The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-12-16
No. 40.

ever, llIn or low, HAS uhcu W SUN
votes on the avowal that he was for
giving up the Union. There have beotI
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 politicians
have shown their instructive knowl-
edge that there is no diversity among
the people. In affording the people
the fair opportunity of showing one to
another, and to the world, this firm
ness and unanimity of purpose, the
election has been of vast value to the
national cause. The election has ex-
hill tied another fact not less valuable
to be known, the fact that we do not
approach exhaustion in the most I'M
portant Branch of the national resour-
ces-that of living men. While 1t IS
melancholy to reflect that the war has
filed SO many graves and carrie
mourning to 80 many hearts, 1T IL
some relief to know that, compared
with the surviving, the fallen have
been so few. While corps and diyi-
sions and brigades and regiments have
I formed and fought and dwindled and
gone out of existence, a great majority
Of the men who composed them are
still living. The same is true OF the
naval service The election returns
prove this So many voters could not
else he found The states regularly
holding elections, both now and four
years ago, to wit California, Connec
ticut, Delaware. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis-
sour, New Jersey, New Hampshire,
New-York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsyl-
vania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West
Virginia, and Wisconsin, cast 1882,
oil votes now against 3,S70,222 cast
then, showing an nc.ease of ILL.,
7S9to which is to be added 3d.
1872 cast now in. the new states OF
Kansas and Nevada, which states did
not vote i'll 1860, thus swelling the ag
gregate to 4, O15,773, and the net in
crease during the three years and a
half of war to 1851. A table is APP
pended showing particulars. To this
again should be added the number of
all soldiers in the field from Massachu-
sets, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Dela-
ware, Indiana, Illinois, and California,
who, by the laws of those states, could
not vote away from their homes, and
which number cannot be less than
10000 Nor yet is this all. The num-
Der in organized territories is triple
now what 1t WAS four years ago while
thousands white and black-join us
as the national arms press back the
insurgent lines. SO much is shown
aiiirnatively and negatively by the
[ election. 1t is not material to inquire
, how the increase has been produced,
or to show that it would have been
greater but for the war which' is pro-
: badly true ; the important fact re-
, mains demonstrated, that we have
more men now than we had when the
war began, that we are not exhausted
nor in process of exhaustion: that we
, are gaining strength, and may, if need
be, maintain the contest indefinitely.
This as to men.
Material resources are now more
3 complete and abundant than ever.
The national resources, then, are un-
| exhausted, and, as we believe, mex
haustible- The purpose to re-cstab-
lish and maintain the national author
! ity is unchanged, and, as we believe,
t Interchangeable. The manner of con-
tinuing the effort it remains to choose.
NEGOTIATION.
: On careful consideration of all the
evidence accessible, it seems to me
: that no attempt at negotiation with
the insurgent leader could result in
: any good. He would accept of moth
ing short of the severance Of the I'M
ion. His declarations to this effect
= are explicit and oft rera4ted. He does
= not attempt to deceive us. He affords
: us no excuse to deceive ourselves
. We cannot voluntarily yield it. Be
e tween HIM and us the issue is distinct,
:. simple, aud infexible. tits an issue
: which can only be tried by war, and
:. decided by victory If We yield we
: are beaten. If the southern people fail
. him, he is beaten. Either way it would
= be the victory and defeat following
:, war. What rs true, however, of him
II who leads the insurgent canse, is not
= necessarily true of those who follow.
! Although he cannot reaccept the I'm
- ion, theycan. Some of then, we know,
/. already desire peace and reunion.--
! The number of such may increase. -
They can, at any moment, have peace,
!. simply by laying down their arms and
:. submitting to the national authority
= under the Constitution. After SO
- much the government could not, if it
=, would, maintain wan against them. ~
g The loyal people would not sustain or
- allow it, If questions should remain,
! we would adjust them by the peaceful
" means of legislation, conference, courts
i and votes, operating only in eonstitu-
: tional and lawful channels. Some
certain and other possible questions
are and would be beyond the execu-
he tive power to adjust, as for instance,
Y the admission of members into Con-
n gress and whatever might require the
st appropriation of money. The execu-
n tive power itself would be greatly di-
N.... H.. A