all who have come forward at the call of their country. I wish it might be more generally and universally understood what the country is now engaged in. We have, as all will agree, a free government, where every man has a right to be equal with every other man. In this great struggle the form of government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed. There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question, whether your children and my children shall enjoy the privileges we have enjoyed. I say this in order to impress upon you, if you are not already so impressed, that no small matter should divert us from our great purpose.

There may be some inequalities in the practical application of our system. It is fair that each man shall pay taxes in exact proportion to the value of his property; but if we should wait, before collecting a tax, to adjust the taxes upon each man in exact proportion with every other man, we should never collect any tax at all. There may be mistakes made sometimes; things may be done wrong, while the officers of the government do all they can to prevent mistakes. But I beg of you, as citizens of this great republic, not to let your minds be carried off from the great work we have before us. This struggle is too large for you to be diverted from it by any small matter. When you return to your homes, rise up to the height of a generation of men worthy of a free government, and we will carry out the great work we have commenced. I return to you my sincere

thanks, soldiers, for the honor you have done me this afternoon.

TO ANOTHER OHIO REGIMENT HE SPOKE AS FOLLOWS, SEPTEMBER, 1864.

Soldiers-I suppose you are going home to see your families and friends. For the services you have done in this great struggle in which we are engaged, I present you sincere thanks for myself and the country.

I almost always feel inclined, when I say any thing to soldiers, to impress upon them, in a few brief remarks, the importance of success in this contest. It is not merely for the day, but for all time to come, that we should perpetuate for our children's children that great and free government which we have enjoyed all our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely for my sake, but for yours. I happen, temporarily, to occupy this big White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father's child has. It is in order that each one of you may have, through this free government which we have enjoyed, an open field and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise, and intelligence; that you may all have equal- privileges in the race of life, with all its desirable human aspirations-it is for this that the struggle should be maintained, that we may not lose our birthrights, not only for one, but for two or three years, if necessary. The nation is worth fighting for to secure such an inestimable jewel.

TO MAJOR-GENERAL SHERMAN.

Washington, D. C., September 19, 1864.

The state election of Indiana occurs on the 11th of October, and the loss of it to the friends of the government would go far toward losing the whole Union cause.

The bad effect upon the November election, and especially the giving the state government to those. who will oppose the war in every possible way, are too much to risk if it can be avoided, The draft proceeds, notwithstanding its strong tendency to lose us the state.

Indiana is the only important state voting in October whose soldiers can not vote in the field. Any thing you can safely do to let her soldiers, or any part of them go home to vote at the state election, will be greatly in point.

They need not remain for the presidential election, but may return to you at once.

This is in no sense an order, but is merely intended to impress you with the importance to the army itself of your doing all you safely can, yourself being the judge of what you can safely do.

Yours, truly,

A. LINCOLN

TO HON. MONTGOMERY BLAIR.

Executive Mansion, Washington, Sept. 23, 1864. My Dear Sir:-You have generously said to me, more than once, that whenever your resignation could be a relief to me, it was at my disposal. The time has come.

You very well know that this proceeds from no dissatisfaction of mine with you personally or officially.

Your uniform kindness has been unsurpassed by that of any other friend, and while it is true that the war does not so greatly add to the difficulties of your department as to those of some others, it is yet much to say, as I most truly can, that in the three years and a half during which you have administered the General Post-office, I remember no single complaint against you in connection therewith.

LETTER TO MRS. ELIZA P. GURNEY.

September 30, 1864.

My Esteemed Friend :—I have not forgotten, probably never shall forget, the very impressive occasion when yourself and friends visited me on a Sabbath forenoon two years ago. Nor had your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been forgotten. In all it has been your purpose to strengthen my reliance in God. I am much indebted to the good Christian peodle of the country for their constant prayers and consolations, and to no one of them more than to yourself. The purposes of the Almighty are perfect and must prevail, though we erring mortals may fail to accurately perceive them in advance. We hoped for a happy termination of this terrible war long before this; but God knows best, and has ruled otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge his wisdom and our own errors therein; meanwhile we must work earnestly in the best light He gives us, trusting that so working

still conduces to the great end He ordains. Surely He intends some great good to follow this mighty convulsion which no mortal could make, and no mortal could stay. Your people-the Friends -- have had, and are having, very great trials on principles and faith opposed to both war and oppression. They can only practically oppose oppression by war. In this hard dilemma some have chosen one horn and some the other.

For those appealing to me on conscientious grounds I have done and shall do the best I could and can in my own conscience under my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not, and believing it I shall still receive for my country and myself your earnest prayers to our Father in Heaven.

Your sincere friend,

A. LINCOLN.

SPECIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER RETURNING THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS, FROM THE STATES OF ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, AND WISCONSIN.

Executive Mansion, Washington, October 1, 1864. The term of one hundred days for which volunteers from the states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin volunteered, under the call of their respective governors, in the months of May and June, to aid the recent campaign of General Sherman, having expired, the president directs an official acknowledgment to be made of their patriotic service. It was their good fortune to render effective service in the brilliant operations in the south-west, and to contribute to the victories of the national arms over the rebel forces in Georgia, under command of John