, 1865-03-17
President Linooln's Second Inaugural.

FeLLoU Countrymlen AT this second appear
ing to take the oath of the Presidential office,
there is less occasion for extended address
than there was at the first. Then a statement
somewhat in detail of the course to be pursued
seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expira-
ton of four years, during which public denun-
Citations have been constantly called forth ey-
cry point and phase of the great events which
still absorb the attention and engross the ener-
ges of the nation, little that is now could be
presented, The progress of our armies, on
which all else depends, isas well known to the
public as to myself, and isl l trust, reasonably
tisfactory. With high hopes for the future,
no prediction in regard to it has been yentured
On the occasion corresponding to this four years
ago, all thoughts were then anxously directed
to the impending civil war, and all sought to
avert it and while the inaugural address, when
being delivered from this place, was devoted al
together to saving the Union, the insurgent
agents were in this city seeking to destroy the
Union and divide it by Negotiations. Both par
ties deprecate war, but one of them would make
war rather than let the nation survive and the
other would accept war 1Rther than let it per-
ish-and war came. 0neeghth of the popu-
lation were colored slaFes-not distributed
equally over the land but localized in the South
ern part of it, These slaves constituted pc
culiarly powerful interest All knew that this
interest was somehow the cause of war. To
strengthen this Institution and extend its inter
est was the object for which the insurgents
would Iend the Union by war, while the Gov
ernment claimed no right to do more than re-
strict the territorial e~lar oment of it. Neither
party expected for the wtr the magnitude or du-
ration which it has already attained. Neither
anticipated that the cause Of conflict might
cease, or in any event before the Conflict itself
should cease-each looking for an easier tri-
umph, and a result less fundamental
Both read the same Bible, and pray to the
same God each invokes His aid against the
other. 1t may seem strange that any man should
dare claim the just Gods assistance in Wringng
their bread from the sweat of olher mems faces
but let us judge not that we may not bejudged
The prayers Of both could not be answeted and
neither has been answered fully. The Almighty
has his own purposes. Woe to the world be-
cause of offense, for it must needs be that Of
fenses come; but woe to that man by whom Of
tense cometh l shall suppose that American
slavery is one of the offenses The providence
of God must needs come, but this having con-
tinued through His appointed time, He new Wills
more than he gives to both North and South
He levies woe dEe to those by whom
the offense came. Shall We discern that there
is any departure from these Divine attributes,
which believers in the living God always as
cribe to Him? Fondly as Te hope for the event,
do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may
speedily pass away-yet, if God wills that it
continue until the bondmens two hundred and
fifty years of unrequited toll shall be sunk, and
until every drop of blood drawn with the lash
shall be atoned for by another drawn by the
sword was said three thousand years ago.
Still, it must be said that the judgments of the
Lord true and righteous altogether, with
malice towards none, with charity to all, with a
frmness of right. As God gives us to see the
right let us strive and finish the work we are
in, bind up the material, and care for him who
CHI barr ho hat md fo- dom
and his orphan, and do all that we may be able
to achieve and cherish just and lasting peace
among ourselves and with all nations.
JUDGE Norm Lincoln in his inaugural,
says in regard to the Southern people invoking
the aid of the Almighty to assist them in the
war;
at may seem strange that any man should
dare to claim the just Gods assistance in wiring
ing their bread from the sweat of other mems
faces, hpt LET ns in drA pott'.Ft y
Having thus concluded not to judge lest be
himself might be judged, Mr. Lincola evidently
forgets himself, and Immediately proceeds to
Judge as follows
"Woe to the world because of offense, for it
must needs come; but woe to that man by whom
offense cometh l shall suppose that American
slavery is one of the offenses
He TGod1 leyies war as a woe due to those
by whom the offense came'
Mr. Lincoln judges that slavery is the offense
that occasioned the war and that the Almighty
is waging 1t as woe due the South for that
offense. If that is not judging we don't know
what judging is. JEFF. Davis judges that Old
Abe and the Abolition party were the cause of
bringing about this war; and if it should even
tually turn out that God is waging the war as
a woe due the ofenses of tie Abolitionists, it
will then be a stupendous question for the Abo-
litionists to settle among themselves which
was right, God or themseves2 If jeff gets
whipped out, he will think he was right and
leave God out of the question. If both parties
to the war quit even, they might begin to think
that God hadn't much to do With this cruel war.
A VALID ExcUsE.-The radical Aboli-
tionists have of late had no good excuse to
offer for not enlisting to fight against the
shareholders most unholy rebellion, and in
favor of freedom and the most benefcent
government on earth JEFF. Davis has now
furnished them valid excuse as he will en-
list 800 900 negroes for his service. The
radicals can't go into the Federal service
now because if they should 20 they would