Year: 1864

others have shown themselves our friends
1t is a matter for gratitude, that amid all
the Earrings of our internal war, and with
all the indignant heart-burnings that have
been kindled toward the mother country.
yet our almost republican sister across the
lakes, with thousands of plotting, working
traitors on her soil, has shown us so many
acts of kindness, and that our relations
with her are now of the most amicable
character. To her answering faithful
ness we owe the peace and present safety
Of our border cities, and perhaps of cur
own state. And yet, allowing all for Sec
ontary, apparent causes, we can but see
in the repeated defeats Of well laid plots
against the lives and liberties Of our peo-
pie, the guiding and restraining hand of
Him whose name we praise to day


But we would thank God also for some
lhings not enumerated in our Presidents
proclamation.


While we are recounting the great
things that God hath done for us, few stir
the heart Of the Christian patriot With
deeper emotions than the signal favor we
have enioyed in some of the faithful men
who have been raised up to hold and fill
responsible p'a aces in guiding the affairs of
our nation


And here let us break away from par
tisan politics. Let Us not look at men and
their doings through the distortinc media
Of political preiudices Let us rather
look at them as impartial history viii pre-
sent them when the passions and preiu~
dices Of the hour shall be forgotten and
men shall stand on the merits Of their
own characters and efforts. | believe that
every candid man who has risen above
mere political issues viii say with me,
thank God for such an honest Christian
man to stand at the head of our nation
such a faithful pilot to guide us through
this stormy sea-this tempest Of fire and
blood and death Other noble men there
are, for whose labors and lives we thank
God, but as foremost and first, we thank
Him for 1braham Lincoln.


We arc thinking people, but we DO
not all think alike. On questions great or
small, our opinions differ as much as our
features do. In our opinions of men and
their doings we differ according to pecG~
liaritios of temperament and education
But differ as we may respecting the policy
of the Government, or. respecting the pre-
cipitancy o tardiness with whicn the
President has inauguratcd great meas
ures, yet in this, most even of his poIiti-
cal opponents will agree that Abraham
Lincoln is an honest, a coRcientious man.
He is also, believe, an earnest praying
Christian, as was he who led the armies
of freedom through that trying seron
years war for national life. Proudly,
gratefully, we place the name Of our
Christian President beside that one the
world delights to honor We write it
there to-day, and impartial, faithful his
tory Will engraye it there with pen of
iron Washington and Lincoln! the
! Father and the Son Of our country. Two
/ treasured names-two honored leaders of
our nation in the most trying crises, of our
/ history Embalmed in a nations grateful
| remembrance, let them stand united for
/ ever


If true greatness is to be estimated by
answering fidelity and unfailing success
when almost every power and influence
combines to oppose, then las Mr. Lin
coin shown himself great man No
man ever before took the position he oc-
cupies in circumstances so adverse and
trying, When we look at the circum-
stances around him when he took the oath
of offce-thc peaceful habits of our loyal
citizens and the warlike preparations of
the South-the depleted treasury, the
inefficient army, the navy scattered
to distant seas, our arsenals officially
plundered for the aid of the rebellion.
traitors in every public station, and
with so much division ard almost open
disloyalty at the north then see him 90
4 ing steadily forward, binding together the
discordant elements at home bringing this


whole people to support the war and to
endorse his official acts as the united voice
Of the loyal north has now endorsed him


we are led in gratitude and amazement tc
say This is more than human wisdom


this is a man raised up Of God and quail


fed for this great work Scan the course


Of that great yet hated man.-it wi l beal
: scrutiny. See him, President elect, going
in disguise to our national Capitol, that hc
may escape assassination. No sooner
there than his course is feorlessIy taken


In his inaugural he said The power
- confded to me will be used to hold, occup,
and posse 5 tho property ani places be
longing TO the government and collect tn
duties and imposts, but beyond wha
f may be necessary for these objects, Their
win be no invasion, useiRE Of force agains
or among the people anywhere" Is


claimed that he has broken this p'edg
and departed from the policy here marke
t out? He has employed those powers cor
I fded to him as President of the Unite


r.