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warrant　the　condition　of　affairs　presented　by　our　friends　over　the

river？　Take　even　their　own　view　of　the　questions　involved；　and　there

is　nothing　to　justify　the　course　they　are　pursuing。　　I　repeat；　then；

there　is　no　crisis；　excepting　such　a　one　as　may　be　gotten　up　at　any

time　by　turbulent　men　aided　by　designing　politicians；　My　advice　to

them；　under　such　circumstances；　is　to　keep　cool。　　If　the　great

American　people　only　keep　their　temper　on　both　sides　of　the　line；　the

troubles　will　come　to　an　end；　and　the　question　which　now　distracts

the　country　will　be　settled；　just　as　surely　as　all　other　difficulties

of　a　like　character　which　have　originated　in　this　government　have

been　adjusted。　　Let　the　people　on　both　sides　keep　their

self…possession；　and　just　as　other　clouds　have　cleared　away　in　due

time；　so　will　this　great　nation　continue　to　prosper　as　heretofore。

But；　fellow…citizens；　I　have　spoken　longer　on　this　subject　than　I

intended　at　the　outset。



It　is　often　said　that　the　tariff　is　the　specialty　of　Pennsylvania。

Assuming　that　direct　taxation　is　not　to　be　adopted；　the　tariff

question　must　be　as　durable　as　the　government　itself。　　　It　is　a

question　of　national　housekeeping。　　　It　is　to　the　government　what

replenishing　the　meal…tub　is　to　the　family。　　Every　varying

circumstances　will　require　frequent　modifications　as　to　the　amount

needed　and　the　sources　of　supply。　　So　far　there　is　little　difference

of　opinion　among　the　people。　　It　is　as　to　whether；　and　how　far；

duties　on　imports　shall　be　adjusted　to　favor　home　production　in　the

home　market；　that　controversy　begins。　　One　party　insists　that　such

adjustment　oppresses　one　class　for　the　advantage　of　another；　while

the　other　party　argues　that；　with　all　its　incidents；　in　the　long　run

all　classes　are　benefited。　　In　the　Chicago　platform　there　is　a　plank

upon　this　subject　which　should　be　a　general　law　to　the　incoming

administration。　　We　should　do　neither　more　nor　less　than　we　gave　the

people　reason　to　believe　we　would　when　they　gave　us　their　votes。

Permit　me；　fellow…citizens；　to　read　the　tariff　plank　of　the　Chicago

platform；　or　rather　have　it　read　in　your　hearing　by　one　who　has

younger　eyes。

＇Mr。　Lincoln's　private　secretary　then　read　Section　12　of　the　Chicago

platform；　as　follows：



〃That；　while　providing　revenue　for　the　support　of　the　General

Government　by　duties　upon　imports；　sound　policy　requires　such　an

adjustment　of　these　imposts　as　will　encourage　the　development　of　the

industrial　interest　of　the　whole　country；　and　we　commend　that　policy

of　national　exchanges　which　secures　to　working…men　liberal　wages；　to

agriculture　remunerating　prices；　to　mechanics　and　manufacturers

adequate　return　for　their　skill；　labor；　and　enterprise；　and　to　the

nation　commercial　prosperity　and　independence。〃



As　with　all　general　propositions；　doubtless；　there　will　be　shades　of

difference　in　construing　this。　　I　have　by　no　means　a　thoroughly

matured　judgment　upon　this　subject；　especially　as　to　details；　some

general　ideas　are　about　all。　　I　have　long　thought　it　would　be　to　our

advantage　to　produce　any　necessary　article　at　home　which　can　be　made

of　as　good　quality　and　with　as　little　labor　at　home　as　abroad；　at

least　by　the　difference　of　the　carrying　from　abroad。　　In　such　case

the　carrying　is　demonstrably　a　dead　loss　of　labor。　　For　instance；

labor　being　the　true　standard　of　value；　is　it　not　plain　that　if　equal

labor　get　a　bar　of　railroad　iron　out　of　a　mine　in　England　and　another

out　of　a　mine　in　Pennsylvania；　each　can　be　laid　down　in　a　track　at

home　cheaper　than　they　could　exchange　countries；　at　least　by　the

