the writings-5-第30章

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stands　in　the　way　of　Mr。　Adams。　　I　think　of　Governor　Banks；　Mr。

Welles；　and　Mr。　Tuck。　　Which　of　them　do　the　New　England　delegation

prefer？　　Or　shall　I　decide　for　myself？



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。













1861





TO　WILLIAM　H。　SEWARD。



（Private。）

SPRINGFIELD。　ILL。；　January　3；　1861。



HON。　W。　H。　SEWARD。



DEAR　SIR：Yours　without　signature　was　received　last　night。　　I　have

been　considering　your　suggestions　as　to　my　reaching　Washington

somewhat　earlier　than　is　usual。　　It　seems　to　me　the　inauguration　is

not　the　most　dangerous　point　for　us。　　Our　adversaries　have　us　now

clearly　at　disadvantage　on　the　second　Wednesday　of　February；　when　the

votes　should　be　officially　counted。　　If　the　two　houses　refuse　to　meet

at　all；　or　meet　without　a　quorum　of　each；　where　shall　we　be？　　I　do

not　think　that　this　counting　is　constitutionally　essential　to　the

election；　but　how　are　we　to　proceed　in　the　absence　of　it？　In　view　of

this；　I　think　it　is　best　for　me　not　to　attempt　appearing　in

Washington　till　the　result　of　that　ceremony　is　known。



It　certainly　would　be　of　some　advantage　if　you　could　know　who　are　to

be　at　the　heads　of　the　War　and　Navy　departments；　but　until　I　can

ascertain　definitely　whether　I　can　get　any　suitable　men　from　the

South；　and　who；　and　how　many；　I　can　not　well　decide。　　As　yet；　I　have

no　word　from　Mr。　Gilmer　in　answer　to　my　request　for　an　interview　with

him。　　I　look　for　something　on　the　subject；　through　you；　before　long。

Yours　very　truly；

A。　LINCOLN。









TO　W。　H。　SEWARD。

（Private。）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。；　January　12；　1861



HON。　W。　H。　SEWARD。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Yours　of　the　8th　received。　　I　still　hope　Mr。　Gilmer

