Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-09-08

the exceptions, ere the massacre OF van
qui>hed foes and non-combatants, male
and female
But the Proclamation. ~ law, either il
valid, or is not valid. ii i. is not valid,
it need. 10 retraction Ii it is valid, it
can moi he rctractcd, any mora than the
dead pan be brought to life, Some Of
YOU profess to think its retract;on would
operate favorably for the Union. Why
better, after the retractinn, than before the
issue? There was more than year and
half Of trial to suppress the Rebellion
before the Proclamation was issued, the
last one hundred days of which passed
Under an explicit notice that it WAS com
ing unless avcrted by those in revolt
returning to their allegiance. The war
has certainly progressed as favorably for
Us. since the issuc of the Proclamation, as
before
know, ~ fully as one can know the
opinions Of others, that some of the COM
mandcrs of our armies in the field, who
harc given Us our most important victories.
believe the emancipation policy, and the
Use Of the colored troops, constitute the
heaviest blows yet dealt to the Hcbellion,
aud at least one ot' those Important Success
cs could no, have been achieved. when it
was, but for the aid Of black soldiers.
Among the commanders, there are some
whose views have never had any affinity
with what is callrd .Abolitionsm,' or
with Republican party politics, but who
hold them purely as military opinions. |
submit their opinions rs being entitled to
some weight against the objections often
urged that emancipation and ariiing the
blacks are unwise as military measures.
and We're not adopted as such in good
filth.
You say TINT you will not fight to free
negroes. Some of them seem willing to
fight for you-but no matter. Fight You
then, exclusively. to save the Union. |
issued the Proclamation On purpose to
aid you in saving the l'nion. Whenever
You shall have conquered all resistance 10
the Union, if shall urge you to continue
fighting. it will be an apt time then for
YOU to declare you will not ii.h; to free
negroes. | thought, that, iu your strug-
gle 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 diff
iercntly! | Thought. that, whatever ne
grocS can be got to do as soldiers, leaves
just so much less for white soldiers to do
in saving the Union Does it appear 9TH
erwise 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
lives for Us, they must be prompted by the
strongest motive, even 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 Northwest for it. Nor
yet wholly to them. Three hundred
miles up, they met New England, Empire,
Keystone, and Jersey, hcwing their way
right and left The sunny South, too, in
more co,ors than one, also lent a helping
hand. On the spot, their part Of the his
tory was jottcd down in black and white.
The job was 4 great national one, ard let
none be slighted who bore an honorable
part in it.
Aud while those who have cleared the
Great River, may well be proud, even that
is not all. 1t is hard to say that anything
has been more bravcly and well done than
at Antietam, Murfrcesboro, Gettysburg,
and on many fields of less note
Nor must Uncle Sans wcb-fcet be for
gotten. At all the watery margins they
have 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 a little damp,
they have been and made their tracks. /
Thanks to all For the great Republic
for the principle it lives by and keeps
alivc-for mans vast futurc-thanks to
all /
Peace docs not appear so distant as it
did. l hope it will come, soon, and come
TO stay and 50 come, as to be worth the
keeping, in all future time. 1t will then
have been proven, shat, among free
men, there can be no successful appeal
from the ballot to the bullet and that
they who take such appeal, are sure to lose
their cause, and pay the cost. And then,
there will be some black men who can re-
member, that, with silent tongue, and
teeth, and steady eye, and we'll
poised bayonct, they have hel ped mankind
on to this great consummation while |
fear there will be some white ones, unable
to forget, that, with malignant heart and
leceitful speech, they have strivcn to him
der it.
Srill, let us not be over-sanguine of a
speedy, final triumph. Let us be quite
sober Let US diligently apply the means,
never doubling that just God, in His
,wn good time, will give us the rightful
'esult. Yours, very truly.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
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rea-Last Saturday was a lovely day, and
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