New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-11-24
THE DAY.

| IF there be any man 80 faint Of heart as u
doubt whether lie have cause Of thanksgiving
to-day, let him take note that it is impossible
even to enumeratc the circumstances which
compel this nations general gratitude without
seeming to speak upon subjects that are init
and commonplace. We know that the most im
minent peril which beset tho Republic is past
We know that the double victories Of this yea
the victories in the field and at tho polls
have decisively answered for us the one Qufs
| ton which, until now, has been pending. w
know that the people of The Union, having here
to!ore shown that they possessed the power II
preserve this country, now finally declare tha
they have also the will Therefore it ia that w
deem this the moment when, more than at any
other period Of their history, the American peo
pie owe thanks to Him who has put it into theil
hearts to resolve unalterably that the Republic
shall live and not die.
Let US By no means forget the means which
have contributed to this browning result. IL
this CONFUSION which for almost four years ha,
shaken the Continent, it is to the Army and
Navy Of the United States that the chief ac-
acknowledgements of the people ore due. DO we
forget that 10, many weeks ago the North lay
supincly sunk in despair. Who but Sheridan
an, Sherman and the brave troops who fight
under those leaders, extricstod ~ from that fit
Of unmanly dependency The conquest OF
Atlanta aud the four trumphs in the Shenan-
doah mark the successive STAGES by which this
people passed from sulcn disbelief in the posi-
bility Of success to their present undoubting
confidence in the restoration of the Union.
Never le. Ms fail TO acknowledge that the yalor
Of our soldiers and the unequaed skill Of our
Generals proved at the most critical instant the
salvation Of the Republics and never let US fail
70 give thanks for their gallant intervention.
For what followed every patriot hear. to-day
ovcr1ows with thankiulness. Thequestlon prc-
sented 10 Us on the Eighth Of November was by
no means one of comparison between the per-
sonol virtues OF opposing candidates; but on
that day the American people were required to
declare: Are you for surrondering to the Rebel
hon, or ore yon icr crushing it at whatever cost
And the American people said: We are for
crushing the Rebellion at whatever cost in men,
in money, in time, III resources. And for tina.
resolve we to-day give thanks. Everything
tended to that. Victories were glorious in them
selves, bat they were mo,e glorious i'll their in
hucncc.
To-day then, is new point Of departure.
To-day we take everything for granted. To-
day hope passes into conviction. and the eager
ness OF patriotic anticipation becomes the a.
cured conviction Of II settled resolve. What
has been called the experiment Of Republican
government ceases to be all experiment. We
are called upon to render thanks ioI nothing less
than the stability Of this Union, for the seal di-
vnely set upon the principles Of Democracy,
and for the preservation Of the one Republic,
upon which the life or death Of these pr. oiples
vas finally 10 be dependent; and it is not death,
but Lie