the writings-5-第34章

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and　willing；　if　they　think　the　people　have　committed　an　error　in

their　verdict　now；　to　wait　in　the　hope　of　reversing　it　and　setting　it

right　next　time。　　I　do　not　say　that　in　the　recent　election　the　people

did　the　wisest　thing；　that　could　have　been　doneindeed；　I　do　not

think　they　did；　but　I　do　say　that　in　accepting　the　great　trust

committed　to　me；　which　I　do　with　a　determination　to　endeavor　to　prove

worthy　of　it；　I　must　rely　upon　you；　upon　the　people　of　the　whole

country；　for　support；　and　with　their　sustaining　aid；　even　I；　humble

as　I　am；　cannot　fail　to　carry　the　ship　of　state　safely　through　the

storm。



I　have　now　only　to　thank　you　warmly　for　your　kind　attendance；　and　bid

you　all　an　affectionate　farewell。









ADDRESS　AT　HUDSON；　NEW　YORK；。



FEBRUARY　19；　1860



FELLOW…CITIZENS：I　see　that　you　are　providing　a　platform　for　me。　　I

shall　have　to　decline　standing　upon　it；　because　the　president　of　the

company　tells　me　that　I　shall　not　have　time　to　wait　until　it　is

brought　to　me。　　As　I　said　yesterday；　under　similar　circumstances　at

another　gathering；　you　must　not　draw　the　inference　that　I　have　any

intention　of　deserting　any　platform　with　which　I　have　a　legitimate

connection　because　I　do　not　stand　on　yours。　　Allow　me　to　thank　you

for　this　splendid　reception；　and　I　now　bid　you　farewell。









ADDRESS　AT　PEEKSKILL；　NEW　YORK；

FEBRUARY　19；　1861



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN：I　have　but　a　moment　to　stand　before　you　to

listen　to　and　return　your　kind　greeting。　I　thank　you　for　this

reception；　and　for　the　pleasant　manner　in　which　it　is　tendered　to　me

by　our　mutual　friends。　I　will　say　in　a　single　sentence；　in　regard　to

the　difficulties　that　lie　before　me　and　our　beloved　country；　that　if

I　can　only　be　as　generously　and　unanimously　sustained　as　the

demonstrations　I　have　witnessed　indicate　I　shall　be；　I　shall　not

fail；　but　without　your　sustaining　hands　I　am　sure　that　neither　I　nor

any　other　man　can　hope　to　surmount　these　difficulties。　　I　trust　that

in　the　course　I　shall　pursue　I　shall　be　sustained　not　only　by　the

party　that　elected　me；　but　by　the　patriotic　people　of　the　whole

country。









ADDRESS　AT　FISHKILL　LANDING



FEBRUARY　19；　1861



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN：I　appear　before　you　not　to　make　a　speech。　　I

have　not　sufficient　time；　if　I　had　the　strength；　to　repeat　speeches

at　every　station　where　the　people　kindly　gather　to　welcome　me　as　we

go　along。　　If　I　had　the　strength；　and　should　take　the　time；　I　should

not　get　to　Washington　until　after　the　inauguration；　which　you　must　be

aware　would　not　fit　exactly。　　That　such　an　untoward　event　might　not

transpire；　I　know　you　will　readily　forego　any　further　remarks；　and　I

close　by　bidding　you　farewell。









REMARKS　AT　THE　ASTOR　HOUSE；　NEW　YORK　CITY；　FEBRUARY　19；　1861



FELLOW…CITIZENS：I　have　stepped　before　you　merely　in　compliance　with

what　appears　to　be　your　wish；　and　not　with　the　purpose　of　making　a

speech。　　I　do　not　propose　making　a　speech　this　afternoon。　　I　could

not　be　heard　by　any　but　a　small　fraction　of　you；　at　best；　but；　what

is　still　worse　than　that；　I　have　nothing　just　now　to　say　that　is

worthy　of　your　hearing。　　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　I　do　not　now