will；　on　a　fair　understanding　with　us；　consent　to　take　a　place　in　the

Cabinet。　　The　preference　for　him　over　Mr。　Hunt　or　Mr。　Gentry　is　that；

up　to　datehe　has　a　living　position　in　the　South；　while　they　have

not。　　He　is　only　better　than　Winter　Davis　in　that　he　is　farther

south。　　　I　fear；　if　we　could　get；　we　could　not　safely　take　more　than

one　such　manthat　is；　not　more　than　one　who　opposed　us　in　the

electionthe　danger　being　to　lose　the　confidence　of　our　own　friends。

Your　selection　for　the　State　Department　having　become　public；　I　am

happy　to　find　scarcely　any　objection　to　it。　　I　shall　have　trouble

with　every　other　Northern　Cabinet　appointmentso　much　so　that　I

shall　have　to　defer　them　as　long　as　possible　to　avoid　being　teased

into　insanity；　to　make　changes。



Your　obedient　servant；



A。　LINCOLN









TO　E。　D。　MORGAN



SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。　FEB。　4；　1861



SIR：Your　letter　of　the　30th　ult。　inviting　me；　on　behalf　of　the

Legislature　of　New　York；　to　pass　through　that　State　on　my　way　to

Washington；　and　tendering　me　the　hospitalities　of　her　authorities　and

people；　has　been　duly　received。　　With　the　feelings　of　deep　gratitude

to　you　and　them　for　this　testimonial　of　regard　and　esteem　I　beg　you

to　notify　them　that　I　accept　the　invitation　so　kindly　tendered。



Your　obedient　servant；



A。　LINCOLN



P。S。Please　let　the　ceremonies　be　only　such　as　to　take　the　least

time　possible。　　　　　　　　　　A。　L。









PATRONAGE　CLAIMS



TO　THURLOW　WEED



SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。；　February　4；　1861



DEAR　SIR：I　have　both　your　letter　to　myself　and　that　to　Judge　Davis；

in　relation　to　a　certain　gentleman　in　your　State　claiming　to　dispense

patronage　in　my　name；　and　also　to　be　authorized　to　use　my　name　to

advance　the　chances　of　Mr。　Greeley　for　an　election　to　the　United

States　Senate。



It　is　very　strange　that　such　things　should　be　said　by　any　one。　　The

gentleman　you　mention　did　speak　to　me　of　Mr。　Greeley　in　connection

with　the　senatorial　election；　and　I　replied　in　terms　of　kindness

toward　Mr。　Greeley；　which　I　really　feel；　but　always　with　an　expressed

protest　that　my　name　must　not　be　used　in　the　senatorial　election　in

favor　of　or　against　any　one。　　Any　other　representation　of　me　is　a

misrepresentation。



As　to　the　matter　of　dispensing　patronage；　it　perhaps　will　surprise

you　to　learn　that　I　have　information　that　you　claim　to　have　my

authority　to　arrange　that　matter　in　New　York。　　I　do　not　believe　you

have　so　claimed；　but　still　so　some　men　say。　　On　that　subject　you　know

all　I　have　said　to　you　is　〃justice　to　all；〃　and　I　have　said　nothing

more　particular　to　any　one。　　I　say　this　to　reassure　you　that　I　have

not　changed　my　position。



In　the　hope；　however；　that　you　will　not　use　my　name　in　the　matter；　I

am；



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









FAREWELL　ADDRESS　AT　SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；

FEBRUARY　11；　1861



MY　FRIENDS：One　who　has　never　been　placed　in　a　like　position　cannot

understand　my　feelings　at　this　hour；　nor　the　oppressive　sadness　I

feel　at　this　parting。　　For　more　than　twenty…five　years　I　have　lived

among　you；　and　during　all　that　time　I　have　received　nothing　but

kindness　at　your　hands。　　Here　the　most　cherished　ties　of　earth　were

assumed。　　Here　my　children　were　born；　and　here　one　of　them　lies

buried。　　To　you；　my　friends；　I　owe　all　that　I　have；　all　that　I　am。

All　the　strange　checkered　past　seems　to　crowd　upon　my　mind。　　To…day　I

leave　you。　　I　go　to　assume　a　task　more　difficult　than　that　which

devolved　upon　General　Washington。　　Unless　the　great　God　who　assisted

him　shall　be　with　and　aid　me　I　cannot　prevail；　but　if　the　same

almighty　arm　that　directed　and　protected　him　shall　guide　and　support

me　I　shall　not　fail；　I　shall　succeed。　　Let　us　pray　that　the　God　of

our　fathers　may　not　forsake　us　now。　　To　Him　I　commend　you　all。

Permit　me　to　ask　that　with　equal　sincerity　and　faith　you　will　all

invoke　His　wisdom　and　goodness　for　me。



With　these　words　I　must　leave　you；　for　how　long　I　know　not。　　Friends；

one　and　all；　I　must　now　wish　you　an　affectionate　farewell。









REMARKS　AT　TOLONO；　ILLINOIS；　FEBRUARY　11；　1861



I　am　leaving　you　on　an　errand　of　national　importance；　attended；　as

you　are　aware；　with　considerable　difficulties。　　　Let　us　believe；　as

some　poet　has　expressed　it；　〃Behind　the　cloud　the　sun　is　still

shining。〃　I　bid　you　an　affectionate　farewell。









REPLY　TO　ADDRESS　OF　WELCOME；　INDIANAPOLIS；



INDIANA；　FEBRUARY　11；　1861



GOVERNOR　MORTON　AND　FELLOW　CITIZENS

OF　THE　STATE　OF　INDIANA：



Most　heartily　do　I　thank　you　for　this　magnificent　reception；　and

