The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-03-11
ITEMS FROM THE PILOT FILES.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

lowing is President Lincoln's second
Inaugural Message, delivered in Wash
ington on the 4th inst;
FELLOW GOVERNMENTAL the sec
ond appearing to take the oath of the
presidential office, there is less occas-
ion for IN extended address than there
was at first Then statement some
what in detail of a course to be pur.
sued, seemed very fitting and proper,
now at the expiration OF four years,
during which public declarations have
been constantly called forth on every
point and phase OF the great contest
which still absorbs the attention, and
engrosses the energies of the nation,
little that is new could be presented
The progress of our armies, upon
which all else chiefly depends, is as
well known to the public as to myself,
and it is, | trust, reasonably satlsfac-
tory and encouraging TO all. With
high hope for the future, no prediction
In regard to it is ventured. On the
occasion corresponding to this, four
years ago, all thoughts were anXiously
directed to an impending civil war.
All dreaded it, all sought to avoid it.
While the inaugural address was de-
livering from the place devoted alto
gether 30 saving the Union without
war, Insurgent agents were IN the city
seeking to destroy it without war
seeking to dissolve The Union and di-
vide the effects 10y negotiation. Both
parties deprecated war, but one of them
would make war rather than let the
nation survive, and the other would
accept rather than let il perish. So
the war came. one eighth OF the whole
population were cOlOred slaves, not dis
trDuted IN general over the Union, but
localized in the southern part OF it,.
These slaves constituted a peculiar and a
powerful interest. All knew that this
interest was somewhat the cause of
the war. To strengthen, to perpetuate
and extend this interest was the object
for which the insurgents would rend
the Union 10y war, while the govern
menL claimed no right % do more than
restrain the territorial enlargement of
it. Neither party expected tor the
war the magnitude or the duration
which 1t has already attained Neither
,.uuoi pated that the cause OF the con-
filct might cease, or even before the
conflict itself should cease, Each look
for an easier trlbmph, and a result less
fundamental and astonishing. Both
read the same Bible and pray TO the
same God, ana each Iuvokes his aid TO
the other II may seem strange that
any men should dare 10 ASK a just God 5
assistance ia Wrlnglng their bread from
the sweat OF other mems faces; but let
us Judge not Jnat We be not judged.
The prayers of both should not be an
swered-that OF neither has been ans
wered fully. The Almighty has his
own purpose.
"Woe unto the world because of Of
fences, tori must needs be that olenc-
es come, but woe unto that man 10y
whom offence cometh.
If We shall suppose that American
slavery IS one Of these offences, which,
in the providence oi God, must needs
come, but which, having continued
through his appointed tune, he now
Will 10 remove, and that he gives to
both North and South TINS terrible war
OF the woe due to those by whom the
offence came.
Shall we discern that there is any
departure from those divine attributes
which the believers IN "A living God al
ways ascribe 10 him? Fondly do we
nope, and fervently do we pray, that
this mighty scUura e Of war will soon
pass away. Yet, II God wills that it
continue until all the wealth piled by
the bondmans two hundred and fifty
years OF unrequlted toll be sunk, and
until every drop of blood drawn with
the lash shall be paid 10y another drawn
it'll the sword, as was said three thou
sand years ago, SO still it must be said
that the judgments of the land are
true and religious, altogether, with
malice toward none, with charity for
Il .,,I T. a 1870 "A
gives US light to see the right.
Let us strive on to finish the work
we are IN, to bind up the nations
wounds, and care for him who shall
have borne the battle and his widow
and his orphans-to do which may
achieve just and lasting peace among
ourselves and with all the nations