North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-03-08
President rincoln,s inaugural Address.

Feltop Coqntyymen: At this second appear
ing to take the oath OF the presidential office
there is less occasion for an extended address
than there was at the first. Then q state
ment somewhat IN detail of course to be
pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now at
the expiration of four years, during which
public declara tions have been constantly
called forth on every point and pha re of that
great contest which still absor bs the atten.
tlon and engrosses the energy of the nation,
little that is new could be presented.
The progress of our arms, upon which all
| else chiefly depends, is as we'll known to the
public as to myself. ard it is, trust, reason
ably satisfactory and encouraging to all.
With high hope for the future, no predic-
tion in regard to il is ventured. On the oc-
casion corresponding to this four years ago,
all thoughts were anxiously directed to an
impending civil war. All dreaded it, All
sought TO avert it.
While the inaugural address was being de-
livered from this place, devoted altogether to
gent agents were in the city seekingto to destroy
1t without war-seeking to dissolve the I'm.
ion and divide the effects by negotiation.
Both parties deprecated war; but one of
them would make war rather than let the
nation survive and the other would accept
war rather than perish-and the war came.
One-eighth of the whole population were
colored slaves not distributed generally over
the Union, but localized in the Southern part
of it.
These slaves constituted a peculiar and
beneficial interest. All knew that this in
terest was somehow the cause of the war;
To strengthen, perpetuate and extend this
interest was The object for which the iEsur-
gents would send the Union even by war !;
while the government claimed no right to do
more than to restrict the terrier rial enlarge
ment of it.
Neither party expected for the war the
magnitude nor the duration which it has a.
ready attained Neither Anticipated that tho
cause of the conflict might cease with OF even
before the conflict itself should cease. Each
looked for an easier triumph, and a result
less fundamental and astounding, Both re a0
the same Bible and pray to the same God,
and each nvokes His aid against the other
! 1t may seem strange that any men should
dare 10 ask just Gods assistance in writing
their bread from the sweat of other mems
! faces.
But let rs judge not that we be not Judged.
The prayers of both could not be answered :;
that Of neither has been answered fully. The
Almighty has his own purposes. "Woe un-
to the world because of offenses, for it must
needs be that offenses come but woe to tha t
man by whom the offense cometh." If we
shall suppose that American slavery is one of
those offcnses which, in the providence of
! God, must needs come, but which, having
continued through His appointed time, He
now wills to remove, and that he gives to
both North and South this terrible war as
the woe to those by whom the offense came,
shall we discern therein any departure from
| these divine attributes which the believers in
a loving God always ascrbe to him ? Fondly
do "e hope. fervently do we pray, that this
mighty scourge of war, may speedily pass
away.
| Yet if God wills that it continue until all
the wealth piled by the bondman's two hun
dred and fifty years of unrequitted toll shall
be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn
with the lash shall be paid by another drawn
with the sword. as was said three thousand
years ago, so still it must be said, "the iudg
ments of the Lord are true and righteous al
together"
With malice toward none, with charity for
all, with frmness in the right, let us strive
on to finish the work we are in; to bind ur
the nations wound to care for Kim who
shall have borne the battle, and for his wild
ow and his orphan; to do all which may
achieve and cherish just and lasting peace
among ourselves and with all nations.