while　I　cannot　take　to　myself　any　share　of　the　compliment　thus　paid；

more　than　that　which　pertains　to　a　mere　instrument；　an　accidental

instrument；　perhaps　I　should　say；　of　a　great　cause；　I　yet　must　look

upon　it　as　a　most　magnificent　reception；　and　as　such　most　heartily　do

thank　you　for　it。　　You　have　been　pleased　to　address　yourself　to　me

chiefly　in　behalf　of　this　glorious　Union　in　which　we　live；　in　all　of

which　you　have　my　hearty　sympathy；　and；　as　far　as　may　be　within　my

power；　will　have；　one　and　inseparable；　my　hearty　consideration。

While　I　do　not　expect；　upon　this　occasion；　or　until　I　get　to

Washington；　to　attempt　any　lengthy　speech；　I　will　only　say　to　the

salvation　of　the　Union　there　needs　but　one　single　thingthe　hearts

of　a　people　like　yours。



The　peoplewhen　they　rise　in　mass　in　behalf　of　the　Union　and　the

liberties　of　their　country；　truly　may　it　be　said；　〃The　gates　of　hell

cannot　prevail　against　them。〃　In　all　trying　positions　in　which　I

shall　be

placedand；　doubtless；　I　shall　be　placed　in　many　suchmy　reliance

will　be　placed　upon　you　and　the　people　of　the　United　States；　and　I

wish　you　to　remember；　now　and　forever；　that　it　is　your　business；　and

not　mine；　that　if　the　union　of　these　States　and　the　liberties　of　this

people　shall　be　lost；　it　is　but　little　to　any　one　man　of　fifty…two

years　of　age；　but　a　great　deal　to　the　thirty　millions　of　people　who

inhabit　these　United　States；　and　to　their　posterity　in　all　coming

time。　　It　is　your　business　to　rise　up　and　preserve　the　Union　and

liberty　for　yourselves；　and　not　for　me。



I　desire　they　should　be　constitutionally　performed。　　I；　as　already

intimated；　am　but　an　accidental　instrument；　temporary；　and　to　serve

but　for　a　limited　time；　and　I　appeal　to　you　again　to　constantly　bear

in　mind　that　with　you；　and　not　with　politicians；　not　with　Presidents；

not　with　office…seekers；　but　with　you　is　the　question；　Shall　the

Union　and　shall　the　liberties　of　this　country　be　preserved　to　the

latest　generations？









ADDRESS　TO　THE　LEGISLATURE　OF　INDIANA；　AT　INDIANAPOLIS；



FEBRUARY　12；　1861



FELLOW…CITIZENS　OF　THE　STATE　OF　INDIANA：I　am　here　to　thank　you　much

for　this　magnificent　welcome；　and　still　more　for　the　generous　support

given　by　your　State　to　that　political　cause　which　I　think　is　the　true

and　just　cause　of　the　whole　country　and　the　whole　world。



Solomon　says　there　is　〃a　time　to　keep　silence；〃　and　when　men　wrangle

by　the　mouth　with　no　certainty　that　they　mean　the　same　thing　while

using　the　same　word；　it　perhaps　were　as　well　if　they　would　keep

silence。



The　words　〃coercion〃　and　〃invasion〃　are　much　used　in　these　days；　and

often　with　some　temper　and　hot　blood。　　Let　us　make　sure；　if　we　can；

the　meaning　of　those　who　use　them。　　Let　us　get　the　exact　definitions

of　these　words；　not　from　dictionaries；　but　from　the　men　themselves；

who　certainly　deprecate　the　things　they　would　represent　by　the　use　of

the　words。



What；　then；　is　coercion？　What　is　invasion？　Would　the　marching　of　an

army　into　South　Carolina；　without　the　consent　of　her　people；　and　with

hostile　intent　toward　them；　be　invasion？　I　certainly　think　it　would；

and　it　would　be　coercion　also；　if　the　South　Carolinians　were　forced

to　submit。　　But　if　the　United　States　should　merely　hold　and　retake

its　own　forts　and　other　property；　and　collect　the　duties　on　foreign

importations；　or　even　withhold　the　mails　from　places　where　they　were

habitually　violated；　would　any　or　all　of　these　things　be　invasion　or

coercion？　Do　our　professed　lovers　of　the　Union；　who　spitefully

resolve　that　they　will　resist　coercion　and　invasion；　understand　that

such　things　as　these；　on　the　part　of　the　United　States；　would　be

coercion　or　invasion　of　a　State？　If　so；　their　idea　of　means　to

preserve　the　object　of　their　great　affection　would　seem　to　be

exceedingly　thin　and　airy。　　If　sick；　the　little　pills　of　the

homoeopathist　would　be　much　too　large　for　it　to　swallow。　　In　their

view；　the　Union；　as　a　family　relation；　would　seem　to　be　no　regular

marriage；　but　rather　a　sort　of　〃free…love〃　arrangement；　to　be

maintained　on　passional　attraction。



By　the　way；　in　what　consists　the　special　sacredness　of　a　State？　I

speak　not　of　the　position　assigned　to　a　State　in　the　Union　by　the

Constitution；　for　that　is　a　bond　we　all　recognize。　　That　position；

however；　a　State　cannot　carry　out　of　the　Union　with　it。　　I　speak　of

that　assumed　primary　right　of　a　State　to　rule　all　which　is　less　than

itself；　and　to　ruin　all　which　is　larger　than　itself。　　If　a　State　and

a　county；　in　a　given　case；　should　be　equal　in　number　of　inhabitants；

in　what；　as　a　matter