Year: 1863

war has certainly progressed as favorable 20
us since the issue Of the proclamation as be
fore. know rs fully az one can know the
opinion OF others, that some Of the comman-
ders Of our armies in the field who have
given us our most important victories. be-
lieved the emancipation policy and the aid
OF colored troops constituted the heaviest
blows yet dealt to the rebellion. and that at
least one Of those important successes could
MT havo been achieved when it was, but
for the aid of black soldiers. Among the
commanders holding these views are some
| who have never bad any affinity with what
is called Abolitionism or with Republican
party politics, but who hold them purely as
military opinions. I submit their opinion
as being entitled to some weigh against the
objections often urged that emancipation
and arming the blacks are unwise as militia
ry measures, and were not adopted as such
in good faith.


You say that you will not 6sht to free
negroes. Some of them seem TO be willing
enough 70 fight for you. But no mst,er.-
Fight. then, exclusively to save the Union.
issued the proclamation on purpose to save
the Union.


b Whenever you have conquered all resis-
tance to the Union, IL shall urge you to
continue fighting it will be an apt time then
for you to declare that you will not fight to
free negroes. thought that in your strug
gle for the Uaion to whatever extent the
negroes should cease helping the enemy. to
that extent it weakened The enemy is his re-
sistance to you.


Do you think differently Thought that
whatever negroes can be got to do as sol
diers, leaves just SO much less for white sol
diers to do in saving the Union. Does it
appear otherwise to you? Bat uSsross.
like other people, act upon motive. Why
should they do anything for US if we will
do nothing for them? Ii they stake their
lives for us, they must be prompted by the
stongest motive. even the promise OF free
dom, and the promise being made. must be
kept. The signs look better. The Father
OF Waters again goes unvexed to the sea
thanks to the great Northwest for it; nor
yet wholly to them. Three hundred miles
up they met the New England, Empire
State. Keystone State, and New Jersey.
hewing their way righ, aud left.


The sunny South, too. in more colors than
ono. also lent hand. Oa the spot their
part of the history was jotled down in black
and white. The job was great one, ma
tional, and let none be barred who bore an
honorable part in it. sId while those who
have cleared the great river may we'll be
proud, even that is not all.


1t is hard to say that anything has been
more bravely and better done than at An.
tietam, Murtreesboro'. Gettysburg and on
many fields of less note, nor must Uncle
Sans webbed feet be forgotten. At all the
waters margins they have been present
Not only on the deep sea. the broad bay
md the rapid river. but also up the marrow.
muddy bayou; and wherever the ground
vas little damp, they have been aud made
heir tracks.


Thanks to all for the great Republic. for
The principles by which it lives aud keeps
alive for mans vast future thanks to all.
Peace does not appear SO distant as 1t did.
l hope it will come soon. and come to stay,
and SO come a. to be worth the keeping in
all future time.


1t will then have been proved that among
freemen there can be no successful appeal
from the ballot to the bullet, and that they
who take such appeal. are sure to lose their
case and pay the costs, and then there viii
be soma black man, who can remember
that with silent tongue. and with clenched
teeth, and with steady eye, and well poised
bay onst. they have helped mankind on to
this great contamination while l fear that
there will be some white men unable to for
get that with malignant heart and deceitful
speech they have striven to hinder it.


Still let US not be over ssnguine OF
speedy final triumph. Let US be quite So
Der. Let us diligently apply the means.
never doubling that q just God. in His own
good time, will give us the rightiul result.


Yours very truly.


A. LINCOLN.