refuse　to　address　you　from　any　disposition　to　disoblige　you；　but　to

the　contrary。　　But；　at　the　same　time；　I　beg　of　you　to　excuse　me　for

the　present。









ADDRESS　AT　NEW　YORK　CITY；



FEBRUARY　19；　1861



Mr。　CHAIRMAN　AND　GENTLEMEN：I　am　rather　an　old　man　to　avail　myself

of　such　an　excuse　as　I　am　now　about　to　do。　　Yet　the　truth　is　so

distinct；　and　presses　itself　so　distinctly　upon　me；　that　I　cannot

well　avoid　itand　that　is；　that　I　did　not　understand　when　I　was

brought　into　this　room　that　I　was　to　be　brought　here　to　make　a

speech。　　It　was　not　intimated　to　me　that　I　was　brought　into　the　room

where　Daniel　Webster　and　Henry　Clay　had　made　speeches；　and　where　one

in　my　position　might　be　expected　to　do　something　like　those　men　or

say　something　worthy　of　myself　or　my　audience。　　I　therefore　beg　you

to　make　allowance　for　the　circumstances　in　which　I　have　been　by

surprise　brought　before　you。　　Now　I　have　been　in　the　habit　of

thinking　and　sometimes　speaking　upon　political　questions　that　have

for　some　years　past　agitated　the　country；　and；　if　I　were　disposed　to

do　so；　and　we　could　take　up　some　one　of　the　issues；　as　the　lawyers

call　them；　and　I　were　called　upon　to　make　an　argument　about　it　to　the

best　of　my　ability；　I　could　do　so　without　much　preparation。　　But　that

is　not　what　you　desire　to　have　done　here　to…night。



I　have　been　occupying　a　position；　since　the　Presidential　election；　of

silenceof　avoiding　public　speaking；　of　avoiding　public　writing。　　I

have　been　doing　so　because　I　thought；　upon　full　consideration；　that

was　the　proper　course　for　me　to　take。　　　I　am　brought　before　you　now；

and　required　to　make　a　speech；　when　you　all　approve　more　than

anything　else　of　the　fact　that　I　have　been　keeping　silence。　　And　now

it　seems　to　me　that　the　response　you　give　to　that　remark　ought　to

justify　me　in　closing　just　here。　　I　have　not　kept　silence　since　the

Presidential　election　from　any　party　wantonness；　or　from　any

indifference　to　the　anxiety　that　pervades　the　minds　of　men　about　the

aspect　of　the　political　affairs　of　this　country。　　I　have　kept　silence

for　the　reason　that　I　supposed　it　was　peculiarly　proper　that　I　should

do　so　until　the　time　came　when；　according　to　the　custom　of　the

country；　I　could　speak　officially。



I　still　suppose　that；　while　the　political　drama　being　enacted　in　this

country　at　this　time　is　rapidly　shifting　its　scenesforbidding　an

anticipation　with　any　degree　of　certainty　to…day　of　what　we　shall　see

to…morrowit　is　peculiarly　fitting　that　I　should　see　it　all；　up　to

the　last　minute；　before　I　should　take　ground　that　I　might　be

disposed；　by　the　shifting　of　the　scenes　afterward；　also　to　shift。　　I

have　said　several　times　upon　this　journey；　and　I　now　repeat　it　to

you；　that　when　the　time　does　come；　I　shall　then　take　the　ground　that

I　think　is　rightright　for　the　North；　for　the　South；　for　the　East；

for　the　West；　for　the　whole　country。　　And　in　doing　so　I　hope　to　feel

no　necessity　pressing　upon　me　to　say　anything　in　conflict　with　the

Constitution；　in　conflict　with　the　continued　union　of　these　States；

in　conflict　with　the　perpetuation　of　the　liberties　of　this　people；　or

anything　in　conflict　with　anything　whatever　that　I　have　ever　given

you　reason　to　expect　from　me。　　And　now；　my　friends；　have　I　said

enough？　＇Loud　cries　of　〃No；　no　！〃　and'　Three　cheers　for　LINCOLN！〃＇

Now；　my　friends；　there　appears　to　be　a　difference　of　opinion　between

you　and　me；　and　I　really　feel　called　upon　to　decide　the　question

myself。









REPLY　TO　THE　MAYOR　OF　NEW　YORK　CITY；

FEBRUARY　20；　1861



Mr。　MAYOR：It　is　with　feelings　of　deep　gratitude　that　I　make　my

acknowledgments　for　the　reception　that　has　been　given　me　in　the　great

commercial　city　of　New　York。　　I　cannot　but　remember　that　it　is　done

by　the　people　who　do　not；　by　a　large　majority；　agree　with　me　in

political　sentiment。　　It　is　the　more　grateful　to　me　because　in　this　I

