The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-18

instrument In the hand OF tha Almighty, now
became predominant, and he was fully awakened
TO the fact that it was his duty to remove the
real cause of all the blood which had been shed.
al made a solemn vow before Cod" said Mr..
Lincoln subsequently, THAT If General Lee was
driven back from Maryland, would crown the
result by declaration of freedom to the slayes.'
The battle of Aptietan was fought. Lee was
driven back on the 10Th OF september, 1852, and
on the 22d OF the same month Mr.. Lincoln issued
his proclamation announcing his intention on
the LIST of January, 1862 to declare all persons
held as slaves in the Rebel States thenceforward
and forever free; at the same time he conside-
rately offered compensation to all Shareholders
who would submit to the authority of the GO.
vernment. The effect of this announcement
was to excite the Rebels to greater wrath, while
mony loyal men trembled at the probable
result. The proclamation OF freedom was issued
nevertheless, in spite of the rage of enemies
and the trembling of friends. We quote the
following eloquent passage, In relation to this
great event, from DR.. Draper's preroration:-
"Erom the rivers of Virginia to the Mexican
confines of the republic arose mournful wall
How long, o Lord how long 1t came from
the weary laborer. leaning on mis- hoe in the
cotton. field under the noontide suu-it came
through the moaning midnight forests. solemn
and clear above their multiludinous inarticu-
late sounds-it came from children torn from
their parents, from wives and husbands parted
az me auction DOCK, from mothers IN despair,
the aged whose heads were frosted by time. In
their quaint prayers the Africans talk TO God
as man talks face TO face with his friend.
slavery bad made Him their friend. BY the
flick efing fires of their cabins they stealthily
spelled out the Bible to see what He had pro-
missed to them. 1t wss their dreadful lot that
bad caused Jefferson, himself q slave-owner, to
and to deprecate the wrath of God. For who
shall escape when from the hand of Eternal
Justice her scales have dropped as useless
when from her brow the bandage has been
raised that her uncovered and angry eyes may
geze upon unutterable wrong-wnen her up
lifted arm qutvering with indignation, is ready
nent tremble?
"On the evening OF the last day of the year
1862. many of those Africans, who were living
In towns, and who were connected with various
| Christian denominations, repaired to their
places OF worship, ana waited for the midnight
clock to strike. Many of those who we're living
| on plantations kneiC down in their humble
cabins, with their wives and children. Many
of those who were alone, and had no friend in
the world, went into the woods, in presence of
that eye which pierces the darkness as we'll as
the light. They prayed that Almighty God
would take pity upon them, and strengthen
day"
The events related in the volume under con-
sideratIon are connected with the great work
which the forces of the Government were called
| upon to perform during the first period of the
war, as thus stated by the author in his Pre-
face:-"To put the seeded States, on their
inland river, and sea boundaries, under strict
blockade This belesguering, or state of siege,
was e6ectually accomplished. To open the
Mississippi river, obstructed by the inhabitants
on IFS lower borders. The achievement of this
constituted the idea of the free West.
To capture Richmond. This constituted
the popular idea of the East" The
innumerable battles and sieges, the vast mill
tary campaigns, as we'll as the political move
ments of the period between the accession OF
Mr.. Lincoln and the issue of the Emancipation
Proclamation, are related by DIR. Draper in
graphic and perspicuous manner, aud events
are grouped together so as to present the whole
subject in understandable style. In the compo.
| sition or the work he has been assisted by the
advice and counsel of some of the chief actors
in the events described, who have given him
much important aid and often confidential
information. The third and concluding volume
of this history will contain the events from the
Emancipation Proclamation to the close of the
| war.