the writings-6-第15章

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Roberts；　has　just　been　with　methe　first　time　I　ever　saw　him。　　He

says　they　have　within　the　bounds　of　that　colony　between　three　and

four　hundred　thousand　people；　or　more　than　in　some　of　our　old　States；

such　as　Rhode　Island　or　Delaware；　or　in　some　of　our　newer　States；　and

less　than　in　some　of　our　larger　ones。　　They　are　not　all　American

colonists　or　their　descendants。　　Something　less　than　12；000　have　been

sent　thither　from　this　country。　　Many　of　the　original　settlers　have

died；　yet；　like　people　else…where；　their　offspring　outnumber　those

deceased。　　The　question　is；　if　the　colored　people　are　persuaded　to　go

anywhere；　why　not　there？



One　reason　for　unwillingness　to　do　so　is　that　some　of　you　would

rather　remain　within　reach　of　the　country　of　your　nativity。　　I　do　not

know　how　much　attachment　you　may　have　toward　our　race。　　It　does　not

strike　me　that　you　have　the　greatest　reason　to　love　them。　　But　still

you　are　attached　to　them；　at　all　events。



The　place　I　am　thinking　about　for　a　colony　is　in　Central　America。　　It

is　nearer　to　us　than　Liberia　not　much　more　than　one　fourth　as　far　as

Liberia；　and　within　seven　days'　run　by　steamers。　　Unlike　Liberia；　it

is　a　great　line　of　travelit　is　a　highway。　　The　country　is　a　very

excellent　one　for　any　people；　and　with　great　natural　resources　and

advantages；　and　especially　because　of　the　similarity　of　climate　with

your　native　soil；　thus　being　suited　to　your　physical　condition。　　The

particular　place　I　have　in　view　is　to　be　a　great　highway　from　the

Atlantic　or　Caribbean　Sea　to　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　this　particular

