The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-12-14
CHARLESTON, WEST VA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1864 Z

that the next Congress Will pass the
measure, if this does not; hence there IL
only II question Of time US to when the
proposed amendment will 20 to the Stutes
ior their action, and US it is to 20 ut all
events, may we not agree, that the soon.
er the better? 1t is not claimed that
the election has imposed duty on mem.
bcrs to change their views or their votes
auy further than as un additional Gle.
meut to bc considered. Their judgment
may be affected by it. 1t is the voice Of
the people now for the first time heard
upun the question. In lgreat National
crisis like ours, unanimity Of action
among those seeking a common end is
very desirable, almost indispensable, and
yc, no approach to such unanimity is
altaiuaLle unless some Difference shall he
paid to the will Of majority, simply be:
cause it il tho will Of the majority. =
In this case tho common end is the
maintenance Of the Uuion, aud among
the means to secure that, end such will
through the election is most cIcnr y de-
cIarcd in favor Of such Constitutional
amendment The most reliable indica.
ton Of public purpose iu this country is
derived through our popular elections.
Judging by the recent canvass and its
result, the purpose Of the people within
the loyal States to maintain the integrity
OF the Union was never more firm nor
more nearly unanimous than now. The
extraordinary calmness and good order
with which the millions of.voters met
and mingled at the, polls gave strong as.
surancc Of this. Not only all those who
supported the Union ticket, SO called,
but u great majority Of the opposing
party also, may be fairly claincd to en-
crtain, and to be uctuatcd by the same
purpose.
1t is. an unanswerablc argument to
this effect, that no candidate for any Of.
fee, whether high Or low, has vcnturcd
TO seek votes ON the avowal that he was
Tor "vius up the Onion. There ha'
ncen much imlu@uiu= of motives, and
much heated controversy as to the proper
means and best mode Of advancing the
Union cause, but in the distinct issue oI
Union or 10 Cnivn, the politicians have
shown their instructive knowledge thai
there is no diversity among the people
in awarding the people the fair oppor'
lauity nf >hnwin. one to another and Ia
the world this iirmEcss aud uuaLImity
Of purpose.
The election has been Of vast value tc
the National cause. The election has
exhibited another fact no: less valuable
to hc Known; tho fact that We do mu
approach exhaustion IN the moss impor
tanl branch OF the naliOual resources
thut OF living men. While it is mclan'
chu!y to reflect that the war has liI!cC
50 many graves and Caused mourning to
50 many ho.ucs, it is sohc relief to know
that compared with the surviving the
fallen have been 50 few. Whole COZ p,
and divisions and trisadcs and resi
mcnts have formed and fought auC
dwudlcd and gone out Of cxislcncc.-
\ great majority CT men who comprlSrl
them arc still living. The same is true
Of the naval service. The election re-
turns prove this. So many voters could
not else be found. Tie States rcgu!arly
holding elections both now aud foul
years ago-to wit: California, Connect
cut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana. Iowa
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachu
se,,s, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Ohio, Oregon. Pennsylvania
Rhode Island, Vermont, West Firgini;
and Wisconsin east 1852 OH votes now
against 3,S7O ,222 cast then showing ar
aggregate now Of 3,9S2,0ll, to which l.
to Le added 33, 7G2 cast now in the new
States of Kansas and Nevada, whicl
Suites did not vote in 1860 thus swell
Ing the aggrc;sale to 4,015,1773, and th'
net increase during the three years ant
half Of war to- l45,75l. \ table /:
appended showing the particulars. IL
this again should be added the number
Of all voters in the field from Massachu
sctts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Della
ware, Indiana, Illinois and California
who, by the law Of those States. cauno
vote away from their home, and whicl
number cannot be less than 10000, no
yet is this all. The number in organic
cd territories is triple now what it wa
four years ago, while thousands of Whit
aud black join US as the National arm
press back the insurgent lines.
So much is! shown afirmatively ant
negatively by the election. It is no
material to inquire how the increase ha
been produced, or to show .thatis wonl'
have been greater but for the war, whic'
is probably true. The important lac