The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-12-14


OF living men While it is melancholy 10
reflect that the war has filled so many
graves and carried mourning TO 50 many
hearlhs IL Is some relief TO know tina; com
pared with The surviving, the fallen have
been so lew. While corps and divisions,
I and hrigadss and regiments, have formed
and fought, and dwindled and gone oul oi
! existence, great majority OF the men who
composoh Ihem are still living. The same
is true OF the naval service. The election
! returns prove this. So many voters could
/ not else be found.
The States regularly holding elections
] both now, aud four years ago, 10 wit Gal
! iiornia Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, In
! diana, Iowa. Kenincky, Maine. Maryland
/ MaS-ae aehnsetls, Michigan. Ninneso Mis-
! souri, New Hampshire, New Jersey. New
! York Onio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
! Island, Vermont Western Virginia or Wis
con-in, cast 39s2.O1l woes now, against
1896, 222 cast then, showing an aggregate
now Cf 8 9s2 OIL
| To this Is 20 be added 80 762 cast now in
the new Ststes of Kansas aud Nevada
which States did not vote in 1880, thus
| swelling tue aggregate to 4OI5 773, and the
net increase dunng the three years and
! malt of war TO las, 55l. a table is appended
/ showing particulars.
| TO this again should be added The num-
| Der oi soldiers IA the isld from Mas.achus
ets, Rhode Island New Jersey. Dslaware,
| IncIana, Illinois, and California who, by the
| laws of these States, could not vote away
| rom their homes, aud which number can.
not be less than ninety thousand Nor l.
| this all The number in The nnorgsnizeJ
territories is lrihe now 10 what u was
tour years ago, while thousands, white and
| black, Join us as the national armies press
| back The InsurQent lines
| So much is shown, affirm atively and neg
| atively. by the election. Ii Is not material
10 inquire how the increase has been pro-
| ducsd, or 20 show that il would have been
4 greaer, but for the war, which ID probably
true. The important tact remains demon
| sraled that we have more men now than
when the war began that We arc not ex-
| hausied nor in process OF exhaustion.
| That we are gaining strength, and may,
/ It need be, maintain The contest indefinitely
this as TO meu Material resources are
nov more complete aud abundant than ever.
| The natural resources, then are uneXhau-t
| ed, and, as we believe. inexhaustble. The
I public purpose 20 re establish and maintain
Ine national authority is unchanged, and as
| we peiieve, unchangeaole.
| The manhsr of continuing the conflict
| remains TO choose On careful cousidera-
uon OF all ;he evidence accessible. it seems
| 10 me that no attempt at negotiation with
the InsurgeHt leader could result in any
! good.
He wonld accept nothing short of sever
ancs of The Uniou-precisely what we will
no. AID cannot give. His declarations 10
Ihis effect are explicit aud oit-re3ealeh.
He does nol attempt In deceive us ne
affords " 40 excase 10 deceive ourselves.
He cannot voluntarily re-accspt the Union.
pe canuo, voluntarily yield IL Between
/ lm aud Us the issue Is distinct, single, aud
/ iChe6Ioe
l. is an issue which can only be tried by
war and decided by victory II we yield
we are oealen. 1t the Soulhren people tail
! him he is beaten Ether way it would be
! the victory and deiea, following war What
is true, however, OF him who heads the in
surgent cause, Is not necessarily true of
/ those who follow
Although he canno. re-sccept the Union,
I they can. Some of them, he knows, alrea-
I dy desire peace and reunion. The number
oi such may increase. They can al any
moment have peace by simply laying
/ down their arms and submitting 10 the ua-
/ tiona authority under the Constitution.
After 50 much The Government could rot,
: il ii would maintain war agans, them =
( The loyal citizens would hot sustain or al
( low it
J II QUeSliOnS fDOulu remain, we would
adlus, them by the peaceful means of leg
islation, conferences, courts, and votes. op-
eraIIng only IN constitutional and lawful
channels
Some certain, and other possible ques-
tions are and would be beyond the Execu-
tive power TO adjust, rs, for instance the
admission OF members into Congress. aud
whatever might require the appropriation
OF money.
The executive power itself would be
greatly diminished by the cessation OF ac>
tual war Pardnns and remissions Of tor
teltures, however, would still be within
executive control.
In what spirit and temper this control
woald be exercised can be fairly judged of
by the past. A year ago a general pardon
and amnesty. upon specified terms, were
offered TO all. except Ger ain designated
classes, and IL was al The same time made
known that The excepted classes were still
within contemplation OF special cIemencv.
During the year many availed them
selves OF The general provisions and many
more would only that the signs of bad faith
IN some led TO such precautionary meas
ufes as rendered The practical process less
easy aud certain
Dnung the same tine also, special psr-
dons have been granted 10 individuals of
he excepiej classes, and no voluntary ap>
plIcation has been deaied. Thus, practi-
cally, the door has been, Tor full year,
open TO all except such as were not in con-
dillon 10 make free choice; Iha, is, such
as were in custody or under cons,raint 1t
Is still so open 10 all. But the time may
come when The public duly shall demand
that It be closed, and thai in lieu more vig-
ofons measures than heretofore shall be
adopted
/ In presenting the abandonment Of armed
( resistance TO the national authority on The
part of the insurgents, as the only indispeu-
sIble condition 10 ending the war on the
parl oi ihe Government, | re;raci nothing
here ofore SAID as 10 slavery.
| raoaat m. Kaclar,, q a1o