Year: 1864

1t is now nearly three years since
Abraham Lincoln assumed the duties of
President of the United States, amid a
scene of national confusion, enough to
stagger the bravest of men, From the
very moment in which the news of his
election reached the Southern States, the
work of treason had begun. lie found
on the day of his Inauguration nine
States in open rebellion; in possession of
all the United States property within
their respective limits, and supplied al
rexdy with an efficient military force
Not man had as yet been raised for
the defense of the National Government.
Indeed the great mass of the Northern
people did not seem to be sensible of
their real situation-did not seem to re-
alize that the nation was about to en-
gage in struggle for its very existence.
Some stood gazing on the efforts of the
rebels as on theatrical pageant, excit-
ing, but slort-lived Many openly ex-
pressed their sympathy with the insur
gents, deemiRg the election of an
awkward man, who had once made
his living by manual luhor, sufficient
cause for the dismemberment of their
country. Others, right enough in feel
ing, but weak in knowledge, accepted as
an axiom the statesmaRlike solution of
Buchanan, that the South had no right
to secede, but the Government had no
right to prevent them. The public mind
everywhere required to be reused, and
President Lincoln was the very man to
do il. Sworn to execute the laws of the
United States, he resolved that there
should be United States in which to
execute them, if there was any virtue in
powder or proclamations. Conscien-
tiously desirous to fulfill his duty, con-
servative in the best meaning of that
much-abused term, he announced his in
tention to prosecute the war for the sin
gle purpose of restoring the Union His
tory will testify that he has strictly full
filled his word. Too clear-sighted not to
see at once that slavery was the root and
the strength of the rebellion, he yet alb
stained from touching it, through regard
to his constitutional obligations, until
satisfied that as war measure it was
his constitutional duty 70 do so. When
the proud residents of the doomed city
of Jericho saw the Israeftes blowing
trumpets around their walls instead
of assaulting them with battering
rams, they no doubt thought it a
very foolish proceeding; and so the
rebels, when President Lincoln issued
that first warning blast, laughed it to
seorn; but not more fatal to the defences
of Jerico were the notes of those heaven
turned trumpets than has been to the
rebels the effect of that much derided
proclamation. Slowly, but surely, it has
undermined the corner stone" of their
ill-founded empire. Thus, by drawing
the sword in defence of that which had
not been attacked, they armed the Presi-
dent with power which he previously
had not possessed, and would never
have dared to assume, but which, when
rightfully bestowed on him, he was well
able to WELD.


Having now successfully tested the
effect of severity, the President, as the
embodied sovereignty of the nation, ex-
tends to his guilty and deluded fellow
citizens the hand of mercy. His pro
clamation of amnesty is already bearing
fruit. 1t comes amidst the noise, and
dust, and strife, and heat and hatred Of
the battlefield, as an open door leading
into calm and peaceful garden; and
many a weary rebel, tired of fighting for
an institution which never profted him,
will be glad enough to avail himseli
of it.


A sectional candidate, elected by {
minority, entering the capital of hi!
country in disguise, and taking his sea
amid a storm of disapprobation as thu
chief magistrate of dissolving confed
eracy, President Lincoln has, in the
three eventful years succeeding his in
auguration, shown himself a man o
pure and lofty patriotism, profound in
sight, and consummate ability. Assailet
by conflicting counsels, surrounded b,
stupendous difficulties, urged to ever,
extreme of conduct from ruinous radi
calism to rotting conservatism" draw
from the consideration of questions O
vast national import to settle petit
difficulty among generals, or listen t
impertinent suggestions from selfconsti
tuted committees, he has never, for on


moment, deviated from the direct lin
of what he conscientiously believed to b
his duty, nor refused his attention to an


subject, no matter how apparently il
significant, which seemed to have


bearing on the great interests t


which he is devoted. Uniting tn


prayerful cautiousness of Washington t.


the military promptness of jackson, h
is pre-eminently the man for the times


and though we do not say that all hi


acts have met our unqualified approYa


we do say-feeling confident that vas


majority of our countrymen will re-ech
the opinion-that no man could hav


done better in his place; we say NOR,


and in this also look for q national ell
dorsement, that Abraham Lincoln is on
choice as candidate for reelection i
November next Let him finish 9th


end is not far off the great work he s
successfully prosecuted thus far; an
when peace and prosperity shall agai


bless our beloved land, when its glor


GUS ensign shall float the only recogni;


ed emblem of sovereignty from the gres


lakes to the Gulf, and from ocean [
ocean, when even from the heart of Sout


Carolina the PRAYER shall rise "God blei