Bayou, and wherever the ground was a little damp they had been, and
made their tracks. Thanks to all. For the Great Republic--for the
principle it lives by, and keeps alive--for Man's vast future
--thanks to all.

Peace does not appear so distant as it did. I hope it will come
soon, and come to stay; and so come as to be worth the keeping in
all future time. It will then have been proved that among Freemen
there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet,
and that they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case and
pay the cost. And there will be some Black men who can remember
that, with silent tongue, and clinched teeth, and steady eye, and
well poised bayonet, they have helped mankind on to this great
consummation, while I fear there will be some White ones unable to
forget that with malignant heart and deceitful speech they have
striven to hinder it.

Still, let us not be over sanguine of a speedy, final triumph. Let
us be quite sober. Let us diligently apply the means, never
doubting that a just God, in his own good time, will give us the
rightful result.

Yours very truly,
A. LINCOLN.]

But Chattanooga, and the grand majorities in all the Fall
State-elections, save that of New Jersey,--and especially the manner
in which loyal Ohio sat down upon the chief Copperhead-Democrat and
Treason-breeder of the North, Vallandigham--came most auspiciously to
strengthen the President's hands.

[The head of the Knights of the Golden Circle, and the Democratic
candidate for Governor of Ohio]

And now he saw, more clearly still, the approach of that time when the
solemn promise and declaration of Emancipation might be recorded upon
the sacred roll of the Constitution, and thus be made safe for all time.

In his Annual Message of December, 1863, therefore, President Lincoln,
after adverting to the fact that "a year ago the War had already lasted
nearly twenty months," without much ground for hopefulness, proceeded to
say:

"The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, issued in September, was
running its assigned period to the beginning of the New Year. A month
later the final Proclamation came, including the announcement that
Colored men of suitable condition would be received into the War
service. The policy of Emancipation, and o