Grant national Council chamber,
Washington, Jan. 1, 1864.
Brothers: here upon the threshold of the new year, it is fitting that we briefly survey the past and fearlessly contemplate and prepare for new duties and responsibilities so soon to press upon us.
Twelve months ago the Loyal League was in its infancy. Now it embraces all of the loyal states and territories, and carries victory across the continent. Then it was but a germ of the heroic patriotism essential to the preservation of the national life. Now it is a well-defined and powerful organization, invigorated by uninterrupted success, confident in its purpose and its powers, and stimulated by the imperative demands of a Government and a country which it was instituted to perpetuate and save.
With such purpose, capabilities and duties, it is there one among the brotherhood of 80,000 who will fail in his performance of his share of our self-appointed task? Is there one who desires to retire from the ranks before are solemnly avowed purposes are accomplished? If so, let him retire now, for we want none fainting and straggling by the way � none whose confidence is not supreme, and none whose resolution is not irrevocable. With this warning is fare to presume that those who still remained will tarry to the end, and not be appalled at the magnitude of the work, or shrink from its performance.
What, then, is the work? Simply this. In spite of the assaults of armed traders, and cowardly and concealed sympathizers, we have undertaken to preserve the liberties and institutions of this nation, and to annihilate treason and that which promotes it. It is our business to organize and hold the loyal sentiment of this nation to this standard, and we hold all men as opponents who do not work to this end. We are to ensure the necessary triumphs at the ballot-box, whilst our soldiers when victories in the field. The success of the latter will be made practical and perpetual by the triumphs of the former.
We do not work for men or factions, but for principles. We are not partizan, yet we are a political organization. We will support only representative men. These we do not speak to designate, but we will require that they shall be radical and correct in theory and Ernest and vigilant in practice. We will judge men by their acts, and accept declarations only when they correspond therewith. We hold that those not in sympathy with our purpose should not be employed to execute our plans.
We shall attain success only extended and perfect organization; to this end we now address you. The Councils now organized must be immediately called to active duty, and impressed with the importance of the trust and confidence to their care. 
All localities in your States or Territories in which Councils do not exist must be promptly visited, and Councils established therein.
You will require, in each congressional district or county, a competent, reliable, and active agent, who will give the necessary time to the work. Where practicable, the County agent will be found the most effective, at being able to bring his district under more constant personal supervision.
The agent must be selected with the utmost care, and should be required to report weekly the exact amount of labor performed, and the general condition and prospect of the Order in his district.
The County agent should be required to promptly visit any organize Counsel which fails for ten days to send up a regular monthly report. He should also be required to forward to the State Counsel copies of the monthly reports.
These monthly reports from the local Councils should give the names and post-office address of the officers, the number and average attendance of members, and the name and post-office address of all persons to whom it is desired documents shall be sent.
The County agent should report weekly the number of election precincts in his district in which no Councils exist, and the reason for the deficiency, until his district is fully organized.
A reasonable traveling fee should be allowed the county agent, payable by the local Councils-which should be stated in his commission.
It should be made the duty of the county agent to advise the local Councils of their powers and duties, and to provide speakers and documents for them when requested. 
The local Council should see that each of its members either subscribes for or is provided with the first-class and radical daily, semiweekly, or weekly newspaper, and the Counsel as such by its treasurer or secretary should subscribe