The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-12-15
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York, Ohio s0Fego6. Psnnsiylssnia, Rhode
Island Vsrm m5Kt, West Eirgisia andSlEs-
cons,h, cast s.sss,oIi votesf now against
a,s70s222 cast then, showipg an aggregate
no~tcf $685. III, to WHICH is to be added
SO. .762 cast now in the tfew States of Kan
sas and Nevada, which States did not vote
in 1850, thus swelling The aggregate to
4,075,77s. and the net increase during the
three years and half Of war, to s145,751..geA
table is appended, showing particulars. To
this again should be added the number of
all the soldiers in the field from Massachu.
setts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delawafe,
Indiana, Illinois and California, who, by
the law Of those States, could not Vote away
IRON their, homes, which number cannot be
less than 10000. Nor Yet is this a,i.A
The number in the organized Territoriesqis
triple now what it was four years ago.
while thousands, white and black JOIN us
'. as the, national arms press back the fdsd,-
gent lines. 50 much i shown, Affirmative.
I y and negatively, by the fslsction..hT tits
not material to inquire how the q increase
has been produced, or to show til ii it
would hare been greater but for The war,
which is probably tue. The important
fact remains demo istrated that We have
more men now than when the " war Seq =
that we are not exhausted, nor in process of
exhaustion we are gaining strength,
and may, if need be- maintain the contest
indefinitely. '.1i' Y 'zps
This as to men. ur material resources
are now more complete and abundant than
ever. The national resources, then, are un.
exhausted, and, as we believe. inexhausti.
BILE. The, public. purpose to .re-establish
and maintain the national authority Is 'un.
changed, and, as we believe, Interchangeable.
The manner of continuing the effort re-
mains to choose. On careful consideration
of all the evidence accessible, it seems to me
that no attempt at negotiation with the in
surgent leader could result in any good He
would accept of nothing short Of the sever
ance, of the Union. His declarations to that
effect are explicit and oft repeated. He does
not attempt to deceive us. He affords us no
excuse to deceive ourselves. We cannot vol
UNFAIRLY yield it Between him and Us the
issue is distinct. simple and inHsxihie.Y 1t
ls an issue which can only be tried by war
and decided BY victory. five yield, we
are beaten. If the Southern people, fail
him he is beaten. Either way. it would be
the victory and defeat following war,.fs
What is true, however, ofhim who heads
thepinsurge1t cause, is not necessarily true
ofthose who follow. Although he cannot
ire-acceptathe Union. they can. ,Some Of
them. we know, already desire ,psacs,and
re-unions They can at ii any monenthave
peaee simply Sbylaying down j thsiss@ms
and submitting to the National authority,
under the Constitution, .After SO much,
the Government ceuld-aot, lit would main
tain watagainst them. The loyal people
would not sustain or allow It, IF questions
should remain, we would adjust them by
the'peacefil means of legislation, confer
ence, coutts and votes, operating only in
Constitutional and lawful channels. y Some
certain and other possible questions are
and would be beyond the Executive power
to adjust For instance, the admission of
members into Congress, and whatever might
require the appropriation of money. The
Executive power itself would be greatly di-
minished by the cessation of actual waf. -
Pardons and remissions o. forfsiturs1 how
ever, would still be within Executive con.
troll. In what spirit and temper this con.
troll would be exercised, can be fairly Judged
of by the past. A year ago General Par.
don and Amnesty, upon specified terms,
were offered to oil except a certain designa-
ted class, and it was, at the same. time
known that the excepted classes were still
within contemplation ofspecial clemency.-
During the year many availed 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 except
ed classes, and no voluntary application has
been denied. Thus, practically, the door
has for afull year beenopeu to all such "a
wereGnot in condition to make free choice
--that is, such as were inlscustody, or Under
eonstraint. 1T is still open to 81. III But the
time may come--probablya,wi come. when
the public duty shah demand that # be
closed, and that, lin lieu, more yisorus
measures than heretofore shalIsbe adopted.
In presenting the abandonment Of armed
resistance to the national authority, on the
part ofthe insurgents, as the only indispen-
sable condition to ending the war on the
part of the Government, retraet nothing
heretofore said as to slavery. TrspeAt the
declaration made years. ago. that. while +
remain in my present position tsshSll not
attempt to retract or modify the Eissneipa-
ton Proclamation, nor shall T. fetmn to
slavery any person who is free 6y The terms
OF that proclamation or by any y,of the acts
OF Congress. II the people should, by
whatever mode Or means, make it myaexec-
utlse duty to ore-enslave such persons an