou, and wherever the
ground was little damp they have been
and made their tracks. Thanks TO all +!
For the Great Rcpublic--fot the princi-
pies by which it lives and keeps alive
for mans vast future =; thanks to all
fcace does not appear so distant as it
did. | hope it will soon come, and come
TO stay, and so come as to be worth the
keeping in all future time. It will then
Lave been proved that among freemen
here can be no successful appeal from
the ballot to The bullet, and that they
who take such appeal are sure to lose
heir case and pay the cost; aud then
there will be some black mcn who can
remember that, with silent tongue, and
clencted teeth, and steady eye, aud well
poised bayonet, they hive helped man
kind on to this great consummation,
while fear that thorc will be some
white men unable 10 forget that, with
malignant heart and deceltful speech.
hey have strivon 10 hinder it. Still,
let us not be over-sanguine of speedy
final triumph Let US be quite sober
Let US diligently apply the means,
never doubling that a JUS God, in his
own good time, will gives US the lightfui
result. Yours, very truly.
A LINCOLN.
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