the writings-5-第31章

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

in　what；　as　a　matter　of　principle；　is　the　State　better　than　the

county？　Would　an　exchange　of　name　be　an　exchange　of　rights？　Upon　what

principle；　upon　what　rightful　principle；　may　a　State；　being　no　more

than　one　fiftieth　part　of　the　nation　in　soil　and　population；　break　up

the　nation；　and　then　coerce　a　proportionably　large　subdivision　of

itself　in　the　most　arbitrary　way？　What　mysterious　right　to　play

tyrant　is　conferred　on　a　district　of　country；　with　its　people；　by

merely　calling　it　a　State？　Fellow…citizens；　I　am　not　asserting

anything。　　I　am　merely　asking　questions　for　you　to　consider。　　And　now

allow　me　to　bid　you　farewell。









INTENTIONS　TOWARD　THE　SOUTH



ADDRESS　TO　THE　MAYOR　AND　CITIZENS　OF



CINCINNATI；　OHIO；　FEBRUARY　12；　1861



Mr。　MAYOR；　AND　GENTLEMEN：Twenty…four　hours　ago；　at　the　capital　of

Indiana；　I　said　to　myself；　〃I　have　never　seen　so　many　people

assembled　together　in　winter　weather。〃　I　am　no　longer　able　to　say

that。　　But　it　is　what　might　reasonably　have　been　expectedthat　this

great　city　of　Cincinnati　would　thus　acquit　herself　on　such　an

occasion。　　My　friends；　I　am　entirely　overwhelmed　by　the　magnificence

of　the　reception　which　has　been　given；　I　will　not　say　to　me；　but　to

the　President…elect　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　Most　heartily

