Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-12-09

etates ior their action and ~ to go at all vents
may we not a that the the better 1t 10 no
claimed that the election has imposed duty mem
bers to change their views votes any further Than al
An .ddi.iGna element to he considered Their judg
now, for the first time heard the question. In ,
great national crisis like ours, una1imity of actor
among those seeking common end Is very desirable
almost Indispensable, and yet no approach to sucl
unnmity 10 Attainsbls unless deisrenco shall b
paid to the will Of the majority simply because 1t is thu
will OF the majority. In this case the common end il
the maintenance Of the Union and among he means l.
secure that end such will through tho election mos
clearly declared in favor Of such constitutional amend
ment The most reliable Indication Of public purpose
this country 10 deIiy through popular election
Judging by the recent canvass and its results
the purpose OF the people within the loya
States TO maintain the integrity of the Union
was never more hrm nor more nearly unani-
nous than now. The extraordinary calmness
and good order with which the millions of vo
ters met and mingled at the polls gave Stront
assurance of this. Not only 0ll those who sup
ported the Union Ticket so-callcd, but n grea
majority Of the opposing party also may be fair
It Is an unanswerablc argument, that no candi
date for any office whatever, high or low, has
was for giving up the Union. There has beer
much impugning Of motives and much heated
controversy as to the proper means and best
mode of advancing the Union cause, but in the
distinct issue OF Union or no Union, the politi.
clans have shown their instructive knowledge
that there is no diversity among the people. In
awarding the people the lair opportunity OF
showing one to another, and to the world, this
firmness ahd unanimity of purpose, the election
mas been Of vast value to the national cause.
The election has exhibited another fact, mol
less valuable to be known--the fact thatwe dc
not approach exhaustion in the most Important
branch Of me national resources-that Of living
men. While it is melancholy to reflect that the
war has f1llcd so many graves and caused
mourning to SO many homes, it is some relief
to know that, compared with the surviving, the
fallen have been SO few. While corps and divi-
sions and brigades and regiments have formed
and fought and blad. and gone out of existence
\ majority of the men who composed them are
still living. The same is true Of the naval serv.
ice; the election returns prove this. SO many
voters could not else be found. The States reg.
years ago, to-wit: California, Connecticut, Del
aware, illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky
Maine Maine, Maryland, Massa s Michigan
Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon. Pennsylvania
ahode Island, Vermont, Vest Virginia, and
Wisconsin cast s.9S1Oll votes now against 49,
20 cast then, showing an aggregate now OF s.
39S, 2l to which is to be added SO 49, cast now In
the new States OF Kansas and Nevada which
aggregate to 4,OT5,773 and the net Increase
during the three years and Il half of war, To
i45,55l table i. appended showing PARTICULARS. IL
this asai shouli lie added the number Of all the sol
dIers In tnc field from Massac husetts, Rhode Island
Jersey, Delaware Indiana Illinois and California who
by the law OF those states, could not vote away fom
their homes which number cannot be less than COZ
Nor ia his all The number in The organized Teri
tories s triple what il four years ago, while
thous ands VIII t. and black Join us US The national ar
press back the insurgent lines So much IL shown al
frmativey and negatively, by the eloction 1t is no
material to inquire how tho increase has been produced
or to show that II would ays been greater but for thu
war, which il probably truo The important fast re
mains d n.onGtratelthat We have more thar
we had when he war began--hat wo"r' not exhausted
in process of exhaustion tina. We are gainill,
strength, and may, II need be, maintain the contest in
definitely.
This tomen. Our material resources ara now NOR.
complete and abundant than ever The national re
sources, then, unexhausted, and, believe
exhaustible. The public purpose to re-establish anC
maintain the nnonal authority is unchanged, and,
we believe, interchangeable. The manner Of continuing
the effort remains choose On careful considerat
ct all the evidence accessible, it seems to that
at negotiation with the insurgenr leader could
of the severance of the Uniou his declarations tina;
effect are explicit and oftrepeatsd. He does not at
tempt to deceive u.s. lie affords excuse to dessv,
ourselves. We cannot voluntarily yield it,
Between him aud he issue il distinct
simple and infiexiblA 1t is an issue which can
only be tried by war and decided ny victory
II we yield We are beaten. If the Southern peO.
pie fail him he Is beaten. Either way, it would
be the victory and defeat following war. What
is true, however, of him who heads the nsur.
gent cause, is not necessarily one OF those who
follow. Although he cannot re-accept the
Udion, they can. Some of them, we know
already desire peace and reunion. The number
ment have peace simply by laying down tbeil
arms and submitting to the national authority
Government could not, if it would, maintain
war against them. The loyal people would not
sustain or allow 1t. IfqueStiOnS should remain
we would adjust them by the peaceful means o.
legislation, conference courts and votes, opera
ting only In Constitutional and lawful channels
some certain and other possible questions arc
and would be beyond the Executive power to
adjust. For instance, the admission of members
into Congress, and whatever might require the
appropriation of money. The Executive power
e.t.on nf actual war. Pardons and remssions
Of forleitures, however, would still be within
bis sanss e Snt se can and h
judged of by the past. A year ago general par
don and amnesty, upon specified terms, were
class, and IL was At the same time made
known that I'll. excepted class were still
within contemplation OF special clemency
During the year many availed themselves OF
the general provision, and many more would
only that the signs of bad faith IN some led tc
such precautionary measures as rendered the
the same time also, special parions have been
granted to individuals of excepted CLASSES, and
no voluntary application has been denied
fhis practically, the door has for n full yeal
been open TO all such were not III a condition
to make free choCe--tha is, such as Were in
-custody or under constants. 1t is still open &c
all. But the time may COme-prObably Will
come, when the public dutv shall demand that
1t be closed, and that, in leg. more vigorous
measures THAI heretofore shall be adepted.
sistance to the national authority, on the part
If the insuT gents as the only indispens BILE
condition to ending the war on the part of the
as to slavery repeat the dec arutiop made a
year ago, that while remain in my present po-
sitiOn shall not attempt to retract or modify
the Emancipation Proclamation, nor shall re-
turn to slavery any person who is free by the
terms of that proclamation or by any of the
acts Of Congress. 1.-THE people should: by what
ever mode or means, u,aka il my ENecutv.
duty to re-easlaye such persons, another, and
not /, must be their instrument TO perform it.
In stating single condition of peace, mean
simply to say that The war viii cease on the
;'art Of the government whenever it shall have
ceased on the part of those who began it,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Washington. pee. 9Th, 1851
RESOURCES OF OUR COUNTRY.--ft il
estimated that the iron ore in the two
iron mountains in Missouri, above the
level of the valleys, at twenty-five cents
per ton, would pay our present national
debt,
The smaller iron hills and ridges
which 81 satellites surround these noun.