The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-10-14
The Presidents Record

Hon. Emerson Ether;dge of Tennessee. in
recent speech, in the midst of slough Of
similar epithets, called the President of the
United States an imbeoile' Such billings.
gate is of no consequence, and by its usage
Mr.. Etheril.,e is much more likely to fix its
application on lis own head than to damage
the President. But there are many, both
among the supporters and opponents Of
President Lincoln, who have totally made
quate idea of his official record on which he is
now before the country for reelection. Let US
glance at some parts of it.
He found, on his accession to office, four
teen States in open rebellion against the
G yernment; the capital hemmed in; the
navy, by treacherous design, dispersed over
the globe; the Northern arsenals plundered
of their share Of the munitions Of war; our
army mere triie for the emergency, and
scattered at that; the higher offices full Of
traitors; our credit ruined; the people des-
pondeni; the enemy exultant, and foreign
powers ready to recognize hem.
BY his prompt and steadily pursued mea-
sures, President Lincoln has recorqured six
of the re5ellious States, so thoroughly that
the rebels cannot succeed in obtaining rep
resentatlveS for them in the rebel Congress,
while some OF them are now among the most
efficient of the loyal States.
He has raised and kept on foot the might
est armies of modern times; and brought
the national navy up to pitch which makes
il a terror TO all our enemies abroad and a
model TO the maritime nations of the earth.
He has made the national capital secure !;
opened the great internal route of the Missis-
sippi, thus sundering the area of the rebel
lion: blockaded the enormous coast line with
acknowledged efficiency /; repossessed the
greater portion of the coast fortresSes eaptur-
ed the largest rebel city; and reduced the
area of the rebellion more than one-half.
He has changed the raw lev;es of The most
peaceful people into soldiers, which for stead
mess. endurance and heroic valor have extor-
ted the admiration of all Europe; and he
has sought out and cherished military merit,
until he has given to every corps and depart
nient commanders which would vie with any
since the NapOlrOnic ela-
He has ground down the resources Of the
rebellion, in life, material means and moral
tone, unit! it is evidently on the verge of ex-
haustion and despair, and cannot survive
many months f the same handling to which
it has lately been subjected, and which all our
armies are now In condition to follow up
with increased severity.
During the whole of this extraordin AIRY
national trial the President has so managed
that the vast and delicate organization OF
Northern industry has gone on undis;urbed,
our trade furnishing, Nur great religious and
philaninro7ic agencies scattering more bles-
sings than ever, all our schools and colleges
/. full activity, comnetency actually extend
ed and povert~ diminished.
But beside, carving on the war with the
mere weapons of bloodshed, the President
has ennobled lis mission by freeing The ma
Iional ,pital from the stain of slavery and
giving freedom to all the great outlying ter
ritorles, repealed the fugitive slave Law
brought 20a,000 colored men into the nation
al armies, and provided for the emancipation
# the whole race on this continent as surely
as the sun shall continue to rise and the
waters to run.
In tie midst of this mighty work, which
we NAV be sure has been beheld with sinis-
ter eye by Tie chief powers of Europe, The
President, il spite Of untoTard events and
Troublesome complications, has steadily main
rainea international peace, until now We are
in even unusual accord with all the govern
lnenIs of The earth.
fit be said that the President has no
done this. We nigh. reply that his enemiei
have always held him responsible for ever,
public measure and event that seemed tC
them wrong or unfortunate, and they, there
fore, are estopped from not giving him credit
for the national success. But these successe:
are his as much as they can belong TO tbs
Chief Magistrate of free people, sympa
thizing with all IL eir aims and having II,
power and the will to carry them cut. The.
comprise portion of his official record
They are tc enable the people to say whethe
he shall be reelected or not. And thel
they are to go into the eternal realm of his
tory, to serve as the basis of his reputation
among posterity.-BoStoa Journal.
The democrats are greatly annoyed TO hav
their best electioneering capital neutrallzeC