Year: 1863

portant victories believe tho Emancipation
policy, and the aid of colored troops will
constitute tho heaviest blow yet dealt to the
rebellion, and that at least one of those i'm
portant successes could not have beon |
achieved when il was but for the aid OF black !
soldiers.


Among tho commanders holding these
views are some who have never had any af-
fuity with what is called Abo,tionism or
with Republican party politics, but who
hold them purely as military opinions. !
submit ,hoir opinions as being entitled to
some Weight against the objections often
urged, that emancipation and arming the
blacks are unwise us military measures, and
we've not adopted as such in good faith
You say you will not fight to free negroes.
Some Of them seem to bc willing to fight
for you, but no matter. Fight you then ex
clusively to save the Union.


l issued the Proclamation on purpose 20
aid you in saving the Union. Whenever
you shall have conquered all resistance to
the Union, if ! shall urge you to continue
fighting, it will be an apt time for you to
declare that you will not fight to FREQ no.
groes. thought that in your struggle for
tho Union to whatever extent tho negroes
should cease helping the enemy, to that ex-
,ont it weskens the enemy in his resistance
to you. DO you think differently
thought that whatever negroes can be got
! to do as soldiers leaves Just 80 much loss
for whito soldiors to do in saving the Union.


Does it appear otherwise to you But
negroes, like other people, act upon motive
Why should they do anything for US if wc
do nothing for them If they stake their
lives for us. they must be prompted by the
strongest notive-even tho promise of FREQ.
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 North West for it, nor
yet wholly to them. Three hundred miles
up thoy met New England. Empire, Key
stone and Jersey howing their way right and
loft. The Sunny South, too. in more colors
,han one, also lent o hand on tho spot
) Their part of the history was jotted down
IN black and white.


The job was q grea: national one, and
lot none be blamed who borc an honorable
part in it. And while those who have cleared
the Great River may we'll be proud, even
that is not all; it is hard to say that any
thios huo buun moro DrareIy anu Dettcr done
than at Antietam, Murfreesboro, Gettys.
burg. and on many fields Of less noto. Nor
must Uncle Sans Webbed Foet be forgot
ten. Ata!i the water margins they have
tbeen present; not only on the deep sea,
the broad bay and the rapid river. out Up
the narrow mnddy bayou, and where tho
ground ~as little damp they have been
and made their tracks. Thanks to all for
the great Republic, for the principles BY
which it lives and keeps alive, for mans vas,
nature, thanks to all Peace does not ap.
pear SO distant as it did. hope it will
como aocn and como to stay and go come as
to be worth tho keeping in all future time
ltwi,i then nave beon proved that among
treemen there can be no successful appeal
from the ballot to the bullet, and that thoy
who take such appeal and seek to lose their
case and pay the cost, and then there will
DO some black men who can remember that
with silent tongue and with clenched teeth,
md with steady eye and we'll poised bayo.
nets they have helped mankind on to this
great consummation. While fear tha,


there will bo some white men unable to for
get that with malignant heart and dece,fu
speech they have strivcn to hinder it. Still
let us not be over sanguine of speedy and
final triumph. Let us bo quiet, sober Iei
us diligently apply tho means, never doubt.
! ing that just God, in his ever good time,
will give US the rghtful result.


Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.