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

in　a　great　measure　much　that　I　have　said；　which　would　be　disgusting

to　my　friends　around　me　who　have　met　here。　　I　have　no　speech　to　make；

but　merely　appear　to　see　you　and　let　you　look　at　me；　and　as　to　the

latter　I　think　I　have　greatly　the　best　of　the　bargain。　　My　friends；

allow　me　to　bid　you　farewell。









ADDRESS　TO　THE　SENATE　OF　NEW　JERSEY



FEBRUARY　21；　1861



MR。　PRESIDENT　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　SENATE　OF　THE　STATE　OF　NEW

JERSEY：I　am　very　grateful　to　you　for　the　honorable　reception　of

which　I　have　been　the　object。　　I　cannot　but　remember　the　place　that

New　Jersey　holds　in　our　early　history。　　In　the　Revolutionary　struggle

few　of　the　States　among　the　Old　Thirteen　had　more　of　the　battle…

fields　of　the　country　within　their　limits　than　New　Jersey。　May　I　be

pardoned　if；　upon　this　occasion；　I　mention　that　away　back　in　my

childhood；　the　earliest　days　of　my　being　able　to　read；　I　got　hold　of

a　small　book；　such　a　one　as　few　of　the　younger　members　have　ever　seen

Weems's　Life　of　Washington。　　I　remember　all　the　accounts　there　given

of　the　battle…fields　and　struggles　for　the　liberties　of　the　country；

and　none　fixed　themselves　upon　my　imagination　so　deeply　as　the

struggle　here　at　Trenton；　New　Jersey。　　The　crossing　of　the　river；　the

contest　with　the　Hessians；　the　great　hardships　endured　at　that　time；

all　fixed　themselves　on　my　memory　more　than　any　single　Revolutionary

event；　and　you　all　know；　for　you　have　all　been　boys；　how　these　early

impressions　last　longer　than　any　others。　　I　recollect　thinking　then；

boy　even　though　I　was；　that　there　must　have　been　something　more　than

common　that　these　men　struggled　for。　　I　am　exceedingly　anxious　that

that　thing　that　something　even　more　than　national　independence；　that

something　that　held　out　a　great　promise　to　all　the　people　of　the

world　to　all　time　to　comeI　am　exceedingly　anxious　that　this　Union；

the　Constitution；　and　the　liberties　of　the　people　shall　be

perpetuated　in　accordance　with　the　original　idea　for　which　that

struggle　was　made；　and　I　shall　be　most　happy　indeed　if　I　shall　be　a

humble　instrument　in　the　hands　of　the　Almighty；　and　of　this　his

almost　chosen　people；　for　perpetuating　the　object　of　that　great

struggle。　　You　give　me　this　reception；　as　I　understand；　without

distinction　of　party。　　I　learn　that　this　body　is　composed　of　a

majority　of　gentlemen　who；　in　the　exercise　of　their　best　judgment　in

the　choice　of　a　chief　magistrate；　did　not　think　I　was　the　man。　　I

understand；　nevertheless；　that　they　come　forward　here　to　greet　me　as

the　constitutionally　elected　President　of　the　United　Statesas

citizens　of　the　United　States　to　meet　the　man　who；　for　the　time

being；　is　the　representative　of　the　majesty　of　the　nationunited　by

the　single　purpose　to　perpetuate　the　Constitution；　the　union；　and　the

liberties　of　the　people。　　As　such；　I　accept　this　reception　more

gratefully　than　I　could　do　did　I　believe　it　were　tendered　to　me　as　an

individual。









ADDRESS　TO　THE　ASSEMBLY　OF　NEW　JERSEY；



FEBRUARY　21；　1861



MR。　SPEAKER　AND　GENTLEMEN：　I　have　just　enjoyed　the　honor　of　a

reception　by　the　other　branch　of　this　Legislature；　and　I　return　to

you　and　them　my　thanks　for　the　reception　which　the　people　of　New

Jersey　have　given　through　their　chosen　representatives　to　me　as　the

representative；　for　the　time　being；　of　the　majesty　of　the　people　of

the　United　States。　　I　appropriate　to　myself　very　little　of　the

demonstrations　of　respect　with　which　I　have　been　greeted。　　I　think

little　should　be　given　to　any　man；　but　that　it　should　be　a