place　has　all　the　advantages　for　a　colony。　　On　both　sides　there　are

harborsamong　the　finest　in　the　world。　　Again；　there　is　evidence　of

very　rich　coal…mines。　　A　certain　amount　of　coal　is　valuable　in　any

country。　　Why　I　attach　so　much　importance　to　coal　is；　it　will　afford

an　opportunity　to　the　inhabitants　for　immediate　employment　till　they

get　ready　to　settle　permanently　in　their　homes。　　If　you　take

colonists　where　there　is　no　good　landing；　there　is　a　bad　show；　and　so

where　there　is　nothing　to　cultivate　and　of　which　to　make　a　farm。　　But

if　something　is　started　so　that　you　can　get　your　daily　bread　as　soon

as　reach　you　there；　it　is　a　great　advantage。　　Coal　land　is　the　best

thing　I　know　of　with　which　to　commence　an　enterprise。　　To　returnyou

have　been　talked　to　upon　this　subject；　and　told　that　a　speculation　is

intended　by　gentlemen　who　have　an　interest　in　the　country；　including

the　coal…mines。　　We　have　been　mistaken　all　our　lives　if　we　do　not

know　whites；　as　well　as　blacks；　look　to　their　self…interest。　　Unless

among　those　deficient　of　intellect；　everybody　you　trade　with　makes

something。　　You　meet　with　these　things　here　and　everywhere。　　If　such

persons　have　what　will　be　an　advantage　to　them；　the　question　is

whether　it　cannot　be　made　of　advantage　to　you。　　　You　are　intelligent；

and　know　that　success　does　not　so　much　depend　on　external　help　as　on

self…reliance。　　Much；　therefore；　depends　upon　yourselves。　　As　to　the

coal…mines；　I　think　I　see　the　means　available　for　your　self…reliance。

I　shall；　if　I　get　a　sufficient　number　of　you　engaged；　have　provision

made　that　you　shall　not　be　wronged。　　If　you　will　engage　in　the

enterprise；　I　will　spend　some　of　the　money　intrusted　to　me。　　I　am　not

sure　you　will　succeed。　　The　government　may　lose　the　money；　but　we

cannot　succeed　unless　we　try；　and　we　think　with　care　we　can　succeed。

The　political　affairs　in　Central　America　are　not　in　quite　as

satisfactory　a　condition　as　I　wish。　　There　are　contending　factions　in

that　quarter；　but　it　is　true　all　the　factions　are　agreed　alike　on　the

subject　of　colonization；　and　want　it；　and　are　more　generous　than　we

are　here。



To　your　colored　race　they　have　no　objection　　I　would　endeavor　to　have

you　made　the　equals；　and　have　the　best　assurance　that　you　should　be

the　equals；　of　the　best。



The　practical　thing　I　want　to　ascertain　is　whether　I　can　get　a　number

of　able…bodied　men；　with　their　wives　and　children；　who　are　willing　to

go　when　I　present　evidence　of　encouragement　and　protection。　　Could　I

get　a　hundred　tolerably　intelligent　men；　with　their　wives　and

children；　and　able　to　〃cut　their　own　fodder；〃　so　to　speak？　　Can　I

have　fifty？　　If　I　could　find　twenty…five　able…bodied　men；　with　a

mixture　of　women　and　childrengood　things　in　the　family　relation；　I

think；I　could　make　a　successful　commencement。　　I　want　you　to　let　me

know　whether　this　can　be　done　or　not。　　This　is　the　practical　part　of

my　wish　to　see　you。　　These　are　subjects　of　very　great　importance；

worthy　of　a　month's　study；　instead　of　a　speech　delivered　in　an　hour。

I　ask　you；　then；　to　consider　seriously；　not　pertaining　to　yourselves

merely；　nor　for　your　race　and　ours　for　the　present　time；　but　as　one

of　the　things；　if　successfully　managed；　the　good　of　mankindnot

confined　to　the　present　generation；　but　as



　　　　〃From　age　to　age　descends　the　lay

　　　　　To　millions　yet　to　be；

　　　　　Till　far　its　echoes　roll　away

　　　　　Into　eternity。〃



The　above　is　merely　given　as　the　substance　of　the　President's

remarks。



The　chairman　of　the　delegation　briefly　replied　that　they　would　hold　a

consultation；　and　in　a　short　time　give　an　answer。



The　President　said：　Take　your　full　time…no　hurry　at　all。



The　delegation　then　withdrew。









TELEGRAM　TO　OFFICER　AT　CAMP　CHASE；　OHIO。



WAR　DEPARTMENT；　WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　August　14；　1862。



OFFICER　in　charge　of　Confederate　prisoners　at　Camp　Chase；　Ohio：



It　is　believed　that　a　Dr。　J。　J。　Williams　is　a　prisoner　in　your

charge；　and　if　so　tell　him　his　wife　is　here　and　allow　him　to

telegraph　to　her。



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　HIRAM　BARNEY。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　WASHINGTON；　August　16；　1862。



HON。　HIRAM　BARNEY；　New　York：



Mrs。　L。　has　1000　for　the　benefit　of　the　hospitals　and　she　will　be

obliged；　and　send　the　pay；　if　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　select　and

send　her　200　worth　of　good　lemons　and　100　worth　of　good　oranges。



A。　LINCOLN。









NOTE　OF　INTRODUCTION。



The　Secretary　of　the　Treasury　and　the　Commissioner　of　Internal

Revenue　will　please　see　Mr。　Talcott；　one　of　the　best　men　there　is；

and；　if　any　difference；　one　they　would　like　better　than　they　do　me。



August　18；　1862



A。　LINCOLN







TELEGRAM　TO　S。　B。　MOODY



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　WASHINGTON

August　18；　1862



S。　B。　MOODY；　Springfield；　Ill。：



Which　do　you　prefercommissary　or　quartermaster？　　If　appointed　it

must　be　without　conditions。



A。　LINCOLN。



Operator　please　send　above　for　President。

JOHN　HAY









TO　Mrs。　PRESTON。



WAR　DEPARTMENT；　WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　August　21；　1862。



Mrs。　MARGARET　PRESTON；　Lexington；　Ky。：



Your　despatch　to　Mrs。　L。　received　yesterday。　　She　is　not　well。　　Owing

to　her　early　and　strong　friendship　for　you；　I　would　gladly　oblige

you；　but　I　cannot　absolutely　do　it。　　If　General　Boyle　and　Hon。　James

Guthrie；　one　or　both；　in　their　discretion　see　fit　to　give　you　the

passes；　this　is　my　authority　to　them　for　doing　so。



A。　LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM　TO　GENERAL　BURNSIDE　OR　GENERAL　PARKE。



WASHINGTON；　August　21。



TO　GENERAL　BURNSIDE　OR　GENERAL　PARKE：



What　news　about　arrival　of　troops？



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　G。　P。　WATSON。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；

