Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-02-23

will. The President was led along py the
greatness of Their self-sacrhclng example;
and, as child in dark night, on rugged
way, catches hold of the hand of its father for
guidance aud support, he clung fast TO the
hand of the people and moved calmly through
the gloom. While the statesmanshio OF Eu-
rope was scofing at the hopeless vanity of
their efforts, they put forth such miracles Of
energy ais the history of the world had never
known. The Navy Of the United States
drawing into the public service the willing
militia of the seas, doubled its tonnage in
eight months, and established an actual block
ade from Cape Hatteras TO the Rio Grande;
in the course of the war it was increased hye-
fold in men and In tonnage, while the inven-
tive genius of the country devised more eff
feetive kinds of ordnance, and new ferns OF
N naval architecture in wood and iron. There
II went into the field, for various terms OF SER
4 vice. two million men; and in March last the
men in service exceeded million; that is to
saw, one of every two able bodied men took
some part in the war; and at one time every
fourth able-b bodied man was IN the field. In
one single month, one hundred and sixty-fye
thousand were recruited into service. Once,
within four weeks, Ohio organized andplaced
in the field forty-two regiments of infantry
nearly thirty-six thousand men; and Ohio
was ike other states in the East and West
4 The well mounted cavalry numbered eighty
four thousand; of horses there were bought,
first and last, two-thirds of million. In the
movements of troops science came in aid of
patriotism: so that, to choose single instance
out of many, an army twenty three thousand
strong, with its artillery, trains, baggage, and
animals, were moved by rail from the Poto-
mae to the Tennessee, twelve hundred miles,
in seven days. In the long marches, wonders
of military construction bridged the rivers
and whenever an army halted, ample supplies
awaited them at their ever changing base
The vile thought that life is che greatest of
blessings did not rise up. In six hundred
and twenty-five battles and severe skirmishes
blood flowed ike water. 1t streamsd over
the grassy plains; it stained the rocks; the
undergrowih OF the forest was red with it; and
the armies marched on with majestic courage
from one conflict to another, knowing that
they we're fighting for God and liberty, The
organization of the medical department met
it's Infinitely multiplied duties with exactness
and despatch. Besides, at the news of bat
tie the best surgeons of our cities hastened to
the field to offer the Jealous aid of the great
est experience and skill. The gentest and
most refined of women left homes of luxury
and ease to build hospital tents near the ar
mics, and serve as nurses to the sick and dy-
ing. Our men were fighting for God and lib
erty. Besides the large supply ot religious
teachers BY the public. the congregations
spared to their brothers in the field the ablest
ministers of the land. Inc Christian Com
mission, whch-expended FIVE and a half mil
lions, sent four thousand clergymen, chosen
out of the best, to keep unsoied the religious
character of the men, and made gifts of
clothes and food and medicine. The organi
zation ofpriyate charity assumed unheard of
dimensions. The Sanitary Commission,
which had seven thousand societies, distEbu-
ted under the direction of am unpaid board,
spontaneous contributions to the amount of
fifteen millions in supplies or money-a mil
lion and half in mouey from California alone
and dotted the scene of war faom Padueah
to Port Royal, from Belle Plain, Virginia, to
Brownsville, Texas, with homes and lodges
THE EMANCIAATIoN PROCLAMATION.
The country had for its allies the river Mis-
sissippi, which would not be divided, and the
range Of mountains which carried the strong
hold of the free through Western Virginia and
Kentucky and Tennessee to the highlands of
Alabama. But it invoked the still higher
power Of immortal Justice. In ancient Greece,
where servitude was the universal custom, it
was held that if child were to strike its pa
rent, the slave should defend the parent, and
by that act recover hts freedom. After vain
resistance, Lincoln who had tried to solve the
question by gradual emancipation, by eoloui-
zation, and By compensation, at last saw that
slavery must be abolished, or the republic
must die, and on the first day of january,
1868, he wrote liberty on the banners of the
armies. When this proclamation, which
struck the fetters from three millions ofsayes,
reached Europe, Lord Russell, a countryman
OF Milton and Wilberforce, eagerly put him
self forward to speak of it in the name of
mankind, saying sit is of a very strange ma
ture;' "a measure Of war of very question
able kind" an act ''of vengeance on theslave
owner that does no more than Hprofess to
emancipate slaves where the United States
authorities cannot make emancipation real
ity.h Now there was NO part of the country
embraced in the proclamation where the Uni
ted States could not and did not make eman-
cipation a reality.
Those who saw Lincoln most frequently
had never before heard him speak with bit
terness of any human being; but be did not
conceal how keenly he felt that be had been
wronged by Lord Russell And he wrote, in
replp to another caviller; "The emancipation
policy and the use of colored troops we're tbs
greatest blows yet dealt to the rebellion. The
job was great national one; and let none he
sighted who bore an honorable part in it.
hope peace viii come soon, and come to stay
then viii there be some black men who car
remember that they have helped mankind tc
this great contamination.
RUSSIA AND CHINA.
The proclamation accomplished its end
for, during the war, our armies came into
military possession of every state in rebel
lion. Then, too, was called forth the new
power that comes from the simultaneous diff
fusion of thoEght and feeling among the ma
tions of mankind. The mysterious sympathy
of the millions throughout the world was Civ
en- spontaneously. The best writer's of Eu
rope walked the conscience of the thoughtful
till the intelligent moral sentiment of the OLD
World was drawn to the side of the unletter.
ed statesman of the West. Russia, whose
Emperor had just accomplished one of the
grandest acts in the course of time by raising
twenty millions Of bondmen into freeholders
and thus assuring the growth and culture of {
Russian people, remained our unwaverins
friend. From thee oldest abode ofcivilization
which gave the first example of an imperia
government with equality among the people
Prince Kung, ths Secretary of State for For
eign Affairs, remembered the saying Of Con
fucius, that we should not do to others whal
we would not that others should do to us, and
in the name of the Emperor of China closed
its ports against the war ships and privateers
OF "the seditiSSs."
CONTINUANCE OF THE WAR.
The war continued, with all the peoples Of
the world for anxious spectators. Its shares
weighed heavily on Lincoln, and his face
was ploughed with the furrows of thought
and sadBess. With malice towards none,
free IRON the spirit of revenge, victory made