The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-12-16

diligently administered. There have beeu
added TO the Pension rolls during the year
ending the 30th Of June last. the names Of
lO 770 invalid soldiers, and of 271 disabled
seamen. making the present number of
army Invalid pensioners. 20 707, and of navy
invalid pensioners, 7l2 OF widows. or.
phsDs and mothers 22 l98 have cen placed
on the army pension rolls and 24S ou tho
navy rolls. The present number Of army
pensioners Of this class, is 25. 433. and Of
navy pensioners. 793. At tho beginning Of
the yaar the number Of revolutionary PEN
siopers was, I $50 Only twelve of them
we're soldiers, of whom seven have since
died. The remainder are those, who under
The laws Of reserve pensions, because Of re-
,aiiooship to revolutionary soldiers. Du-
ring the wear ending the 30tb o. June, 1864,
- 5o4 Gle % have boon paid to pensioners
Of oil classes.
1 cbeerfuly commend 10 your patronage
the benevolent institutions Of the District
Of Columbia. which have hitherto been 60.
,ablisbed or fostered BY Congress, and re-
spectfuliy refer you for information con.
corning these end IN relation 10 the Wash-
ington Acqueduct. the Capitol, and other
matters of local interest, to the report Of
the Secretary. .... 0...
The Agricultural Department, upder tho
supervision of its present energetic and
faithful head. is rapidly commencing itself
to the great and vital interest It was created
tn advance 1t 10 peculiarly tho peoples
department. in which they feel more deeply
concerned than in sny other. I commend
it to the continued attention aod fostering
care Of Congress. .. ....... %
The war has continued since the last sn-
al al go tnna md
Positions then occupied by our forces have
been maintained. our armies have steadily
advanced, thus iiberating tho negroes 1efe'
in the rear ~ ,hss Missouri. Kentucky,
Tennessee, aud parts of other States, have
again produc, reasonably fair crops.
The most remarkable feature In tho
military operations OF the year, Ia Gen.
Sherman's attempted march Of three hun
dred miles directly through the enemy's,
region. II tends 10 show a great increase
OF our relative strength that our General
in Chief should feel able 10 confront and
hold in check every active force Of the,
enemy and yet detach q we'll appointed
large army to move on such an expedi-
ton. ........ ...
The result not yet being known. conjeo.
ture in regard to Il 10 not here INDUCED IN.
Important movements have also occurred
during the year. to the effect OF moulding
society for durability in the Union. Al
though short of complete success. il 10 much
10 the right direction that l2 600 citizeDs Ia
each of the States OF Arkansas and Louis.
lana. have organised loyal State Govern.
meDs with free Constitutions, and are
earnestly struggling TO maintain and ad-
minister them. The movement In the samo
direction. more offensive though less deA-
mite, 10 Missouri, Kcntucky and Tennessee,
should not be overlooked. But .Maryan
presents the example of complete success.
Maryland is secure to liberty and union for
sil the future. Tho genius Of rebellion will
no more claim Maryland. Like another
foul spirit, It may seek to tear her, but Is
will WOO her no more. i
At the last session Of Congress, . proposed
amendment Of the Constitution. sbolishing
Slavery throughout the United States.
passed the Senate. but failed for lack Of
the requisite two.ihirds vote in the House Of
Representatives. Although the present 70
the same Congress, and consisting Of nearly
the same members. without questioning the
wisdom or patriotism OF those who stood IN
opposition. ! veoture TO recommend the re.'
consideration and passage of the measure At
the present session. OF course. the sb-
stract question is not changed. but an inter-
ven,ng election shows almost certainly that
the next Congress will pass the measure. II
this does not. Hence, there 10 only ques.
ton CT time as to when the proposed
Amendments will GO to the States for their
action and, as il is to 30 90. At all events.
may We not agroe that the sooner the bet
ter: It 10 not claimed that the election has
imposed duty on mepbers to change tbeir
views or their votes, any further than, as IA
additional element to be considered. tbeir
judgment may be affected by it. lii the
voice Of the people, now, for the first time.
heard upon the question. In . great na-
tional crisIs like ours, unanimity OF sctios
among those seeking common end 10 very
desirabIc-almost indispensabte--andy yet no
approach to sroh unsnimity 10 sttaipable
unless some Difference shall be paid TO the
will Of the majority. simply because II 10 the
will OF the msjori9. In this case, the COM
mon end is the maintaining Of the Uoion.
and, among the means to secure that end,
snch will, through the election, 10 most
clearly declared 10 favor Of such Constitu-
tional amendment.
The most reliabIe indication Of public
purpose ir this country, - derived through
our popular elections.
Judging by the recent canvass and Ito rs-
suit. the purpose of the people within the
Ioval States to maintain the Integrity Of The
Union. was never more hfu. nor more nearly
unanimous than now. The extrsor dinsry
calmpess and good order With which the
millions of voters met and mingled at the
polls. gave strong evidence of this. Not
only oil those who supported the Unios
ticket. so called. but great majority OF che