not the soil constituting a
State that represents a sovereignty, but the soil or State acquires
political signification through the population dwelling in or on it.
When the population revolted, the State revolted. From Jeff Davis to
the lowest "clay-eater," each rebel who took up arms claims to have
done this in the exercise of his sovereign will and choice. The
revolt quashed all privileges conceded by the Union to a State, and
the Union reconquers its property in reconquering the former States.

_September 18._--Hurrah for Lincoln! He sends an expedition to
Texas, say his admirers. He forgets nothing. Well, why has Lincoln
forgotten Texas all this time? Notwithstanding all the prayers of
the Texans and of the northern patriots, I am not sure that at this
moment it is expedient to break up our armies into smaller
expeditions instead of concentrating them in Tennessee, Georgia, and
here. Strike on the head or at the heart if you wish to kill the
monster, but not at its extremities. But perhaps the Government and
Halleck have men enough to do the one and the other. But why not put
at the head of the Texan expedition a noble, high-minded, devoted
patriot, such as General Hamilton, instead of putting a Franklin,
unknown to the Texans, who can inspire no confidence, and of whom
the best that can be said is, that he never succeeded in anything,
and disorganized everything. See Pope in Virginia, Burnside at
Fredericksburgh.

If Hamilton, the Texan, is to participate in this expedition, not
Lincoln and his advisers put Hamilton there--the pressure exercised
by the combined efforts of the governors of New England States did
the work.

Hurrah for Lincoln and for his crew.

_September 19._--Governor Andrew's activity and initiative are
admirable. More than any body in the country, Andrew has done to
clear up, and to firmly establish the condition of Africo-Americans
as soldiers, and to push them up to the level with other men.

_September 19._--_Hurrah for Lincoln_, who hurries the organization
of Africo-American regiments! Oh yes! he hurries them; _festina
lente_. And how many regiments have been organized in Norfolk, which
ought to have been established as _the_ central point to attract
and to organize contrabands? Is not Virginia the first in the slave
States for the number of slaves? In the hands of a clear-sighted
man, Norfolk ought to have been used as a glue to which the slaves
would have wandered from all parts o