American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-12-14
NUMBER

most reliable indication of public purpose
in this country is derived through our
popular elections. Judging by the recent
conyass and its result, the purpose of the
people within the loyal States to maintain
the integrity of the Union, was never
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 assur-
anee of this Not only all those who sup
ported the Union ticket, so called, but
great majority of the opposition party,
also, may be fairly claimed to entertain
and to be actuated by the same purpose.
1t is an unanswerable argument to this
effect, that no candidate for any Office,
whatever, high or.low, has ventured to
seek votes on the avowal that he was for
giving up the Union. There have been
much impugning Of motives, and much
hested controversy, as to the proper meas
ures and the best mode Of advancing the
Union cause but in the distinct issue of
Union, or no Union, the politicians have
shown their instructive knowledge that
there is no diversity among the people, In
awarding the people fair opportunity of
showing one to another, aud to the world,
this frmness aud unauimity Of purpose,
the election has been Of vas! value to the
national cause. The election has exhibi-
ted 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
caused mourning to so many homes, isis
some relief to know that, compared with
the surviving, the fallen have bsen few
Whole corps, and divisions, and brigades,
and regiments, have formed and fought,
and dwiudled and gone out of existence.
Still great majority of the men who
composed them, ara still living The
same is true Of the naval service The
election returns prove this. So many voA
ters could not else be found. The states
regularly holding election is both now and
four years ago, to wit: California, Con-
necticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachu-
setts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New
Hampshire, New jersey, New York, Ohio
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin,
cast 8, 3,982,0ll votes now against $780,
222 cast then, showing an aggregate now
Of 2,398,211, to which is to be added
81, 1852, cast now in the States Of Kansas
and Nevada, which States did not vote,in
1860, thus swelling the aggregate to 4,
075,77S, and the net increase during the
three years and half Of war to 5,751
A table is appended showing the partic-
ulars. To this again should be added the
number Of soldiers in the field from Massa-
chusotts, Rhode Island, New Jersey,
Delaware, Indiana, Illinois and California.
who, by the law of those States, could not
vote away from their homes, aud which
number cannot be less than ninety thous-
and Nor yet is this all. The number
in organized territories is triple now to
what it was four years ago; while thous-
ands, white and black, join US as the ma
tional arms press back the insurgsnt lines.
So much is shown sfhrmatively and mega
lively by tho election. 1t is no. material
to enquire how the increase has been pro-
duced, or to show that it would have been
greater but for the war, which is prsba-
bly, true the important fact remains de-
monstrated that we have more men. now
than when tho war began; that we are
not exhausted, nor in the process of ex-
haustion that we are gaining strength,
and may if need be, maintain the contest
indefinitely. This as to men. Our ma
terial resources are now more complete and
abundant than ever. The national re-
sources, then, are unexhausted, and, as
we believe, inexhaustible The public
purpose to re-establish and maintain the
national authority is unchanged, and, as
we believe, Interchangeable. The manner
of continuing the effort remains to be cho-
sen. On careful consideration of all the
evidence accessible, it seems to me that
no attempt at negotiation with the insur-
gent leader could resultin any good He
would accept Of nothing short of the SER
yerance of the Union. His declarations
to that effect are explicit and oft-repeated
He does not attempt to deceive us. He
affords US no excuse to deceive ourselves.
We cannot voluntarily yield it Between
him and us the issue is distinct, simple
and infexible. 1t is an issue which can
| only be tried by war and decided by VIC