The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-12-16


ain the cetcsi indefinitely. Material
'esources are now more complete and
abundant than ever. The national
resources then arc unrxhAusted and.
~ we believe, incxhaustible. The
public purpose TO establish and main
foin tho National capacity Is unchang.
cd and as we believe Interchangeable.
The manner of continuing the effort
remains to choose. On careful con.
of all the evidence accessi-
bile. II seems TO me that no attempt
Mt negotiations with the insurgent
leader could result in any good lie
would accept Of nothing short of the
severance OF the Union. His declara-
tions TO that effect a'e explicit and of
repeated use, He docs not attempt
to deceive us. he affords us no ex.
cuse to deceive ourselves. We can
not voluntarily yield It. Between
him and us the issue is distinct. sim
pie infexihle. II is m issne which
can only he tried by war and decided
bv victory. five yield, we are beaten;
il the Southern people fail him, he is
beaten. Either way it would he the
victorr and defeat following war
What Is true, however. of him who
heads the insurgent cause, Is not nee.
essarily true of those who follow
Although he cannot rc.accept the
Union, they can Some Of them, we
know, already desire peace and re-
union. The number OF such may in
crease. They can Mt any moment
have peace by laying down their arms
and submitting to the National M.
thoritv under the Constitution. AT
ter so doing, the Government could
not, If 1t would, maintain war against
them. The loyal people would not
sustain or allow it. If questions
remain, we would adjust them by the
peaceful means of legislation, con.
ference, courts and votes, operating
only in constitutional and lawful
channels. Some certain, and other
possible, questions are, and would be-
beyond the executive power to adj
Just; for instance, the admission OF
into Congress, and whatever
might require the appropriation oI
money. The executive power Itself
would he greatly diminished by the
cessation of actual war. Hardons and
remissions of forfeiture, however
would still he within executive con-
troll. In what spirit and temper this
control would be exercised can bC
fairly judged of by the past.
A year ago, general pardon and
amnesty, upon specified terms, were
offered to all except certain designa-
ted enemies, and it was ut the same
time made known that the excepted
classes were still within contcmpla
ton of special clcmency. During
the year many availed themselves OF
the general provisions, and many
more would. only that the signs of
bad faith in some led to such precua
tionary measures as rendered the
practical process less easy and Ger.
tain. During the same time. also,
special pnrdons have been granted to
individuals of excepted classes and
to voluntary application has been de-
MED. Thus, practically, the door has
hecn Gov q full yoar open to all ev-
cept such as were not in q condition
to make free choice that is, such rs
were in custody or under constraint
1t is still open TO all, but the time may
come, probably will come, when pub
lie duty shall demand that it be
closed, and that in lieu more vigorous
measures than heretofore shall be
adopted,
In presenting the abandonment of
armed resistance to the national au-
thority, on the part of the insurgents,
as the only indispensable condition
to ending the war on the part of the
Government. / rctract nothing here
tofore said rs to slavery. ] repeat
the declaration made year ago, that
while | remain in my presentposition,
l shall not attempt to retract or mod.
ify the Emancipation Proclamation,
nor shall | return to slavery any per
son 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 it my
executive duty to rc-enslavc such per.
sons, another, and not l, must he
thcir instrument to perform it. In
stating single condition of peace,
mean simply to say that the war will
cease on the part Of the Govcrnm ent
whenever it shall have ceased on the
part Of those who began it.
(Signcd.) A. LINCOLN,
The Post Office.