do　I　thank　you；　one　and　all；　for　it。



I　have　spoken　but　once　before　this　in　Cincinnati。　　That　was　a　year

previous　to　the　late　Presidential　election。　　On　that　occasion；　in　a

playful　manner；　but　with　sincere　words；　I　addressed　much　of　what　I

said　to　the　Kentuckians。　　I　gave　my　opinion　that　we；　as　Republicans；

would　ultimately　beat　them　as　Democrats；　but　that　they　could　postpone

that　result　longer　by　nominating　Senator　Douglas　for　the　Presidency

than　they　could　by　any　other　way。　　They　did　not；　in　any　true　sense　of

the　word；　nominate　Mr。　Douglas；　and　the　result　has　come　certainly　as

soon　as　ever　I　expected。　　I　also　told　them　how　I　expected　they　would

be　treated　after　they　should　have　been　beaten；　and　I　now　wish　to　call

their　attention　to　what　I　then　said　upon　that　subject。　　I　then　said：



〃When　we　do　as　we　say；　beat　you；　you　perhaps　want　to　know　what　we

will　do　with　you。　　I　will　tell　you；　as　far　as　I　am　authorized　to

speak　for　the　Opposition；　what　we　mean　to　do　with　you。　　We　mean　to

treat　you；　as　near　as　we　possibly　can；　as　Washington；　Jefferson；　and

Madison　treated　you。　　We　mean　to　leave　you　alone；　and　in　no　way　to

interfere　with　your　institutions；　to　abide　by　all　and　every

compromise　of　the　Constitution；　and；　in　a　word；　coming　back　to　the

original　proposition；　to　treat　you　so　far　as　degenerate　men；　if　we

have　degenerated；　may；　according　to　the　example　of　those　noble

fathers；　Washington；　Jefferson；　and　Madison。



〃We　mean　to　remember　that　you　are　as　good　as　we；　that　there　is　no

difference　between　us　other　than　the　difference　of　circumstances。　　We

mean　to　recognize　and　bear　in　mind　always　that　you　have　as　good

hearts　in　your　bosoms　as　other　people；　or　as　we　claim　to　have；　and

treat　you　accordingly。〃



Fellow…citizens　of　Kentuckyfriends　and　brethren；　may　I　call　you　in

my　new　position？I　see　no　occasion　and　feel　no　inclination　to

retract　a　word　of　this。　　If　it　shall　not　be　made　good；　be　assured　the

fault　shall　not　be　mine。









ADDRESS　TO　THE　GERMAN　CLUB　OF　CINCINNATI；　OHIO；



FEBRUARY　12；　1861





Mr。　CHAIRMAN：I　thank　you　and　those　whom　you　represent　for　the

compliment　you　have　paid　me　by　tendering　me　this　address。　　In　so　far

as　there　is　an　allusion　to　our　present　national　difficulties；　which

expresses；　as　you　have　said；　the　views　of　the　gentlemen　present；　I

shall　have　to　beg　pardon　for　not　entering　fully　upon　the　questions

which　the　address　you　have　now　read　suggests。



I　deem　it　my　dutya　duty　which　I　owe　to　my　constituentsto　you；

gentlemen；　that　I　should　wait　until　the　last　moment　for　a　development

of　the　present　national　difficulties　before　I　express　myself

decidedly　as　to　what　course　I　shall　pursue。　　I　hope；　then；　not　to　be

false　to　anything　that　you　have　expected　of　me。



I　agree　with　you；　Mr。　Chairman；　that　the　working　men　are　the　basis　of

all　governments；　for　the　plain　reason　that　they　are　all　the　more

numerous；　and　as　you　added　that　those　were　the　sentiments　of　the

gentlemen　present；　representing　not　only　the　working　class；　but

citizens　of　other　callings　than　those　of　the　mechanic；　I　am　happy　to

concur　with　you　in　these　sentiments；　not　only　of　the　native…born

citizens；　but　also　of　the　Germans　and　foreigners　from　other

countries。



Mr。　Chairman；　I　hold　that　while　man　exists　it　is　his　duty　to　improve

not　only　his　own　condition；　but　to　assist　in　ameliorating　the

condition　of　mankind；　and　therefore；　without　entering　upon　the

details　of　the　question；　I　will　simply　say　that　I　am　for　those　means

which　will　give　the　greatest　good　to　the　greatest　number。



In　regard　to　the　Homestead　law；　I　have　to　say　that；　in　so　far　as　the

government　lands　can　be　disposed　of；　I　am　in　favor　of　cutting　up　the

wild　lands　into　parcels；　so　that　every　poor　man　may　have　a　home。



In　regard　to　the　Germans　and　foreigners；　I　esteem　them　no　better　than

other　people；　nor　any　worse。　　It　is　not　my　nature；　when　I　see　a

people　borne　down　by　the　weight　of　their　shacklesthe　oppression　of

tyrannyto　make　their　life　more　bitter　by　heaping　upon　them　greater

burdens；　but　rather　would　I　do　all　in　my　power　to　raise　the　yoke　than

to　add　anything　that　would　tend　to　crush　them。



Inasmuch　as　our　own　country　is　extensive　and　new；　and　the　countries

of　Europe　are　densely　populated；　if　there　are　any　abroad　who　desire

to　make　this　the　land　of　their　adoption；　it　is　not　in　my　heart　to

throw　aught　in　their　way　to　prevent　them　from　coming　to　the　United

States。



Mr。　Chairman　and　gentlemen；　I　will　bid　you　an　affectionate　farewell。









ADDRESS　TO　THE　LEGISLATURE　OF　OHIO　AT　COLUMBUS

FEBRUARY　13；　1861



Mr。　PRESIDENT　AND　Mr。　SPEAKER；　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　GENERAL　ASSEMBLY

