The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-31

were al nfSL, on tue siuo Vi Inc IcucAaOh. OuA
losses at the outset therefore, were prodigious.
Mistakes were made Ia the calculations and
doings of the most skillful men that could be
found, and vacillation, Inconsistency, and per-
peLual change marked for many months, our
policy in all departments. Our most gigantic
military preparations were neutrallzed Dy
timidity, unskiiulness, and lukewarmness on
the part OF our most distinguished leaders,
aud the Cabinet at Washington had 70 be
sch0oled into the necessity OF men and meas
ures more adequate 10 tue task OF confronting
and repelling tue inroads OF rebellion. Such
men eventually were found. The school OF
experience has procured them-aided much,
however, by those quslities Of head and heart
which come more directly from the hand OF
God. Toe dispFoportionaie amount OF mill
tary skill enlisted 20 long under the rebel ban
ner, has been gradually but etiectually reduc-
ed. and the world is now the witness OF rev.
olution In this respect, ~ wonderful as any
other phenomenon Ia history. Men-youag
men-Dut recently accustomed TO the scenes
aud struggles and suhcrings Of war, hsse
evinced Doldness OF design, nrmnsss Of
purpose, a skill and tact OF execution, ahich
rival the attempts and achievement OF the
most distinguished heroes OF ancieBs and mod
ern times. Whittier shall we tBnn. IN All the
records Of war civil OF foreign, 70 nna such
NaNA1As ~ eCtCtluk UuU ptf4l-e~-~ 81
has, throughout, characterized tne present and
some Of the past commsaders OF our armies
Aud how, bat by relesence 70 the goodness
aud mercy Of God can We account for the APP
pearanee and employment of the men 30 sim
QUARRY suIted 10 the successive phases of mil
itarv and Dubhc affairs? Neither accident nor
hu nan choice placed these men IN their diff
ferent POSITIONS. Events made them what they
are, ard, It 1t be said that native talent, pecu-
liarly susceptible Of culture, qualified them
for their respective stations, we have only to
enquire whence that talent came, Ia order to
perceive the amount OF obligation that we
owe TO the Divine Preserver of our nation.
8. Our time viii scarcely permit me to do
more, than cursoriiy 10 allude TO the singular
similarity OF Judgment and opinion as 70 the
natvre, and objects and merits Of this strug-
gle, now pervading the loyal portion OF our
land. Public discussions, reading, reflection,
and the "logic of events have fundamentally
brought about a sameness of sentiment and
feeling which of itself, is a matter of grateful
acknowledgement and hopeful anticipation
Few now doubt either the justice or expedi-
eney Of that great measure which, at the be-
ginning OF last year, gave such an impulse TO
national thought and national activity. Ii
any now doubt the capacity of the colored
race for the duties of Observation-Disclosures
the severer duties of the camp and of the
1eld-those doubters may be fairly set down
among that class OF incorrigibles, who though
convinced aginst their will, are OF the same
opinion still" With such rare and remarkable
exceptions, there is now, ON this point, mar
vellous unan.mity OF judgement, extending to
multitudes even in the Middle States who,
three years ago, found matter Of ridlcule and
burlesque and jocose banter ia the thought OF
admitting negro to the status of a common
EOnalu ifuiF a LIZ
is the mighty change wrought in the minds of
all as to the safety of Immediate emancipation.
The alleged Incidence and incapacity of the
colpred race, which we're supposed to render
them unfit for the uncontrolled and untram
eled disposal of themselves and their labor,
are now dsproved, on the largest scale,
by the recent changes of internal agricultural
management in louisiana, and by the glori-
Gus self-emancipation of Maryland from the
curse of slavery. The eolored man can bear
the transition from thralldom to liberty. The
simple process OF substituting lawful wages
for the decorations Ofthe whip, has transformed
the herd ofhuman cattle into hive of willing
and industrious laborers. The bugbears thar
gathered round the idea of immediate emanci-
patton have all disappeared. There will be
no stampede, northward, of liberated Africans.
There will be no murderous retaliation for
accumulated and protracted wrongs. There
will be no involuntary mixture of the races
The worst evil that has yet happened from the
partial manumission of our sable brethren is,
that the directors of the Colonization Society
which has done some good in its day, have
seen meet to sell their monstrous emigration
ship, deeming it unlikely that any considerable
number of our colered population will con.
sent TO expatriate themselves at a time when
the Constitution of the United States is about
to take them all as recognized and legaized
freemen under the ample shelter of her eagle
wing. There are now few if any, white men
SO blind to facts, so deaf to reason, SO iGapene-
tra6le TO the light of truth, as to entertain any
apprehension of evil to accrue from recent OF
prospective governmental measures, bearing
on the utter extirpation and destruction Of
slavery. How much reason for devout thank
fulness have we in the fact that, on this sub
ject, there is all but entire unanimity amongst
the people OF these United States, aud that,
in proof Of this, they have so lately endorsed
by their unbiased sutfrages, the policy of the
existing administration. a. .'...i4s-..s
That policy points, as we believe, to the es-
Establishment of peace on the basis of equitable
and equal rights, and the extension of these to
all classes of the community. 1t repudiates
the Jolly and the criminalty of attempting to
reconcile things so essentially different, as ar
istocratic power and pebian freedom, sponta
i
the near prospect Of subjecting to law and or
der, those illegal and disorderly elements that
have been SO long in conflict with the aspira-
tons of enlightened patriotism and the die
tates of Christianized humanity. Diversity of
sentiment on many points is the natural result
of varied position and of full thought; but, if
our whole land were now canvassed for the
purpose we question whether more than a
mere minority would modify, to any great ex-
tent the policy which seeks for peace on the
only basis that holds out any reasonable pros
pect of real concord and enduring amity. For
such a peace, we believe, multitudes of the
South are now prepared, The hopelessness
of the rebel cause is patent to all who know
the actual position ofaflairs. With an exhaust
ed Treasury, a depleted, demoralized, and
fragmentary army,-with no foreign alliances
save OF a clandestine kind, and with only so
much of foreign sympathy as the grossest sell
fshness and the most groveling avarice Gre
ated, without any diplomatic recognition
whatever by the smallest American or Euro
pean power,-without any means of repairing
those internal communications that have been
so skilfully cut of,-and with opposing Gen
erals and Officers and Armies such as ours,
all intelligently fighting under God for
truth, liberty, and right, and pressing in on
the last strongholds of rebellion--it is palpa-
Bile to all who look and think, that the
eleventh hour of the Confsderacy has struck,
that it is fastening to signal end and that,
whatever becomes of its surviving leaders, the
people will hail with gladness the overtures of
peace, unencumbered by any other conditions
than those ofloyalty to the Constitution and
obedience to the laws. God grant that our
next national thanksgiving day may find us
all, North, East, West, and South. united
and happy people, But if it tarry, we shall
wait forit with firm faith aud patient hope, as
surred that, "if God had meant to destroy us''
as a nation, "He would not have shown us
such things as these" "Unto thee o God do
we give thanks unto thee do we give thanks,
for thai thy name is near, thy wondrous
works declare"
A Marvellous Story.
The following extraordinary story. in cir
culation in Paris, is given to the world upon
ii