carriage？　If　there　be　a　present　cause　why　one　can　be　both　made　and

carried　cheaper　in　money　price　than　the　other　can　be　made　without

carrying；　that　cause　is　an　unnatural　and　injurious　one；　and　ought

gradually；　if　not　rapidly；　to　be　removed。　　The　condition　of　the

treasury　at　this　time　would　seem　to　render　an　early　revision　of　the

tariff　indispensable。　　The　Morrill　＇tariff＇　bill；　now　pending　before

Congress；　may　or　may　not　become　a　law。　　I　am　not　posted　as　to　its

particular　provisions；　but　if　they　are　generally　satisfactory；　and

the　bill　shall　now　pass；　there　will　be　an　end　for　the　present。　　If；

however；　it　shall　not　pass；　I　suppose　the　whole　subject　will　be　one

of　the　most　pressing　and　important　for　the　next　Congress。　　By　the

Constitution；　the　executive　may　recommend　measures　which　he　may　think

proper；　and　he　may　veto　those　he　thinks　improper；　and　it　is　supposed

that　he　may　add　to　these　certain　indirect　influences　to　affect　the

action　of　Congress。　　My　political　education　strongly　inclines　me

against　a　very　free　use　of　any　of　these　means　by　the　executive　to

control　the　legislation　of　the　country。　　As　a　rule；　I　think　it　better

that　Congress　should　originate　as　well　as　perfect　its　measures

without　external　bias。　　I　therefore　would　rather　recommend　to　every

gentleman　who　knows　he　is　to　be　a　member　of　the　next　Congress　to　take

an　enlarged　view；　and　post　himself　thoroughly；　so　as　to　contribute

his　part　to　such　an　adjustment　of　the　tariff　as　shall　produce　a

sufficient　revenue；　and　in　its　other　bearings；　so　far　as　possible；　be

just　and　equal　to　all　sections　of　the　country　and　classes　of　the

people。









ADDRESS　AT　CLEVELAND；　OHIO；



FEBRUARY　15；　1861



Mr。　CHAIRMAN　AND　FELLOW…CITIZENS　OF　CLEVELAND：We　have　been　marching

about　two　miles　through　snow；　rain；　and　deep　mud。　　　The　large　numbers

that　have　turned　out　under　these　circumstances　testify　that　you　are

in　earnest　about　something　or　other。　　But　do　I　think　so　meanly　of　you

as　to　suppose　that　that　earnestness　is　about　me　personally？　I　would

be　doing　you　an　injustice　to　suppose　you　did。　　You　have　assembled　to

testify　your　respect　for　the　Union；　the　Constitution；　and　the　laws；

and　here　let　me　say　that　it　is　with　you；　the　people；　to　advance　the

great　cause　of　the　Union　and　the　Constitution；　and　not　with　any　one

man。　　It　rests　with　you　alone。　　This　fact　is　strongly　impressed　upon

my　mind　at　present。　　In　a　community　like　this；　whose　appearance

testifies　to　their　intelligence；　I　am　convinced　that　the　cause　of

liberty　and　the　Union　can　never　be　in　danger。　　Frequent　allusion　is

made　to　the　excitement　at　present　existing　in　our　national　politics；

and　it　is　as　well　that　I　should　also　allude　to　it　here。　　I　think　that

there　is　no　occasion　for　any　excitement。　　'The　crisis；　as　it　is

called；　is　altogether　an　artificial　crisis。　　In　all　parts　of　the

nation　there　are　differences　of　opinion　on　politics。　　There　are

differences　of　opinion　even　here。　　You　did　not　all　vote　for　the

person　who　now　addresses　you。　　What　is　happening　now　will　not　hurt

those　who　are　farther　away　from　here。　　Have　they　not　all　their　rights

now　as　they　ever　have　had？　Do　they　not　have　their　fugitive　slaves

returned　now　as　ever？　Have　they　not　the　same　Constitution　that　they

have　lived　under　for　seventy…odd　years？　Have　they　not　a　position　as

citizens　of　this　common　country；　and　have　we　any　power　to　change　that

position？　What；　then；　is　the　matter　with　them？　Why　all　this

excitement？　Why　all　these　complaints？



As　I　said　before；　this　crisis　is　all　artificial！　It　has　no　foundation

in　facts。　　It　is　not　argued　up；　as　the　saying　is；　and　cannot；