OF　OHIO：It　is　true；　as　has　been　said　by　the　president　of　the

Senate；　that　very　great　responsibility　rests　upon　me　in　the　position

to　which　the　votes　of　the　American　people　have　called　me。　　I　am

deeply　sensible　of　that　weighty　responsibility。　　I　cannot　but　know

what　you　all　know；　that　without　a　name；　perhaps　without　a　reason　why

I　should　have　a　name；　there　has　fallen　upon　me　a　task　such　as　did　not

rest　even　upon　the　Father　of　his　Country；　and　so　feeling；　I　can　turn

and　look　for　that　support　without　which　it　will　be　impossible　for　me

to　perform　that　great　task。　　I　turn；　then；　and　look　to　the　American

people　and　to　that　God　who　has　never　forsaken　them。　　Allusion　has

been　made　to　the　interest　felt　in　relation　to　the　policy　of　the　new

administration。　　In　this　I　have　received　from　some　a　degree　of　credit

for　having　kept　silence；　and　from　others　some　deprecation。　　I　still

think　that　I　was　right。



In　the　varying　and　repeatedly　shifting　scenes　of　the　present；　and

without　a　precedent　which　could　enable　me　to　judge　by　the　past；　it

has　seemed　fitting　that　before　speaking　upon　the　difficulties　of　the

country　I　should　have　gained　a　view　of　the　whole　field；　being　at

liberty　to　modify　and　change　the　course　of　policy　as　future　events

may　make　a　change　necessary。



I　have　not　maintained　silence　from　any　want　of　real　anxiety。　　It　is　a

good　thing　that　there　is　no　more　than　anxiety；　for　there　is　nothing

going　wrong。　　It　is　a　consoling　circumstance　that　when　we　look　out

there　is　nothing　that　really　hurts　anybody。　　We　entertain　different

views　upon　political　questions；　but　nobody　is　suffering　anything。

This　is　a　most　consoling　circumstance；　and　from　it　we　may　conclude

that　all　we　want　is　time；　patience；　and　a　reliance　on　that　God　who

has　never　forsaken　this　people。



Fellow…citizens；　what　I　have　said　I　have　said　altogether

extemporaneously；　and　I　will　now　come　to　a　close。









ADDRESS　AT　STEUBENVILLE；　OHIO；



FEBRUARY　14；　1861



I　fear　that　the　great　confidence　placed　in　my　ability　is　unfounded。

Indeed；　I　am　sure　it　is。　　Encompassed　by　vast　difficulties　as　I　am；

nothing　shall　be　wanting　on　my　part；　if　sustained　by　God　and　the

American　people。　　I　believe　the　devotion　to　the　Constitution　is

equally　great　on　both　sides　of　the　river。　　It　is　only　the　different

understanding　of　that　instrument　that　causes　difficulty。　　The　only

dispute　on　both　sides　is；　'What　are　their　rights？〃　If　the　majority

should　not　rule；　who　would　be　the　judge？　Where　is　such　a　judge　to　be

found？　We　should　all　be　bound　by　the　majority　of　the　American　people；

if　not；　then　the　minority　must　control。　　Would　that　be　right？　Would

it　be　just　or　generous？　Assuredly　not。　　I　reiterate　that　the　majority

should　rule。　　If　I　adopt　a　wrong　policy；　the　opportunity　for

condemnation　will　occur　in　four　years'　time。　　Then　I　can　be　turned

out；　and　a　better　man　with　better　views　put　in　my　place。









ADDRESS　AT　PITTSBURGH；　PENNSYLVANIA

FEBRUARY　15；　1861



I　most　cordially　thank　his　Honor　Mayor　Wilson；　and　the　citizens　of

Pittsburg　generally；　for　their　flattering　reception。　　I　am　the　more

grateful　because　I　know　that　it　is　not　given　to　me　alone；　but　to　the

cause　I　represent；　which　clearly　proves　to　me　their　good…will；　and

that　sincere　feeling　is　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　And　here　I　may　remark

that　in　every　short　address　I　have　made　to　the　people；　in　every　crowd

through　which　I　have　passed　of　late；　some　allusion　has　been　made　to

the　present　distracted　condition　of　the　country。　　It　is　natural　to

expect　that　I　should　say　something　on　this　subject；　but　to　touch　upon

it　at　all　would　involve　an　elaborate　discussion　of　a　great　many

questions　and　circumstances；　requiring　more　time　than　I　can　at

present　command；　and　would；　perhaps；　unnecessarily　commit　me　upon

matters　which　have　not　yet　fully　developed　themselves。　　The　condition

of　the　country　is　an　extraordinary　one；　and　fills　the　mind　of　every

patriot　with　anxiety。　　It　is　my　intention　to　give　this　subject　all

the　consideration　I　possibly　can　before　specially　deciding　in　regard

to　it；　so　that　when　I　do　speak　it　may　be　as　nearly　right　as　possible。

When　I　do　speak　I　hope　I　may　say　nothing　in　opposition　to　the　spirit

of　the　Constitution；　contrary　to　the　integrity　of　the　Union；　or　which

will　prove　inimical　to　the　liberties　of　the　people；　or　to　the　peace

of　the　whole　country。　　And　furthermore；　when　the　time　arrives　for　me

to　speak　on　this　great　subject；　I　hope　I　may　say　nothing　to

disappoint　the　people　generally　throughout　the　country；　especially　if

the　expectation　has　been　based　upon　anything　which　I　may　have

heretofore　said。　　Notwithstanding　the　troubles　across　the　river　＇the

speaker　pointing　southwardly　across　the　Monongahela；　and　smiling＇；

there　is　no　crisis　but　an　artificial　one。　　What　is　there　now　to

warrant　the　condition　of　affairs　presented　by　our　friends