Year: 1862




want of a vigorous prosecution of the
war, in the general, until very recent
ly-since the capture Of Forts Henry
aud Donclson. And much Of this
blame has been attributed to fault
ness in the President--that "he did
not see that things were all right !;
and that if those officers already in
cumbent did not do the clean thing
to discharge them and fill their pla-
ces with others that would do it,"


But, sir, you know and we all know
that it is much easier to imagine, and
talk how great achievements may be
expected, than to accomplish them
that it is far easier to lay plans and
concoct me asures of weighty
character, than to carry them out.
And so in this case, we, at distance
from the scene of action, can look on
and see what needs to be done, and,
can imagine in our own minds what
we would do in pushing the war
through to a successful issue, without
seeing the formidable obstacles that
rise up in the way at every step--ob-
stacles, too, of such nature as none
but the President himself can see and
feel. He occupies a prominent posi-
tion in the great centre Of all the null
tiplied thousands of agencies, busily
working out the problem. He holds
the thousands of telegraphic wires
in his own hand, and is continuously
receiving advices from every point,
while we, for instance, occupy some
corner where we can only learn the
state and progress of affairs through
occasional mediums, But when we
call to mind, upon close reflection, the
real difficulties with which the Prcsi-
dent has to contend, and which he has
to overcome, in order to success, we
arc overwhelmed with amazement
that he was effected tenth of what
he has.


Let us inspect the scene. We sec
him ascend the seat Of power utterly
empty handed. The few Government
troops in the servi ce are scattered
over the Continent in various direc-
tions and at great distances from the
Seat of Government--too far to be re-
called in case of emergency. The
arscnals have been robbed and their
contents, cannon and small arms
balls and ammunition and have been
sent South by Floyd, as preparatory
to an attack on the Government by
the already secretly organized bands
of rebels. The navy is nearly all in
foreign seas, quite beyond his imme-
date command. The opposing and
defeated party, by his election, are now
wri.hing and raving in the deepest
modification, as the note of secession
was heard to sound from the South
1t is a signal for this Northern wing
| to plight their faith and unite their
| fortunes with their dear old co-work.
ers and friends in the great cause, in
which they have labored SO long,
those Of their blood, flesh and bone
and make most desperate deatl
struggle to seize the Government, ant
violently force it into their own hands
With marked delight thousands lis
ten to the note and evince read
ness to engage. Others stand tiptoe
in suspense, hesitating Confusion
reigns in all their ranks. At length,
Stephen A. Douglas, after feeling OF
their pulse, casts himself on the side
of the Union, pledging his energies to
the President toward crushing the Re-
bellion. A large portion of his party
4
follow his example at least in appear
ance. In Offering their services thus
to the President, they claim as much
as 70 say, "Now, Mr.. Lincoln, we ad
nit that you have beaten us badly ii
the election, and it is exceedingly Sc
we're for us to endure it, and indeed j,
is what we could not and would moi
endure without some paliating con
sideration. We will therefore make
a opposition to you: We will take
the side of the Union and fight Seces.
sion, shoulder to shoulder with you
to put down the rebellion--but you
must give us ofice-the leading and
most important Offices in the army.
If YOU will do this, we, with our par
lty will throw our whole weight into
the union scale against secession, and
help bring the war to a successful Is
sue.


Lincoln in consultation. "Tht
most important Office How viii
that go? Well, without them we ART
surely gone for if l don't give then
the offices they'll go to Secessia-fo
they stand upon pivot, even now
Should they go, then there would only
be the Republican party to cope will
all the South and this great wing o
that opposing party in the North
and the result would be that we should
soon see the fame of civil war rage


throughout every State. county ant
|. town in the North and the who'll
~ xro,ld sink into annihila