The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-08

fact that We BhoW no approach 90 exhaus
dOn in that most InpOrtAats branch Of Ii.
national resources, that Of living men
while It ia mslanenoly 70 reflect that ths
war has hllsd 80 many graves, and caused
mourning 70 80 nsny homes. Il Is some
relief TO knew that e5Tnpsred With the sur.
] viving, the fallen have been few. Who.t
corps, and divisions. and brirades, and reg
imeuts, have foTmed, and f0aght, and dwin.
died, ard gone out Of existence; q great ma
4 JorIty Of the men vhe composed them ass
sui living. The same is true Of the naval
I service. The election retsr1s prOVe this;
20 Inaay voters could not, else be found.
The States regularly holding eleetions both
now and four years ago, tO-wit: California,
Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,
lows, Kentucky, Maine. Massachusetts,,
Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, n. Hamp-
shire, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio. Oregon, f,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,
West Virginia, and Wisconsin, cast 49,. :
OIL voles now against s,eze,2o2 oast then.
Drawing an aggregate nov OF ,59s, III, 70
which Is to be added 81, ,762 east now in the
new Stafes OF Kansas and Nevada, which
States did not vote IN 1850. thus showing an
aggregate o. 4.GT5.773, aud the net increase
during the three years and . half Of war to
DO 1851.
To this again should be added the num-
bers Of all voters in the field from Massa-
chusetts, Rhode island, New Jersey, Della
ware, Maryland, Illinois, and California.
who by the law Of those States could not
vote away from thsir homes, and which
number cannot be less than ninety thou
sand; nor yet is this all. With the number
in organized territories it Is triple now to
what il was four years ago, while thou
aands, white and black, Join Us As the ma
tional arms press back the insIrgent lines
so mucn is shown sfirmatiyely and mega
lively by the election; il is not material to
inquire how the increase has been produced.
or 70 show that il would have been grester
but fo- the war, which IL probably true.
The important fact remains demonstrated,
that we have more men now than we had
when the war began aud that we are not
exhausted, nor IN process Of exhaustion,
that werare gaining strength, and may, If
need be, maintain the contest inde6nitely.
The national resources are now more COM
plete aud abundant than ever, unexhausted,
and IS We believe, ineKhaestibls for the
public purpose TO re-establish and maintain
their national capacity.
1t - unchanged, and IS we believe un-
eonquerabie. The manner Of continuing
the effort remsins to choose. On the care
ful consideration Of sli the evidence acses-
slble, It seems 70 me that no attempt at
negotiations with ths insurgent leader
would be Of any good He would accept Of
noshing short Of the severance of the
Union. His declarations 70 that effect are
expected and Of repeated use. He does
noe attempt 70 deceivs Us. He affords as
Bo cause 70 deceive ourselves. We. cannot
voluntarily yield it between him, ard
as the issue is dsfaits, mpls and infsx-
l6ls. LSis an issue which can only be tried
by war and decided By victory. If we
yie we are beaten NJ the Southern people |
TAIL, thea be is beaten Ether way il
would be victory and defeat following war |
" hatis true, however Of him who leads |
TINS insugsnt cause Is not necessarily true OF |
those who follow. Although he csnnot re- |
accept the Union, they can. some Of |
thsni we know already desire peace and |
70 unions the number OF VII oh may in
croase.
They can at any moment have peace sim |
ply 0y laying down their arms and sub /
uniting 70 the National authority, under /
The Constitution After 90 much the tfov- /
eminent could not II it wOu.d, mGintain /
war against them. The loyal pe0pls would i
not sustain or sliow il. II questions should 1
remain we would adjust them by peaceful /
ineans Of legal stiVe o0nference-cOurts aud /
votes operating Only IN constitutional and i
lawful channels.
eonls certain and other possible questions
are aud would be beyond the Executive
power to adjust for instance, the admis-
'ion II members into Congress and what
aver might require, the appreciation of
many. The Executive power itself would
be greatly diminished by the cessation OF
II actual war. PardOns and remissions of
orfeiture, however, would Still be within
Executive control. In what spirit and tenn
per this control would be exercised, can be
airly judged by the past. year ago
GENERAL pardon and amnesty upon spec led \
erms was offered 70 all except certain
designated emissaaes, and il was at the
Iame time made known that the excepted
classes were stid within contemplation ofl
Pecisl eleEosnoy. Duripv the wear mauv
.yai ed themselves Of the genesaI nrovis-
Ons. and many more wou 4. only that the
igns Of bad faith in some led 10 such pre-
stationary measures a. rendered the prae-
al process less easy and eertaiu. During the
anne time, also, special pardons have Been
granted 70 individuals Il excepted classes
md no voluntary apple ttiOn has been de-
ned. Thus practically the way has been
or full year open FOR such who are not in
condition to make iree choice that il such
Fers in custody or under eonstraint tits still
pen to all. But the tins may come and
probably will come, when the public duty
hall demand hat IL be closed, and that in
leu more vigorous measures than hereto
ore shall be adopted in prosecuting tao
Of armed resistance 10 the Ma
ionsl authority on the part Of insurgents
= the only dispe n-abls condition to ending
he war on the part Of the Government,
etract nothing heretOf0rs said as 70 slavery. |
repeat the declaration made year ago,
nd that while rsma IN my present Po-
itiOn, shsll not attempt 10 retra or mod
y the Emancipation proclamation, nor
hall return to slavery any personeWhO Is
rec BY the terms Of thai PROCLAMATION, OF
y way ofths Acts Of Congress.
II the people sh0ald By whatever mode or
leans, make u my Executive duty 10 re-
nslaVe such persons, another, and not I.
aust be their instrument 70 perform il. In |
tGting q single condition, nasan simply 10
~ that the war will cease on the part Of
be Government whenever il shall be- csas- 4
on the prs Of those who began it.
l5ignedJ AsEkEAE LIHcoLs.