hero tales from american history-第30部分

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dress　than　there　was　at　the　first。　Then　a　statement；　somewhat　in　detail；　of　a　course　to　be　pursued；　seemed　proper。　Now；　at　the　expiration　of　four　years；　during　which　public　declarations　have　been　constantly　called　forth　on　every　point　and　phase　of　the　great　contest　which　still　absorbs　the　attention　and　engrosses　the　energies　of　the　nation；　little　that　is　new　could　be　presented。　The　progress　of　our　arms；　upon　which　all　else　chiefly　depends；　is　as　well　known　to　the　public　as　to　myself；　and　it　is；　I　trust；　reasonably　satisfactory　and　encouraging　to　all。　With　high　hope　for　the　future；　no　prediction　in　regard　to　it　is　ventured。

On　the　occasion　corresponding　to　this　four　years　ago；　all　thoughts　were　anxiously　directed　to　an　impending　civil　war。　All　dreaded　itall　sought　to　avert　it。　While　the　inaugural　address　was　being　delivered　from　this　place；　devoted　altogether　to　saving　the　Union　without　war；　insurgent　agents　were　in　the　city　seeking　to　destroy　it　without　warseeking　to　dissolve　the　Union；　and　divide　effects；　by　negotiation。　Both　parties　deprecated　war；　but　one　of　them　would　make　war　rather　than　let　it　perish。　And　the　war　came。

One　eighth　of　the　whole　population　were　colored　slaves；　not　distributed　generally　over　the　Union；　but　localized　in　the　southern　part　of　it。　These　slaves　constituted　a　peculiar　and　powerful　interest。　All　knew　that　this　interest　was；　somehow；　the　cause　of　the　war。　To　strengthen；　perpetuate；　and　extend　this　interest　was　the　object　for　which　the　insurgents　would　rend　the　Union；　even　by　war；　while　the　government　claimed　no　right　to　do　more　than　to　restrict　the　Territorial　enlargement　of　it。　Neither　party　expected　for　the　war　the　magnitude　or　the　duration　which　it　has　already　attained。　Neither　anticipated　that　the　cause　of　the　conflict　might　cease　with；　or　even　before；　the　conflict　itself　should　cease。　Each　looked　for　an　easier　triumph；　and　a　result　less　fundamental　and　astounding。　Both　read　the　same　Bible；　and　pray　to　the　same　God；　and　each　invokes　his　aid　against　the　other。　It　may　seem　strange　that　any　man　should　dare　to　ask　a　just　God's　assistance　in　wringing　their　bread　from　the　sweat　of　other　men's　faces；　but　let　us　judge　not；　that　we　be　not　judged。　The　prayers　of　both　could　not　be　answeredthat　of　neither　has　been　answered　fully。

The　Almighty　has　his　own　purposes。　〃Woe　unto　the　world　because　of　offenses；　for　it　must　needs　be　that　offenses　come；　but　woe　to　that　man　by　whom　the　offense　cometh。〃　If　we　shall　suppose　that　American　slavery　is　one　of　those　offenses　which；　in　the　providence　of　God；　must　needs　come；　but　which；　having　continued　through　his　appointed　time；　he　now　wills　to　remove；　and　that　he　gives　to　both　North　and　South　this　terrible　war；　as　the　woe　due　to　those　by　whom　the　offenses　come；　shall　we　discern　therein　any　departure　from　those　divine　attributes　which　the　believers　in　a　living　God　always　ascribe　to　him？　Fondly　do　we　hope…fervently　do　we　praythat　this　mighty　scourge　of　war　may　speedily　pass　away。　Yet；　if　God　wills　that　it　continue　until　all　the　wealth　piled　by　the　bondman's　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　of　unrequited　toil　shall　be　sunk；　and　until　every　drop　of　blood　drawn　with　the　lash　shall　be　paid　by　another　drawn　with　the　sword；　as　was　said　three　thousand　years　ago；　so　still　it　must　be　said；　〃The　judgments　of　the　Lord　are　true　and　righteous　altogether。〃

With　malice　toward　none；　with　charity　for　all；　with　firmness　in　the　right；　as　God　gives　us　to　see　the　right；　let　us　strive　on　to　finish　the　work　we　are　in；　to　bind　up　the　nation's　wounds；　to　care　for　him　who　shall　have　borne　the　battle；　and　for　his　widow；　and　his　orphan…to　do　all　which　may　achieve　and　cherish　a　just；　a　lasting；　peace　among　ourselves　and　with　all　nations。







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