manifestation　of　adherence　to　the　Union　and　the　Constitution。

I　understand　myself　to　be　received　here　by　the　representatives　of　the

people　of　New　Jersey；　a　majority　of　whom　differ　in　opinion　from　those

with　whom　I　have　acted。　　This　manifestation　is　therefore　to　be

regarded　by　me　as　expressing　their　devotion　to　the　Union；　the

Constitution；　and　the　liberties　of　the　people。



You；　Mr。　Speaker；　have　well　said　that　this　is　a　time　when　the　bravest

and　wisest　look　with　doubt　and　awe　upon　the　aspect　presented　by　our

national　affairs。　　Under　these　circumstances　you　will　readily　see　why

I　should　not　speak　in　detail　of　the　course　I　shall　deem　it　best　to

pursue。　　It　is　proper　that　I　should　avail　myself　of　all　the

information　and　all　the　time　at　my　command；　in　order　that　when　the

time　arrives　in　which　I　must　speak　officially；　I　shall　be　able　to

take　the　ground　which　I　deem　best　and　safest；　and　from　which　I　may

have　no　occasion　to　swerve。　　I　shall　endeavor　to　take　the　ground　I

deem　most　just　to　the　North；　the　East；　the　West；　the　South；　and　the

whole　country。　　I　shall　take　it；　I　hope；　in　good　temper；　certainly

with　no　malice　toward；　any　section。　　I　shall　do　all　that　may　be　in　my

power　to　promote　a　peaceful　settlement　of　all　our　difficulties。　　The

man　does　not　live　who　is　more　devoted　to　peace　than　I　am；　none　who

would　do　more　to　preserve　it；　but　it　may　be　necessary　to　put　the　foot

down　firmly。　　And　if　I　do　my　duty　and　do　right；　you　will　sustain　me；

will　you　not？　　＇Loud　cheers；　and　cries　of　〃Yes；　yes；　we　will。〃＇

Received　as　I　am　by　the　members　of　a　Legislature　the　majority　of　whom

do　not　agree　with　me　in　political　sentiments；　I　trust　that　I　may　have

their　assistance　in　piloting　the　ship　of　state　through　this　voyage；

surrounded　by　perils　as　it　is；　for　if　it　should　suffer　wreck　now；

there　will　be　no　pilot　ever　needed　for　another　voyage。



Gentlemen；　I　have　already　spoken　longer　than　I　intended；　and　must　beg

leave　to　stop　here。









REPLY　TO　THE　MAYOR　OF　PHILADELPHIA；　PENNSYLVANIA；

FEBRUARY　21；　1861



MR。　MAYOR　AND　FELLOW…CITIZENS　OF　PHILADELPHIA：I　appear　before　you

to　make　no　lengthy　speech；　but　to　thank　you　for　this　reception。　The

reception　you　have　given　me　to…night　is　not　to　me；　the　man；　the

individual；　but　to　the　man　who　temporarily　represents；　or　should

represent；　the　majesty　of　the　nation。　　It　is　true；　as　your　worthy

mayor　has　said；　that　there　is　great　anxiety　amongst　the　citizens　of

the　United　States　at　this　time。　　I　deem　it　a　happy　circumstance　that

this　dissatisfied　portion　of　our　fellow…citizens　does　not　point　us　to

anything　in　which　they　are　being　injured　or　about　to　be　injured；　for

which　reason　I　have　felt　all　the　while　justified　in　concluding　that

the　crisis；　the　panic；　the　anxiety　of　the　country　at　this　time　is

artificial。　　If　there　be　those　who　differ　with　me　upon　this　subject；

they　have　not　pointed　out　the　substantial　difficulty　that　exists。

I　do　not　mean　to　say　that　an　artificial　panic　may　not　do　considerable

harm；　that　it　has　done　such　I　do　not　deny。　　The　hope　that　has　been

expressed　by　your　mayor；　that　I　may　be　able　to　restore　peace；

harmony；　and　prosperity　to　the　country；　is　most　worthy　of　him；　and

most　happy；　indeed；　will　I　be　if　I　shall　be　able　to　verify　and　fulfil

that　hope。　　I　promise　you　that　I　bring　to　the　work　a　sincere　heart。

Whether　I　will　bring　a　head　equal　to　that　heart　will　be　for　future

times　to　determine。　　It　were　useless　for　me　to　speak　of　details　of

plans　now；　I　shall　speak　officially　next　Monday　week；　if　ever。　If　I

should　not　speak　then；　it　were　useless　for　me　to　do　so　now。　　If　I　do

speak　then；　it　is　useless　for　me　to　do　so　now。　　When　I　do　speak；　I

