The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-12-14
we believe, Interchangeable. The manner
of continuing tho effort remuins to

We UcIGNS1 uuShuHSSoo'S' hS HN""uSt
of continuing tho effort remuins to
choose. ..l: ~ .-..,..,,.:i - - -.
On careful consideration Of ull the
evidence accessible, it seems to ME th.t
no attempt ut negotiations with the in;
surgent leader could result,in any good.
lie would accept Of nothing short Of the
severance Of the UniOn. His declara:
tons to that effect are explicit mud Of
repeated use. lie does not attempt 10
deceive US. lie ufords US no excuse
to deceive ourselves. We canuotv volun:
tari!y yield it. !, Between him aud US tho
issue is distinct, simple und inacxible.
1t is an issue which, cgn ,ouly be tried
by war and decided by victory. IF wo
yicld, VIC are; Beaten it. the Southern
people fail him.. lie is bcateu. Either
way it would be the victory and defeat
following war. What is. true, however,
Of him who heads the insurgcut cause,
is not necessarily true Of those who fol.
low. Although he cOnnot rc.acccp'
the Union, they can: Some Of them.
we know, already desire peace aud re.
union. The number Ct such may in.
crease. Th'y cun at any momenh haze
peace s1mpyLy hying do~~ McT arms
und Submitting to the National authority
uadcr the Constitutions. After SO doing.
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 peaceful means Of lesisla.
ton, conference, courts and votes, opcrat.
ing only in constitutional and lawful
channels. Some certain, and other pos
siblc, qreStions ure, and would be, be.
yoDd the executive power 10 adjust; Tor
instance. the admission Of mcmb bcrs into
Congress, and whatever might require
the appropriation Of money. The rxccu.
tive power itself would DC greatly dimin.
ishcd by the cessation Of actual wur.-
ParLons aud rcmissiops Of forfeiture.
however, would still be within executive
control. lu what spirit and temper this
control would br exercised can be luirly
Judged Of Ly the past. y year ago,
general pardon aud amnesty. upon speci.
fled terms, were offered to all except Ger.
tain designated enemies, aud it Was n,
the same time made known that the cx.
pcctcd classes were still within coutcm
pia,ion Of special ciancnry. During the
year many avnilrd themselves Of the
general provision, and muny more would.
only that the signs Of bad filth in some
led to such precautionary measures as
rendered the practcal process less easy
aud certain. During the same time,
also, special pardous have been granted
to individuals of expected classes, aud no
voluntary application has been denied.
Thus, particularly, the door has been
for full year open to all except such
us were not iD II condition to make free
choice that is, such as were in custody
or under constraint. II is still open 10
all, but the time may come, probably
will come, when public duty shall de
mnnd that 1t he closed, and that in lieu
more vigorous measures than heretofore
shall be adopted. ;, .. -.., ....
In presenting the abandonment ol
armed resistance to the National author.
it's, on the part Of the insurgents, as the
only Indispensable condition to ending
the war on the part of the Government,
l retract nothing heretofore said as to
slavery. repeat the declaration made
a year ago, that while / remain in my
present position, I shall not attempt tc
retract or modify the Emancipation
Proclamation, nor shall [ return to
slavery any person who is free by the
terms of that proclamation or by any oI
) the acts Of Congress. If the people
should, by whatever mode or meaus
make it my executive duty to rc.cnslavt
such persons, another, aud not |. mus
bc their instrument to perform it. III
Stating single condition. Of peace,
mcan simply to say, TINT the, war vii
cease on the part Of the Government
> whenever it shall have ceased on tho
: part of those who began it. "s
TSigncd] ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
VOTE FOR pREslDENTlN 1860 AND 1864
Statr,. 1850. 1864.
Kentucky ., ~" llG,2lG $1,000
Maine ?I,lJl 1l5,l4l.
MARYLAND 2.. a2,J02 72,7G3
massachusetts T.. l69,533 l75 4S7
Michigan l54,747 .IG2,413
Minnesota o.. = I4,109 1854