Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-12-14
VOL. l1.---N0. 16.

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 California,
Connecticut Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, To-
wa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, MaSsaehu-
sets, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New
HAMPSHIRE y. Jersey. y. \ Iork, Ohio, Ore
gon, Penn a, Rhode Island, Vermont, West
, Virginia, Wisconsin cast 3,9S2,6l votes
now, against $50, POI cast then. showing
an aggregate now of 3, 9S2, 81. To this IS
10 be added 3D. i62 cast now IN the new
States that did not vote IN 1860, thus swell
Ing the aggregate TO 4,Ul5,I I73, and the net
increase durin. the three years and a half
of war, to i45, sol. y table Is appended
showing particulars. To this again should
be added the number OF soldiers Ia the field
from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New
Jersey, Delaware. Indiana, Illinois and Cal
tornia who, by the laws Of these States,
cannot vote away from their homes, and
which number cannot be less than ninety
thousand. Nor yet Is this all. The number
IN the organized territories IS a trifc more
now 10 whati was four years ago, whil thou
samdS-white and hlack-join Us, as the ma
tinnal arms press back the insurgent lines.
50 much Is shown aiirmahyely and mega
lively by the election L is not material to
inquire how the increase has been produced,
or 10 show that ii would have been greater
but for the war, which Is probably true.
{ The important fact remains demonstrated
! that we have more men now than we had
/ when the war began; that We are not eX-
! hausted nor ia the process OF exhaustion
that we are gaming strength. and may, If
need be, maintain the contest indefinitely,
and that as 10 men our material resources
fI,a-
ever The national resources then are uu-
exhaused, and, as we believe, ipcxhaustible.
| The public purpose to establish and main
tain the national authority Is unchanged,
and rs we believe. Interchangeable. The
manner Of continuing d effort remains to
be chosen
On careful consideration of all the eyi-
dence accessible, 1t seems to me that 10 at
tempt at negotiation with the nsurgent lea
der could result in any good. He would ac-
cept nothing short Of severance Of the u
non, precisely what we VIII not and can not
give. His declarations to this effect are ex-'
plicit and Ott-repealed; he does not attempt
to deceive Us; he affords us no excuse to
deceive ourselves. He cannot voluntarily
reacccpt the Union, We cannot voluntarily
yield it. Between him and Us the issue Is
distinct. simple and inhexib!e. tits an issue
which can only be tried by war, and decided
by victory. five yield We are beaten. If
the Southern people fail him, hc is beaten.
Either way, 1t would be the victory and de-
feat following war What is true, however,
of him who heads the insurgent cause is
not necessarily true Of those who follow Al
though he cannot reaccept the Union, they
can Some Of them we know already desire
peac- and reunion. The number of such
may increase. They can at any moment
have peace, simply by laying down their
arms and submitting to the National author
t.. under the Constitution. After 50 much
the Government could not. if il would main
tain war against them. The loyal people
would not sustain or allow it. 1fquestions
should remain, we would adjust them by the
peaceful means of legislation, conferences,
courts and votes, operating only In constItu-
rional and lawful channels Some certain
aud other possible questions are and would
be beyond the executive power 10 adjust, as
for instance the admission of members into
Congress, and whatever might require the
appropriating Of money. The executive
power itself would be greatly diminished by
the cessation of actual war. Pardons and
remissons of torieitures, however, would
still be within the Executive control In
what spirit and temper this control would
be exercised can be fairly judged Of by the
past.
upon specified terms, were offered to all, ex-
cept certain designated classes, and it was
at the same published that the excepted clas-
SeS were still within contemplation OF spe-
cial ciemancy. During the year many avail
ed themselves of the general provision, and
many more would, only that the signs of
bad faith IN some led to such precautionary
measures as rendered the practical process
less easy and certain. During the same time
also special pardOns have been granted. to
individuals Of the excepted classes, and 10
voluntary application has been denied Thus
practically the door has been for full year
open TO all except such as were not In con
dtion 20 make free choice that j. such as
were in custody or1mder conStraint. X Is
SO still open 10 all But the time may come
when public duty shall demand that il be
closed, and that in lieu, more rigorous mea-
sures than heretofore be adopted. IN pre-
sentIng the abandonment OF armed resist
ance 10 the national authority on the part of
the insurgents "a. the only indispensable con-
dition to ending The war on the part of the
Government, | retract nothing heretofore
said as to slavery.
l repeat the declaration made a year ago,
that while remain in my present position
| shall not attempt 10 retract or modify the
Emancipation Proclamation, nor shall | re-
turn to slavery any person who IS free by the
terms of that proclamation. or by any Of the
acts of Congress If the people should by
whatever mode or meanS, make il an execu-
tive duty To re-inslave such persons, another
and not | must be their instrument to per-
form it.
In stating single condition of peace, l
mean simply TO say that the war viii cease
on the Dart of the Government whenever 1T