ures? Were the capture of the forts and city of
Pensacola, of all the Florida forts, and the fortifications commanding
Savannah--the defeat of the Merrimac and Tennessee--the destruction of
the Alabama--the capture of Port Royal, and of the forts which commanded
it--were these failures? No; the war is not a failure. It is a glorious
and trancendent success. Already the whole Southern and Southwestern
coast is ours. The whole of the Mississippi is ours, with far more than
a thousand miles of its course from Columbus to its mouth, and even to a
considerable extent up the Mississippi and Missouri, which had been once
in the hands of the enemy. Chesapeake Bay is ours, and all its
tributaries, from the Potomac to the James River. The whole coast of
North and South Carolina, of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Texas, with vast portions of the interior, including many
impregnable positions, is ours. Tennessee, one of the seceded States, is
now wholly ours. Kentucky is loyal. Missouri is ours, and has abolished
Slavery. Maryland is ours, and has, I believe, uprooted Slavery also.
Our whole _Territorial_ domain, greater in extent than one half of
Europe (and about Slavery in which this contest began), is now wholly
ours. Not a rebel flag floats within its limits. When before were such
mighty conquests achieved within so short a period? Why, the conquests
of Alexander, of Caesar and Napoleon covered no such extent of territory.
And, 'we take no steps backward.' Where our flag now is once unfolded in
any part of rebeldom, there it continues to float, and will float
forever. What are we to negotiate about? Is it as to giving up the
Mississippi and its tributaries, together with New Orleans, Vicksburg,
and Tennessee? Is West Virginia, which has been admitted as a new Free
State, to be surrendered? Are Fortress Monroe and the Chesapeake to be
abandoned? Is the rebel flag to float at Alexandria, and on the heights
of Arlington; and are rebel cannon to be planted there, in sight of and
to command the _very capital of the Union_? Are we to insult loyal
Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, and Delaware, by negotiating about them?
Are we to give back Western to Eastern Virginia? Where is the line of
division to be run, and what armies would be strong enough to maintain
peace upon the border? What portion of the mighty Territories uniting us
with the Pacific are to be surrendered? Are we to turn over to the cruel
despotism of their blo