shall　take　such　ground　as　I　deem　best　calculated　to　restore　peace；

harmony；　and　prosperity　to　the　country；　and　tend　to　the　perpetuity　of

the　nation　and　the　liberty　of　these　States　and　these　people。　　Your

worthy　mayor　has　expressed　the　wish；　in　which　I　join　with　him；　that

it　were　convenient　for　me　to　remain　in　your　city　long　enough　to

consult　your　merchants　and　manufacturers；　or；　as　it　were；　to　listen

to　those　breathings　rising　within　the　consecrated　walls　wherein　the

Constitution　of　the　United　States　and；　I　will　add；　the　Declaration　of

Independence；　were　originally　framed　and　adopted。　　I　assure　you　and

your　mayor　that　I　had　hoped　on　this　occasion；　and　upon　all　occasions

during　my　life；　that　I　shall　do　nothing　inconsistent　with　the

teachings　of　these　holy　and　most　sacred　walls。　　I　have　never　asked

anything　that　does　not　breathe　from　those　walls。　　All　my　political

warfare　has　been　in　favor　of　the　teachings　that　come　forth　from　these

sacred　walls。　　May　my　right　hand　forget　its　cunning　and　my　tongue

cleave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth　if　ever　I　prove　false　to　those

teachings。　　Fellow…citizens；　I　have　addressed　you　longer　than　I

expected　to　do；　and　now　allow　me　to　bid　you　goodnight。









ADDRESS　IN　THE　HALL　OF　INDEPENDENCE；　PHILADELPHIA；



FEBRUARY　22；　1861



MR。　CUYLER：I　am　filled　with　deep　emotion　at　finding　myself　standing

here；　in　this　place；　where　were　collected　together　the　wisdom；　the

devotion　to　principle；　from　which　sprang　the　institutions　under　which

we　live。　You　have　kindly　suggested　to　me　that　in　my　hands　is　the　task

of　restoring　peace　to　the　present　distracted　condition　of　the

country。　I　can　say　in　return；　sir；　that　all　the　political　sentiments

I　entertain　have　been　drawn；　so　far　as　I　have　been　able　to　draw　them；

from　the　sentiments　which　originated　and　were　given　to　the　world　from

this　hall。　　I　have　never　had　a　feeling　politically　that　did　not

spring　from　the　sentiments　embodied　in　the　Declaration　of

Independence。　　I　have　often　pondered　over　the　dangers　which　were

incurred　by　the　men　who　assembled　here　and　framed　and　adopted　that

Declaration　of　Independence。　　I　have　pondered　over　the　toils　that

were　endured　by　the　officers　and　soldiers　of　the　army　who　achieved

that　independence。　　I　have　often　inquired　of　myself　what　great

principle　or　idea　it　was　that　kept　the　confederacy　so　long　together。

It　was　not　the　mere　matter　of　separation　of　the　colonies　from　the

motherland；　but　that　sentiment　in　the　Declaration　of　Independence

which　gave　liberty；　not　alone　to　the　people　of　this　country；　but；　I

hope；　to　the　world　for　all　future　time。　　It　was　that　which　gave

promise　that　in　due　time　the　weight　would　be　lifted　from　the

shoulders　of　all　men。　　This　is　the　sentiment　embodied　in　the

Declaration　of　Independence。　　Now；　my　friends；　can　the　country　be

saved　upon　that　basis？　　If　it　can；　I　will　consider　myself　one　of　the

happiest　men　in　the　world　if　I　can　help　to　save　it。　　If　it　cannot　be

saved　upon　that　principle；　it　will　be　truly　awful。　　But　if　this

country　cannot　be　saved　without　giving　up　that　principle；　I　was　about

to　say　I　would　rather　be　assassinated　on　this　spot　than　surrender　it。

Now；　in　my　view　of　the　present　aspect　of　affairs；　there　need　be　no

bloodshed　or　war。　　There　is　no　necessity　for　it。　　I　am　not　in　favor

of　such　a　course；　and　I　may　say；　in　advance；　that　there　will　be　no

bloodshed　unless　it　is　forced　upon　the　Government；　and　then　it　will

be　compelled　to　act　in　self…defence。



My　friends；　this　is　wholly　an　unexpected　speech；　and　I　did　not　expect

to　be　called　upon　to　say　a　word　when　I　came　here。　　I　supposed　it　was

merely　to　do　someth