North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-09-20

let US consider the object Of the administrs-
tion as publicly declared to MS. President
Lincoln, IN his Inaugural address, said. 81
have no purpose, directly or ind rpctly, to in
terfere with the institution of slavery in the
States where it now exists. believe have
NO lawful right to do 50; and have no in
clnation to do 90. The power
confded 10 me will be used to hold occupy
and possess the property and places belong
ing to the government, and TO collect the
duties and imposts; but beyond what may
be necessary for these objects. there will be
no evasion, no using of force against or
among the people anywhere"
This was the declaration of the then Pres
ident, but further, in his proclamation call
ing for $4,000 troops, he said it was 'sto re-
possess the forts, places and property of the
United States, and We should avoid devasta-
ton or disturbance of peaceful citizens."-
The famous committee of Thirty three on
the state of the Union, of which Thomas
Corwin, now Minister to Mexico, was char.
man, reported among other equally strong
resolutions, the following: "Resolped, That
we recognize slavery as now existing in fif-
teen OF the United States, by the usages and
laws Of those States; and we recognize no
authority, legally or otherwise, outside of
State where it SO exists, to interfere with
slaves or slavery in such States, in disregard
of the rights of their owners, or the peace OF
the SOCIETY,"" Added to this we had the al
most unanimous resolution of Congress,
That this war is not waged ON our part in
any spirit of oppression, or for any purpose
"f conquest or subjugation, or purpose Of
overthro~ing or interfering with the rights
or established institutions of those States,
but to defend and maintain the supremacy Of
the Constitution, and to preserve the Union,
with the dignity, equality and rights of the
several States unimpaired; and that as soon
Us these objects arc accomplished the war
ought TO cease" Here We have tho objects
Of the war stated by the highest authorities
in the land. II was not to be for conquest
tuition Of slavery or any other institution
without the consent of the States interested.
II was contract between the soldiers and
The government. The consideration on our
part was our lives, our blood and after we
were sworn in to the service, We were coolly
informed that the objects for which we en-
listed should not be carried out, and thus the
solemn pledges Of 1861 were broken, and the
war made one for the negro and not for The
Union. We want these pledges kept. We
have done our duty in this contest, as the
blood shed during the past four years at
tests, and We now call on the powers that b.
or il they are unwilling, upon the people who
placed them in authority, to see that this
contract rs kept. Remember it was no hoi-
day excursion we undertook, nor was it to
meet an ordinary foe. We were to fight our
avn flesh and blood men as brave by ma
'ure as We are, men whose fathers had fought
with ours to achieve the Revolution, and
who illustrated the valur Of their race from
The SHOWS of Canada to the scorching plains
Dt Mexico. 1t is due to ourselves to admit |
that the S'uthero people are brave and
were skiltully led, else we can claim but
lille honor for subduing them with our su-
perior numbers. They avowed devotion
worthy better cause, ard it was only BY
superior numbers and indomitable persever
ence we compelled their surrender.
Among the first acts Of the administration
our contract, was the publication
Of the emancipation proclamation. At the
time l was confined IN Libby prison as one
nf "POpe's feions," but the sufe rings of i'm.
prisonment were nothing compared to the
mental torture on finding the high and noble
cause for which enlisted debased by being
made struggle for giving freedom to few
degraded negroes. Leading Republicans, it
is true, urged the measure as q military
necessity, as iftwenty millions of white men
could not subdue eight millions South with
put the and OF Few cowardly negroes. They
also promised reinforcements of white troops.
Gov. Yates spoke of the ''aaming giants" Of
the West would como to our rescue Gov.
Andrews said the streets and highways of
the East wond swarm with patriotic troops
while even Greeley promised his 100000
more. Yet they never caue save in the
shape Of some daikies stolen from the South.
and few reedy foreigners imported flom
abroad. The natural result of this iii timed
proclamation was to stop recruiting in the
North, and FROM that time large bounties
and heavy drafts had to be resorted to fin
our armies. while so long ss the war was for
the Union more volunteers we're offered than
the administration would accept. -r
Another effect was to consolidate the
South. At the beginning of the war, &C
cording to President Lncoln's own statement
We bad . majority Of friends there, but the
measure extinguished the last spark of I'm.