Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-15
pRnERESS or TIE I'LL.

tlen nelQ DY OR armies nave D.. MAINTAIN
ed, and our armies have stead advanced,
thus lberating the States left Il he rear, SO
that Missouri, Kentucky, Tt, nessee, and
parts of other States, have aga produced
reasonably fair crops.
GEN. sHERElN's EXPEDITION.
The most remarkable feature in the mill
tary operations Of the year is Gen. SheImans
attempted march Of three hundred miles d.
rectly through the insurgeuJ region. It
tends to show great inc ease of our rela-
tive strength, that our General in-Chief
should feel able to confront and hold in check
every active force of the enemy, and vet to
detach well appointed army to move on
such an expedition. The result, not yet
known, conjecture in regard to it is not here
INDUCED.
REORGANIZATION OF STATES
Important movements have also occurred
during the year to the effect Of mOlding soci-
ETY. for durability in the Union. Although
short of complete success, it is much in the
right direction that 10000 citizens in each
Of the States of Arkansas and Louisiana have
organized loyal State Governments, with free
Constitutions and are earnestly struggling
to maintain and administer them The
movement in the same direction, more ex-
Z.
Kentucky, and Tennessee, should not be
overlooked, but Maryland presents an ex-
ample of complete success. Maryland is Sc
cure to Liberty and Union for all the future.
The genius of rebellion will no more claim
MARYLAND like another foul spirit, being
driven out it will seek to rend her, but it
will WOO her no more.
ABOLITION OF SLAVERY RECOMMENDED.
At the last session of Congress a proposed
amendment of the Constitution, abolishing
slavery throughout the United States, passed
the Senate but failed, for lack Of the requi-
site two-thirds vote, in the House of Repre-
scntatives. Although the present is the same
Congress and nearly the same members, with
out questioning the wisdom or patriotism Of
those who stood in opposition, venture to
recommend the passage of the measure at
the present session. OF course the abstract
question is not changed, but an intervening
election has almost certainly indicated that
the next Congress will pass the measure, if
this does not; hence there is only question
of time as to when the proposed amendment
will 90 to the States for their action, and as
it is to go at all events, may we not agree
that the sooner the better.
It is not claimed that the election has i'm
posed a duty on members to change their
views or votes, any further than, as an addi-
tiOnal element to be considered, their iudg-
ment may be affected by it. 1t is the voice
of the people, now for the first time heard on
the question. In great national crisis like
ours, unanimity of action among those seek
ing common end, is very desirable, almost
Indispensable, and yet no approach to such
unanimty is attainable unless some Difference
shall be paid to the will of the majority, sim
ply because it is the will of the majority. In
this case the common end is the maintenance
of the Union, and among the means to secure
that end, such will, through the election, is
most clearly declared in favor of such con-
stitutlonal amendment. The most reliable
is derived through our popular elections.
THE MEANING OF THE ELECTION
Judging by the recent canvass and it's re-
suits, 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 mil
lions of voters met and mingled at the polls,
gave strong assurance of this. Not only all
those who supported the Union ticket, So
called, but a great majority of the opposing
party also, may be fairly claimed TO be act
uated by the same purpose. 1t is an unan-
sWerable argument, that no candinate for any
Office whatever, high or low, has ventured to
seek votes On the avoWal that he was for Civ
ing up the Union. There has been much i'm
pugning of motives and much heated contro-
versy as to the proper means and best mode
Of advancing the Union cause, but on the dis
tinct issue of Union or no Union, the politi-
clans have shown their instructive knowledge
that there is no diversity among the people
In awarding the people the fair opportunity
of showing one to another, and to the world
this frmness and unanimity of purpose, the
election has been of vast value to the ma
tional cause.
THE NATION GAINING STRENGTH.
The election has exhibited another fact,
| not less valuable to be known-the fact that
we do not approach exhaustion in the most
| important branch Of the national resources
| that of living men. While it is melancholy
to reflect that the war has filed so many
graves, and casued mourning to so many
| homes, it is some relief to know that, com
| pared with the surviving, the fallen have
been so few. While corps and divisions and
brigades and regiments have formed and
fought and bled 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 be found.
The States regularly holding elections,
both now and four years ago, to wit: Califor-
fornia, Connecitut, Delaware, Illinois, Ind-
ana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mas
sachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
| New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, cast
| 1892, OIL votes now against 3,S70,22 then,
showing an aggregate increase OF Ill ,789, to
which is to be added 80, 1852 cast now in the
new States of Kansas and Nevada, which
States did not vote in 1860, thus swelling the
aggregate to 4,O75,7 and the net increase
during the three years and a half of war, to
145, 751. A table is appended, showing par
| ticulars-
To this again should be added the number
of all the soldiers in the field from Massachu-
sets, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware,
Indiana, Illinois, and California, who, by the
law of those States, could not vote away
from their homes, which number cannot be
less than 10000. Nor yet is this all. The
number in the organized Territories is triple
now what it was four years ago, while thou,
sands, white and black, join US as the nation.
al arms press back the insurgent lines.
So much is shown, afirmatively and mega.
lively, 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 probably true. The
important fact remains demonstrated that we
| have more men now than when the war be-
| gan-that we are not exhausted, nor in pro
cess of exhaustion-that we are gaining
strength, and may, if need be, maintain the
| contest indefinitely.
| nj.