Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-09-16
visit to the Prcs,Jeu,.

WISH 10 the FreBadent.
The Grant Country (Wisconsinl Herald
contains very interesting letter from Hon
John I. Mills, Judge of the Fifth Judicial
Circuit giving an account of recent inter
view with Mi. Lincoln, with report of the
remarks of the latter in regard to the con.
sequences which would follow the adoption
of the war policy urged by the friends ol
General Nc Clellan.
Judge Millsswas accompanied by Ex-
Governor Randall of the State who introduc-
ed him to the President. The Governor ad-
dressed him:
'tMr. Lincoln this is my friend and your
friend, Mills, from Wisconsin," lE
'1am glad to see my friend from Wiscon-
sin; they are the hearty friends of the I'm
ion." 4eFrsrsFs -rs4za
81 could not leave the city, Mr.. Presi-
dent, without hearing words of cheer from
your own lips. Upon you, as the repre-
sentative of the loyal people, depends as we
believe, the existence -four government and
the future of America" This introduced
political topics. *Efs
"Mr. President, said Gov. Randall "why
can't you seek seclusion, and play hermit
for a fortnight {? itwould reinEigorate you. +"
"Aye," said the President, 1.-TWO or three
weeks would do me no good. Icannot fly
from my thoughts solicitude for this
country follows me wherever ] 90. don't
think it is personal vanity or ambition,
though | am notfree from these infirinities,
but | cannot but feel that the veal or woe
of this great nation will be decided in No
vember. THERE'S no programme offered by
any wing of the Democratic party but that
must result in the permanent destruction
of the Union"
'4But Mr.. President, General Mcclellan
is in favor of crushing out the rebellion by
force. He viii be the Chicago candidate" !"
'sSir," said the President, t.the slightest
knowledge of arithmetic will prove to any
man that the rebel armies cannot be de-
stroyed with Democratic strategy. Itwould
sacrifice all the white men of the North to
do it. There are now in the service of the
country 10000 able-bodied colored men,
most of them under arms, defending and
acquiring Union territory. The Demo
cratic strategy demands that these forces be
disbanded, and that masters be conciliated
by restoring them to slavery. The black
men who now assist Union prisoners to es-
cape, they are to be converted into our
enemies in the vain hope of gaining the
good will of their masters. We shall have
to fight two nations instead of one.
You cannot conciliate the South if YOU
guarantee to them ultimate success: and the
experience of the present war proves their
success is inevitable, if you fling the COM
pulsOry labor of millions of black men into
their side of the scale. Will you give our
enemies such military advantages as secure
success, and then depend on coaxing, flat
terry and concession to get them back into
the Union? Abandon allthe posts now gar
risoned by black men; take 200, 900 men
from our side and put them in the battle
field or corn field against us, and we would
be compelled to abandon the war in three
weeks. We have to hold territory in in
clement and sickly places; where are the
Democrats to do this? 1t was free FIGHT
and the field was open for the War Demo
Gratis to put down this rebellion by fighting
against both master and slave, long before
the present policy was inaugurated.
There have been men base enough to
propose to me to return to slavery the black
warriors of Port Hudson and Oiustee, and
thus win the respect of the master they,
fought. Should / do so, should deserve
to be damned in time and eternity. Come
what will, | will keep my faith with friend
and foe. Ny enemies pretend am now
carrying on this war with the sole purpose
ofabolition. So long as am President, it
shall be carried on for the sole purpose of
restoring the Union. But no human pow
er can subdue this rebellion without the
use of the emancipation policy, and every
other policy calculated to weaken the moral
and physical forces of the rebellion.
Freedom has given us 20o, 600 men rails
ed on Southern soil. 1t will give us more
yet. Just so much it has subtraeted from
the enemy and instead of alternating the
South, there are now evidences of fra
ternal feeling growing up between our men
and the rank and file of the rebel soldiers
Let my enemies prove to the country, that
the destruction Of slavery is not necessary
to a restoration of the Union. / will abide
the issue.
| saw that the President was not mere
joker but man of deep convictions, of.
abiding faith in justice, truth and Provi-
dence. His voice was pleasant, his manner
earnest and emphatic, As he warmed
with his theme, his mind grew to the mag
nitude ofshis body. Ifelt was in the pres
ence of the great, guiding intellect of the
age, and those "huge Atlantean shoulders
were fit to bear the weight of mightiest
mOnarchies." His transparent honesty,
republican simplicity, his gushing sym
pathy for those who offered their lives for
their country, his utter forgetfulness of self
in his concern for its welfare, could not but
inspire me with confidence that. he was
Heavens instrument to conduct His people
through this sea of blood to Canaan of
peace and freedom, j. T. MILLS.
OFFICIAL WAR DESPATCHEs.