er borders,--and this government has no choice
left but to deal with it where it finds it. And it has the less regret,
as the loyal citizens have in due form claimed its protection. Those
loyal citizens this government is bound to recognize and protect, as
being Virginia.

In the border States, so called,--in fact, the Middle States,--there are
those who favour a policy which they call "armed neutrality;" that is,
an arming of those States to prevent the Union forces passing one way,
or the disunion the other, over their soil. This would be disunion
completed. Figuratively speaking, it would be the building of an
impassable wall along the line of separation,--and yet not quite an
impassable one, for under the guise of neutrality, it would tie the
hands of Union men, and freely pass supplies from among them to the
insurrectionists, which it could not do as an open enemy. At a stroke,
it would take all the trouble off the hands of secession, except only
what proceeds from the external blockade. It would do for the
disunionists that which of all things they most desire,--feed them well
and give them disunion without a struggle of their own. It recognizes no
fidelity to the Constitution, no obligation to maintain the Union; and
while very many who have favoured it are doubtless loyal citizens, it
is, nevertheless, very injurious in effect.

... The forbearance of this government had been so extraordinary and so
long continued, as to lead some foreign nations to shape their action as
if they supposed the early destruction of our National Union was
probable. While this, on discovery, gave the Executive some concern, he
is now happy to say that the sovereignty and rights of the United States
are now everywhere practically respected by foreign powers, and a
general sympathy with the country is manifested throughout the world.

... It is now recommended that you give the legal means for making this
contest a short and decisive one; that you place at the control of the
government for the work, at least four hundred thousand men, and
$400,000,000. That number of men is about one-tenth of those of proper
ages within the regions where, apparently, all are willing to engage;
and the sum is less than a twenty-third part of the money value owned by
the men who seem ready to devote the whole.

... A right result at this time, will be worth more to the world than
ten times the men and ten times the money. The evidences reaching us
fr