see　that　for　the　great　principles　of　our　Government　the　people　are

pretty　nearly　or　quite　unanimous。　　In　regard　to　the　difficulties　that

confront　us　at　this　time；　and　of　which　you　have　seen　fit　to　speak　so

becomingly　and　so　justly；　I　can　only　say　I　agree　with　the　sentiments

expressed。　　In　my　devotion　to　the　Union　I　hope　I　am　behind　no　man　in

the　nation。　　As　to　my　wisdom　in　conducting　affairs　so　as　to　tend　to

the　preservation　of　the　Union；　I　fear　too　great　confidence　may　have

been　placed　in　me。　　I　am　sure　I　bring　a　heart　devoted　to　the　work。

There　is　nothing　that　could　ever　bring　me　to　consentwillingly　to

consentto　the　destruction　of　this　Union　（in　which　not　only　the

great　city　of　New　York；　but　the　whole　country；　has　acquired　its

greatness）；　unless　it　would　be　that　thing　for　which　the　Union　itself

was　made。　　I　understand　that　the　ship　is　made　for　the　carrying　and

preservation　of　the　cargo；　and　so　long　as　the　ship　is　safe　with　the

cargo；　it　shall　not　be　abandoned。　　This　Union　shall　never　be

abandoned；　unless　the　possibility　of　its　existence　shall　cease　to

exist　without　the　necessity　of　throwing　passengers　and　cargo

overboard。　　So　long；　then；　as　it　is　possible　that　the　prosperity　and

liberties　of　this　people　can　be　preserved　within　this　Union；　it　shall

be　my　purpose　at　all　tunes　to　preserve　it。　　And　now；　Mr。　Mayor；

renewing　my　thanks　for　this　cordial　reception；　allow　me　to　come　to　a

close。









ADDRESS　AT　JERSEY　CITY；　NEW　JERSEY



FEBRUARY　21；　1860



MR。　DAYTON　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　STATE　OF　NEW　JERSEY：I　shall　only

thank　you　briefly　for　this　very　kind　reception　given　me；　not

personally；　but　as　the　temporary　representative　of　the　majesty　of　the

nation。　　To　the　kindness　of　your　hearts；　and　of　the　hearts　of　your

brethren　in　your　State；　I　should　be　very　proud　to　respond；　but　I

shall　not　have　strength　to　address　you　or　other　assemblages　at

length；　even　if　I　had　the　time　to　do　so。　　I　appear　before　you；

therefore；　for　little　else　than　to　greet　you；　and　to　briefly　say

farewell。　You　have　done　me　the　very　high　honor　to　present　your

reception　courtesies　to　me　through　your　great　man　a　man　with　whom　it

is　an　honor　to　be　associated　anywhere；　and　in　owning　whom　no　State

can　be　poor。　　He　has　said　enough；　and　by　the　saying　of　it　suggested

enough；　to　require　a　response　of　an　hour；　well　considered。　　I　could

not　in　an　hour　make　a　worthy　response　to　it。　　I　therefore；　ladies　and

gentlemen　of　New　Jersey；　content　myself　with　saying；　most　heartily　do

I　indorse　all　the　sentiments　he　has　expressed。　　Allow　me；　most

gratefully；　to　bid　you　farewell。









REPLY　TO　THE　MAYOR　OF　NEWARK；　NEW　JERSEY；



FEBRUARY　21；　1861。



MR。　MAYOR：I　thank　you　for　this　reception　at　the　city　of　Newark。

With　regard　to　the　great　work　of　which　you　speak；　I　will　say　that　I

bring　to　it　a　heart　filled　with　love　for　my　country；　and　an　honest

desire　to　do　what　is　right。　　I　am　sure；　however；　that　I　have　not　the

ability　to　do　anything　unaided　of　God；　and　that　without　His　support

and　that　of　this　free；　happy；　prosperous；　and　intelligent　people；　no

man　can　succeed　in　doing　that　the　importance　of　which　we　all

comprehend。　　Again　thanking　you　for　the　reception　you　have　given　me；

I　will　now　bid　you　farewell；　and　proceed　upon　my　journey。









ADDRESS　IN　TRENTON　AT　THE　TRENTON　HOUSE；



FEBRUARY　21；　1861



I　have　been　invited　by　your　representatives　to　the　Legislature　to

visit　this　the　capital　of　your　honored　State；　and　in　acknowledging

their　kind　invitation；　compelled　to　respond　to　the　welcome　of　the

presiding　officers　of　each　body；　and　I　suppose　they　intended　I　should

speak　to　you　through　them；　as　they　are　the　representatives　of　all　of

you；　and　if　I　were　to　speak　again　here；　I　should　only　have　to　repeat

in　a　great　measure　much　that　I　have　sai