ubscribed
to these conditions as essential and obligatory, they thereby
justified the arrest of Vallandigham for resisting each and every
one of them. If they would not subscribe to them they placed
themselves before the people of Ohio in an attitude of hostility
to the vigorous and successful conduct of the war, on which the
fate of the Union depended. The committee made a very lame rejoinder
to the President. He had in truth placed them in a dilemma, from
which they could not extricate themselves, and they naturally fell
under popular condemnation. Mr. Lincoln's hit had indeed been so
palpable that its victims were laughed at by the public, and their
party was foredoomed by their course to political annihilation in
the coming election.

THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

While these interesting events were in progress the military exigency
was engaging the attention of the people with an interest almost
painfully intense. There was an urgent demand for an early movement
by the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Lincoln realized that prompt
success was imperatively required. The repetition of the disasters
of 1862 might fatally affect our financial credit, and end with
the humiliation of an intervention by European Powers. General
Hooker was impressed by Mr. Lincoln with the absolute necessity of
an early and energetic movement of the Army of the Potomac. On
the 2d and 3d of May he fought the battle of Chancellorsville. He
had as large a force as the Union army mustered on a single battle-
field during the war,--not less perhaps than one hundred and twenty
thousand men. He made a lamentable failure. Without bringing more
than one-third of his troops into action he allowed himself to be
driven across the Rappahannock by Lee, who, on the 7th of May,
issued a highly congratulatory and boastful order detailing his
victory.

In the issuing of orders General Hooker was one day in advance of
Lee. He tendered to the soldiers his "congratulations on the
achievements of the past seven days," and assured them that "if
all has not been accomplished that was expected, the reasons are
well known to the army." He further declared that "in withdrawing
from the south bank of the Rappahannock before delivering a general
battle to our adversaries, the army has given renewed evidence of
its confidence in itself and its fidelity to the principles it
represents. Profoundly loyal and cons