The weekly union record., 1864-09-17
Whaf Have We 1ccompllshed


We learn from the Maryzsille Express Of
August 29th tba. all the good and great men
OF the country. four years ago. belonged to the
Democracy Of the Express line, and uttered
various aud slbdry wise and wonderful warn
ipgs and adnouitious for The edifcation Of the
American people, informing them that 4 be
Lincoln must be defeated, and our man joan
elected President Of these S.afss not rerg firmly
unl!sd, otherwise the desolatious Of waF would
sweep, as with the bosom Of destruction, over
our oace happy country.
Subsequent events have rendered clear tie
Interpretation that those warnings were simply
the threats of those geod aud great men that
when they could DO logger rule, they would
ruin the country. Regardless alike of the
threats or warnings of those "good aud great
men" the free people Of the white settlements
chose TO elect an honest man, a patriot and
statesman. TO preside over the desiinies Of the
natiou, anI execute the laws.
True to their instincts, those good and
great Democrats" violated all their national
obligations, ard, adding the crime Of larceny to
perjury. completed the arch of their infamy by
Growing it with treason 10 their country.
Then was manifested the modesty and forbear-
ance of these good ard great men, for, said
they. We ask only 10 be "let alone" To take
by force all the territory Of the nation lying
south of 36 deg. 80 min, from the Chesapeake
to the Rio Grande, westward TO the Pacific,
with all the military. naval, commercial. mineral
aud agricultural possessions properties and
advantages. the larger half of our noble Re
public, to build up an independent nation for
less than one third Of her free population. to
the exclusive benefit of some 100000 good
and great" arstocrats, for the good and
great" purpose Of Matchmaking and making
perpetual an institution and sys em Of govern
ment which receives, as it deserves. the con-
demna,ion Of the civilized world-surely, this
was project so grand and holy in its concep
lion, so innocent in Its Development so beatfc
in its consummation, and SO in harmony with
the principles OF self government and the civil
ization Of the age-so worthy the labors Of
good and great men" as 10 entitie them to the
privilege of being "iet alone" :" at least, they
modestiy reqnested the nation TO take that view
of it, and their copperbead brethren sald, YEA
AND AMEN But majority of the American
people didn't see ii in that light" The gov
ernment authorities knew their duty better
The Executive in Chief was worthy of bis po-
sition. In his Inaugural, the President said :
To the extent of my ability, | shall take care
as the Constitution itself expressly eujoius upon
me, that the laws Of the Union be faithfully
executed in all the States" The
power confded to me will be used to hold,
occupy aud possess the property and places
belonging TO the Government"
The rebellion having assumed national
attitude, independent of and foreign to the
government Of the United States the issue
involved was, Who should conquer? When
the case was thus presented to US by the rebels,
it was very plain that il we did not conquer
the rebels, they had couquered-us. They com
menced the war at Sumter Without regard
to the time when or the place where it may
end, we have determined that ii shall end, and
end either with the submission or determination
of the rebels. let the cost and sacrifice be what
they may. We have been engaged 10 the war
three years and half What have we accom-
plshed? We have prepared a fleet and
bockaded the entire rebel coast from Delaware
to Mexico. We have constructed an entire
new navy Of defensive armor aud ordnance the
most formidable that floats the seas. We
have 40 army which, in point of numbers,
efficiency and skiltul commanders, may vie
with anything OF It's kind known to the history
of man We have held the States of Maryland.
Kentucky, Missouri and California from being
carried into acts of secession. We have re
claimed the States Of Western Virginia, Tenn
essee. Arkansas and Louisiana from the DOM
nation ei rebel authority. We have opened
the Mississippi to navigation and severed the
rebel element in be States west Of it from the
heart of the Couiederacy. We have compel
the rebels to bring nearly the last man and boy
of their fighting force into Tie field aud con
centrate them in two great armies. By Sher-
mans successful advance from Chattanooga to
Atanln, we have overwhelmed one of them
with a defeat bordering Oh anuihlation. Bg
this success Of sherman, and the achievements
OF FArragut al Mobile Bay, We have shorn the
rebels of their power il Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi. \ powerful get much reduced
aud weakened army, commanded by Lee, still
holds the defeuces Of Richmond and Petersburg
We have an army still more powerful compel.
ling them to remain there only TO meet. ere
long, the fate OF Hood at Atauta Our army
has received al addition Of 100000 vigorous
meu under The late cai. Of 100000. and more
are going forward. We have he'd in check
large body Of rebel allies in the free States.