Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-03-03
Northern Strength.


The value in which the Union is held by
the Northern people is inestimable, and
the sacrifice which they have already
made, and are still making to maintain it,
furnishes evidence to prove that no people
ever cherished the institutions of country
as the Northern people cherish those of the
Union. History furnishes no parallel of
the sacrifices which the loyal people Of
this country have already made to main
tain the integrity of the Union. To say
nothing of the vast monetary expenses
which have been cheerfully incurred, the
number of soldiers which the North has
given to the cause, has astounded the
whole world. From population of about
twenty millions the North has already
called to the aeld, two millions nine hun
dred and ffty-eight thousand, eight hun
dred and forty-six soldiers; and adding
the last requisition Of the President,
the aggregate is swelled to over
three and quarter millions. This vast
number-one-sixth of the entire popula-
tion-has never been recruited by any
other nation, no matter what is popula-
ton, in modern times. The number of
soldiers thus sent to the field is nearly
equal to the entire.number of votes cast in
the Northern States previous to the war
the voters averaging about one-titth OF the
population. This shows that the North
has given to the defense of the Union
what is equal to tve-siSths Of her voting
population before the war; sacrifice
which has no example. 1t is true that the
voting population of the country has ap-
parently suffered nothing from this vast
drain, but this fact is easily accounted for.
All the soldiers who have been discharged
from the army land who constitute the
bulk of its depletion, are), still voters I;
and this fact, together with the large num-
Der of aliens in the army, the minors who
become voters since the war began, and
the large number of citizens naturalized,
accounts for the undiminished number of
voters. This sacrifice has been made, too,
as free offering to the cause of the
Union. No draft of any consequence has
vet been made, and it is probable that not
one in a hundred of the threemillons who
have entered the service have done so I'M
der compulsion. From every walk OF life
they have come, representing every trade
and vocation-rich and poor alike-all
giving their services freely and volunta-
rily to maintain the entirety of the Union.
1t is grand and glorious spectacle to see
q nation thus rise as one man in defense
of its institutions, and no other exhibition
could so truthfully exhibit the high esti-
nation in which those institutions are
held. Nor could anything else so truly
demonstrate the soundness of those insti-
buttons, for war is the sorest test of gov
ornamental principles. The nations of
Europe have looked upon this marvellous
uprising with wonder, not nmixed
with alarm. The fallacy of their
favorite theory that successful
republican government is impossible,
they. have seen demonstrated, and the re-
suit has extorted from them a measure of
admiration. But this mighty exhibition
of military strength has aslonished our
own people little less than those of Euro
pean nations. 4 person attempting to
prove, four years ago, that the North
could send three millions of soldiers to the
field, would have been regarded as a mad
man. We neither knew our own strength
nor the extent of our attachment to the
Union; and it was only when danger
threatened the latter that the North found
out the migh,iness of its strength. No
particular class of men, no one party, no
single interest has caused this result. 1t
is the natural consequence of that love,
that alteration, which every true American
entertaius for the Union and the institu-
tons of his country and the same feeling
will carry it safely through the present
ordeal, and protect it hereafter.-N. T..