Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-12-17

simple and inhexible. 1t is an issue which
can only be. tried By war and decided by
victory. If We yield We are beaten. If the
Southern people fail, he is beaten. Either
way, it would be the victory and defeat
following war.
What is true, however, Of him who
heads the insurgent cause, is not necessa'
rily true of those who follow. Although
he cannot re.accept the Union, they can.
Some of them we know already desire
peace and re union. The number of such
may increase. They can at any moment
have peace simply by laying down their
arms and submitting to the national au.
,hority under the Constitution. After so
much, the government could not, if it
would, maintain war against them. The
loyal people would not sustain or allow it.
Ii questions should remain, we would ad-
just them by the peaceful means Of legis
iation, conference, courts, and votes, oper
ating only in constitutional and lawful
channels.
Some certain and other possible ques'
tons are and would be beyond the execu.
tive power to adjust. For instance, the ad.
minission Of members into Congress and
whatever might require the appropriation
Of money. The executive power itself
would be greatly diminished by the cessa'
sion Of actual war. Pardons and renIis.
sions of forfeturcs, however, would still
be within executive control. Ia what
spirit and temper this control would be
exercised, can be fairly judged by the past.
a year ago general pardon and amnesty
upon specified terms were offered to all
except certain designated class, and it
was at the same time made known that
the excluded classes We're still within con-
temptation Of special c!emency. Daring
the year many awaited themselves OF these
general provisions and many more would,
only 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 par.
dons have been granted to individuals Of
excepted classes, and no voluntary apph'
cation has been denied. Thus practically,
the door has for q full year been open to
all such "a were not in q coddition to
make free choice; that is, such as were in
custody, or under restraint. 1t is still
open to all, but the time mag come-pro.
baby will come-wheu the public duty
shall demand that i: be closed, and that
in lieu more vigorous measures than here.
totore, shall be adopted.
In presenting the abandonment of armed
resistance to the national authority, on
the part of the insurgents, as the only in
dispensable condition to ending the war
on the part Of the government, | retract
nothing heretofore said. AS to slavery
repeat the declaration made year ago,
that while remain in my present position
l shall not attempt to retract or modify
the Emancipation Proclamation. nor shall
l return to slavery any person who is free
by the terms of that Proclamation, or by
any of the acts Of Congress. If the peo'
pie should, by whatever mode or means,
make it my executive duty to re enslave
such persons, another and not must be
their instrument to perform it. In stating
single condition of peace mean simply
to say the war will cease on the part of
the Government whenever it shall have
ceased on the part Of those who began it.
Signed ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Paraguay protests araiust the action Of