therefore；　be　argued　down。　　Let　it　alone　and　it　will　go　down　of

itself。



＇Mr。　Lincoln　then　said　that　they　must　be　content　with　a　few　words

from　him；　as　he　was　tired；　etc。　　Having　been　given　to　understand　that

the　crowd　was　not　all　Republican；　but　consisted　of　men　of　all

parties；　he　continued：＇



This　is　as　it　should　be。　　If　Judge　Douglas　had　been　elected　and　had

been　here　on　his　way　to　Washington；　as　I　am　to…night；　the　Republicans

should　have　joined　his　supporters　in　welcoming　him；　just　as　his

friends　have　joined　with　mine　tonight。　　If　all　do　not　join　now　to

save　the　good　old　ship　of　the　Union　this　voyage；　nobody　will　have　a

chance　to　pilot　her　on　another　voyage。









ADDRESS　AT　BUFFALO；　NEW　YORK；

FEBRUARY　16；　1861



Mr。　MAYOR　AND　FELLOW…CITIZENS　OF　BUFFALO　AND　THE　STATE　OF　NEW　YORK：

I　am　here　to　thank　you　briefly　for　this　grand　reception　given　to　me；

not　personally；　but　as　the　representative　of　our　great　and　beloved

country。　　Your　worthy　mayor　has　been　pleased　to　mention；　in　his

address　to　me；　the　fortunate　and　agreeable　journey　which　I　have　had

from　home；　on　my　rather　circuitous　route　to　the　Federal　capital。　　I

am　very　happy　that　he　was　enabled　in　truth　to　congratulate　myself　and

company　on　that　fact。　　It　is　true　we　have　had　nothing　thus　far。　　to

mar　the　pleasure　of　the　trip。　　We　have　not　been　met　alone　by　those

who　assisted　in　giving　the　election　to　meI　say　not　alone　by　them；

but　by　the　whole　population　of　the　country　through　which　we　have

passed。　　This　is　as　it　should　be。　　Had　the　election　fallen　to　any

other　of　the　distinguished　candidates　instead　of　myself；　under　the

peculiar　circumstances；　to　say　the　least；　it　would　have　been　proper

for　all　citizens　to　have　greeted　him　as　you　now　greet　me。　　It　is　an

evidence　of　the　devotion　of　the　whole　people　to　the　Constitution；　the

Union；　and　the　perpetuity　of　the　liberties　of　this　country。　　I　am

unwilling　on　any　occasion　that　I　should　be　so　meanly　thought　of　as　to

have　it　supposed　for　a　moment　that　these　demonstrations　are　tendered

to　me　personally。　　They　are　tendered　to　the　country；　to　the

institutions　of　the　country；　and　to　the　perpetuity　of　the　liberties

of　the　country；　for　which　these　institutions　were　made　and　created。



Your　worthy　mayor　has　thought　fit　to　express　the　hope　that　I　may　be

able　to　relieve　the　country　from　the　present；　or；　I　should　say；　the

threatened　difficulties。　　I　am　sure　I　bring　a　heart　true　to　the　work。

For　the　ability　to　perform　it；　I　must　trust　in　that　Supreme　Being　who

has　never　forsaken　this　favored　land；　through　the　instrumentality　of

this　great　and　intelligent　people。　　Without　that　assistance　I　shall

surely　fail；　with　it；　I　cannot　fail。　　When　we　speak　of　threatened

difficulties　to　the　Country；　it　is　natural　that　it　should　be　expected

that　something　should　be　said　by　myself　with　regard　to　particular

measures。　　Upon　more　mature　reflection；　however；　others　will　agree

with　me　that；　when　it　is　considered　that　these　difficulties　are

without　precedent；　and　have　never　been　acted　upon　by　any　individual

situated　as　I　am；　it　is　most　proper　I　should　wait　and　see　the

developments；　and　get　all　the　light　possible；　so　that　when　I　do　speak

authoritatively；　I　may　be　as　near　right　as　possible。　　When　I　shall

speak　authoritatively；　I　hope　to　say　nothing　inconsistent　with　the

Constitution；　the　Union；　the　rights　of　all　the　States；　of　each　State；

and　of　each　section　of　the　country；　and　not　to　disappoint　the

reasonable　expectations　of　those　who　have　confided　to　me　their　votes。

In　this　connection　allow　me　to　say　that　you；　as　a　portion　of　the

great　American　people；　need　only　to　maintain　your　composure；　stand　up

to　your　sober　c