"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed. "Done at the city of Washington this 19th day of May, in the year of our Lord 1862, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-sixth. "(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN. "By the President: "W. H. SEWARD, _Secretary of State._" The conservative policy of the President greatly discouraged the friends of the Union, who felt that a vigorous prosecution of the war was the only hope of the nation. Slavery and the Union had joined in a terrible struggle for the supremacy. Both could not exist. Our treasury was empty; our bonds depreciated; our credit poor; our industries languishing; and the channels of commerce were choked. European governments were growing impatient at the dilatory policy of our nation; and every day we were losing sympathy and friends. Our armies were being repulsed and routed; and Columbia's war eagles were wearily flapping their pinions in the blood-dampened dust of a nerveless nation. But the Negro was still on the outside,--it was "a white man's war." FOOTNOTES: [75] Rebellion Recs., vol. i. Doc., p. 63. [76] Albany Atlas and Argus, May 27, 1861. [77] Greeley, vol. ii. p. 240. [78] Rebellion Records, vol. iii. Doc. p. 376. [79] I have quite a large number of such orders, but the above will suffice. [80] Greeley, vol. ii. p. 246. [81] Greeley, vol. ii. p. 238. [82] New York Times. [83] Greeley, vol. ii. pp. 249, 250. [84] Greeley, vol. ii. p. 250. [85] Greeley, vol. i. p. 585. [86] Greeley, vol. ii. pp. 239, 240. [87] Greeley, vol. ii. p. 246. CHAPTER XVI. THE NEGRO ON FATIGUE DUTY. NEGROES EMPLOYED AS TEAMSTERS AND IN THE QUARTERMASTER'S DEPARTMENT.--GENERAL MERCER'S ORDER TO THE SLAVE-HOLDERS ISSUED FROM SAVANNAH.--HE RECEIVES ORDERS FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR TO IMPRESS A NUMBER OF NEGROES TO BUILD FORTIFICATIONS.--THE NEGRO PROVES HIMSELF INDUSTRIOUS AND EARNS PROMOTION.