thenceforward, and forever, free; and the executive government of
the United States, including the military and naval authority
thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons,
and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them,
in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom."

This was carried out in a subsequent proclamation of January 1,
1863, in which the President declared:

"And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do
order and declare that all persons held as slaves, within said
designated states and parts of states, are, and henceforward shall
be, free; and that the executive government of the United States,
including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize
and maintain the freedom of said persons."

This was the beginning of the end of slavery.

In following the important financial measures of the 37th Congress,
I have purposely passed by, in their order of time, other measures
of vital interest that were acted upon in that Congress. The
military measures adopted were on the same grand scale as the
financial measures I have referred to. In 1861 the United States
contained a population of 32,000,000 people, of whom about 10,000,000
were in the seceding states, some of whom were opposed to secession,
but a greater number living in states that did not secede were in
hearty sympathy with the rebellion. No preparation for war had
been made in any of the loyal states, while in the disloyal states
preparations had been made by the distribution of arms through the
treachery of Secretary Floyd. When the seceding states organized
a confederate government, the executive branch of the general
government was under the management and control of those who favored
the rebellion, or were so feeble or indifferent that they offered
no resistance whatever to such organization. The President of the
United States declared, in an executive message, that the general
government had no power to coerce a state. On the accession of
President Lincoln, the confederate government was better organized
for resistance than the Union was for coercion. When war actually
commenced, the capital at Washington was practically blockaded,
and in the power of the Confederates.

The response of the loyal states to the call of Lincoln was perhaps
the most remarkable uprising of a great people in the history of
mankind. Within a few days the road to Washington was