August　21；　1862。



GILLET　F。　WATSON；　Williamsburg；　Va。：



Your　telegram　in　regard　to　the　lunatic　asylum　has　been　received。　　It

is　certainly　a　case　of　difficulty；　but　if　you　cannot　remain；　I　cannot

conceive　who　under　my　authority　can。　　Remain　as　long　as　you　safely

can　and　provide　as　well　as　you　can　for　the　poor　inmates　of　the

institution。



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　HORACE　GREELEY。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　WASHINGTON；

August　22；　1862。



HON。　HORACE　GREELEY。



DEAR　SIR：I　have　just　read　yours　of　the　19th；　addressed　to　myself

through　the　New　York　Tribune。　　If　there　be　in　it　any　statements　or

assumptions　of　fact　which　I　may　know　to　be　erroneous；　I　do　not　now

and　here　controvert　them。　　If　there　be　in　it　any　inferences　which　I

may　believe　to　be　falsely　drawn；　I　do　not　now　and　here　argue　against

them。　　If　there　be　perceptible　in　it　an　impatient　and　dictatorial

tone；　I　waive　it　in　deference　to　an　old　friend；　whose　heart　I　have

always　supposed　to　be　right。



As　to　the　policy　I　〃seem　to　be　pursuing；〃　as　you　say；　I　have　not

meant　to　leave　any　one　in　doubt。



I　would　save　the　Union。　　I　would　save　it　the　shortest　way　under　the

Constitution。　　The　sooner　the　national　authority　can　be　restored；　the

nearer　the　Union　will　be；　〃the　Union　as　it　was。〃　　If　there　be　those

who　would　not　save　the　Union　unless　they　could　at　the　same　time　save

slavery；　I　do　not　agree　with　them。　　If　there　be　those　who　would　not

save　the　Union　unless　they　could　at　the　same　time　destroy　slavery；　I

do　not　agree　with　them。　　My　paramount　object　in　this　struggle　is　to

save　the　Union；　and　is　not　either　to　save　or　destroy　slavery。　　If　I

could　save　the　Union　without　freeing　any　slave；　I　would　do　it；　and　if

I　could　save　it　by　freeing　all　the　slaves；　I　would　do　it；　and　if　I

could　do　it　by　freeing　some　and　leaving　others　alone；　I　would　also　do

that。　　What　I　do　about　slavery　and　the　colored　race；　I　do　because　I

believe　it　helps　to　save　this　Union；　and　what　I　forbear；　I　forbear

because　I　do　not　believe　it　would　help　to　save　the　Union。　　I　shall　do

less　whenever　I　shall　believe　what　I　am　doing　hurts　the　cause；　and　I

shall　do　more　whenever　I　shall　believe　doing　more　will　help　the

cause。　　I　shall　try　to　correct　errors　when　shown　to　be　errors；　and　I

shall　adopt　new　views　so　fast　as　they　shall　appear　to　be　true　views。

I　have　here　stated　my　purpose　according　to　my　view　of　official　duty；

and　I　intend　no　modification　of　my　oft　expressed　personal　wish　that

all　men；　everywhere；　could　be　free。



Yours；



A。　LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM　TO　GOVERNOR　YATES。



WAR　DEPARTMENT；　WASHINGTON；　D。C。；　August　13。1862。　　8　A。M。



HON。　R。　YATES；　Springfield；　Ill。：



I　am　pained　to　hear　that　you　reject　the　service　of　an　officer　we　sent

to　assist　in　organizing　and　getting　off　troops。　　Pennsylvania　and

Indiana　accepted　such　officers　kindly；　and　they　now　have　more　than

twice　as　many　new　troops　in　the　field　as　all　the　other　States

together。　　If　Illinois　had　got　forward　as　many　troops　as　Indiana；

Cumberland　Gap　would　soon　be　relieved　from　its　present　peril。　　Please

do　not　ruin　us　on　punctilio。



A。　LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM　TO　GOVERNOR　RAMSEY。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　August　27；　1862



GOVERNOR　RAMSEY；　St。　　Paul；　Minnesota：



Yours　received。　　Attend　to　the　Indians。　　If　the　draft　cannot　proceed；

of　course　it　will　not　proceed。　　Necessity　knows　no　law。　　The

government　cannot　extend　the　time。



A。　LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM　TO　GENERAL　G。　B。　McCLELLAN。



WASHINGTON　CITY；　August　27；　1862　　4　P。M。



MAJOR…GENERAL　McCLEL