the writings-5-第40章

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any　hard　feelings　toward　any　citizen　who　by　his　vote　has　differed

with　us。　　Let　us　at　all　times　remember　that　all　American　citizens　are

brothers　of　a　common　country；　and　should　dwell　together　in　the　bonds

of　fraternal　feeling。　　Let　me　again　beg　you　to　accept　my　thanks；　and

to　excuse　me　from　further　speaking　at　this　time。









TO　ALEXANDER　H。　STEPHENS



SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。　　NOV。　30；　1860



HON。　A。　H。　STEPHENS。



MY　DEAR　SIR：I　have　read　in　the　newspapers　your　speech　recently

delivered　（I　think）　before　the　Georgia　Legislature；　or　its　assembled

members。　　If　you　have　revised　it；　as　is　probable；　I　shall　be　much

obliged　if　you　will　send　me　a　copy。



Yours　very　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　HANNIBAL　HAMLIN



（Private）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　December　8；　1860



HON。　HANNIBAL　HAMLIN。



DEAR　SIR：Yours　of　the　4th　was　duly　received。　　The　inclosed　to

Governor　Seward　covers　two　notes　to　him；　copies　of　which　you　find

open　for　your　inspection。　　Consult　with　Judge　Trumbull；　and　if　you

and　he　see　no　reason　to　the　contrary；　deliver　the　letter　to　Governor

Seward　at　once。　　If　you　see　reason　to　the　contrary　write　me　at　once。



I　have　an　intimation　that　Governor　Banks　would　yet　accept　a　place　in

the　Cabinet。　　Please　ascertain　and　write　me　how　this　is；



Yours　very　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









BLOCKING　〃COMPROMISE〃　ON　SLAVERY　ISSUE



TO　E。　B。　WASHBURNE



（Private　and　Confidential。）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。；　December　13；　1860



HON。　E。　B。　WASHBURNE。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Your　long　letter　received。　　Prevent；　as　far　as

possible；　any　of　our　friends　from　demoralizing　themselves　and　our

cause　by　entertaining　propositions　for　compromise　of　any　sort　on

〃slavery　extension。〃　There　is　no　possible　compromise　upon　it　but

which　puts　us　under　again；　and　leaves　all　our　work　to　do　over　again。

Whether　it　be　a　Missouri　line　or　Eli　Thayer's　popular　sovereignty；　it

is　all　the　same。　　Let　either　be　done；　and　immediately　filibustering

and　extending　slavery　recommences。　　On　that　point　hold　firm；　as　with

a　chain　of　steel。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









OPINION　ON　SECESSION



TO　THURLOW　WEED



SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　DECEMBER　17；　1860



MY　DEAR　SIR：Yours　of　the　11th　was　received　two　days　ago。　　Should

the　convocation　of　governors　of　which　you　speak　seem　desirous　to　know

my　views　on　the　present　aspect　of　things；　tell　them　you　judge　from　my

speeches　that　I　will　be　inflexible　on　the　territorial　question；　but　I

probably　think　either　the　Missouri　line　extended；　or　Douglas's　and

Eli　Thayer's　popular　sovereignty　would　lose　us　everything　we　gain　by

the　election；　that　filibustering　for　all　south　of　us　and　making　slave

States　of　it　would　follow　in　spite　of　us；　in　either　case；　also　that　I

probably　think　all　opposition；　real　and　apparent；　to　the　fugitive

slave　clause　of　the　Constitution　ought　to　be　withdrawn。



I　believe　you　can　pretend　to　find　but　little；　if　anything；　in　my

speeches；　about　secession。　　But　my　opinion　is　that　no　State　can　in

any　way　lawfully　get　out　of　the　Union　without　the　consent　of　the

others；　and　that　it　is　the　duty　of　the　President　and　other　government

functionaries　to　run　the　machine　as　it　is。



Truly　yours；



A。　LINCOLN。









SOME　FORTS　SURRENDERED　TO　THE　SOUTH



TO　E。　B。　WASHBURNE



（Confidential）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　December　21；　1860



HON。　E。　B。　WASHBURNE。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Last　night　I　received　your　letter　giving　an　account　of

your　interview　with　General　Scott；　and　for　which　I　thank　you。　　Please

present　my　respects　to　the　General；　and　tell　him；　confidentially；　I

shall　be　obliged　to　him　to　be　as　well　prepared　as　he　can　to　either

hold　or　retake　the　forts；　as　the　case　may　require；　at　and　after　the

inauguration。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　A。　H。　STEPHENS。



（For　your　own　eye　only）



SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　DECEMBER　22；　1860



HON。　ALEXANDER　STEVENS



MY　DEAR　SIR：Your　obliging　answer　to　my　short　note　is　just　received；

and　for　which　please　accept　my　thanks。　　I　fully　appreciate　the

present　peril　the　country　is　in；　and　the　weight　of　responsibility　on

me。　　Do　the　people　of　the　South　really　entertain　fear　that　a

Republican　administration　would；　directly　or　indirectly；　interfere

with　the　slaves；　or　with　them　about　the　slaves？　If　they　do；　I　wish　to

assure　you；　as　once　a　friend；　and　still；　I　hope；　not　an　enemy；　that

there　is　no　cause　for　such　fears。　　The　South　would　be　in　no　more

danger　in　this　respect　than　it　was　in　the　days　of　Washington。　　I

suppose；　however；　this　does　not　meet　the　case。　　You　think　slavery　is

right　and　ought　to　be　extended；　while　we　think　it　is　wrong　and　ought

to　be　restricted。　　That；　I　suppose；　is　the　rub。　　It　certainly　is　the

only　substantial　difference　between　us。



Yours　very　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









SUPPORT　OF　THE　FUGITIVE　SLAVE　CLAUSE



MEMORANDUM



December　＇22？＇；　1860



Resolved：

That　the　fugitive　slave　clause　of　the　Constitution　ought　to　be

enforced　by　a　law　of　Congress；　with　efficient　provisions　for　that

object；　not　obliging　private　persons　to　assist　in　its　execution；　but

punishing　all　who　resist　it；　and　with　the　usual　safeguards　to

liberty；　securing　free　men　against　being　surrendered　as　slaves。



That　all　State　laws；　if　there　be　such；　really　or　apparently　in

conflict　with　such　law　of　Congress；　ought　to　be　repealed；　and　no

opposition　to　the　execution　of　such　law　of　Congress　ought　to　be　made。



That　the　Federal　Union　must　be　preserved。





Prepared　for　the　consideration　of　the　Republican　members　of　the

Senate　Committee　of　Thirteen。









TO　D。　HUNTER。



（Confidential。）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS　December　22；　1860



MAJOR　DAVID　HUNTER。



MY　DEAR　SIR：I　am　much　obliged　by　the　receipt　of　yours　of　the　18th。

The　most　we　can　do　now　is　to　watch　events；　and　be　as　well　prepared　as

possible　for　any　turn　things　may　take。　　If　the　forts　fall；　my

judgment　is　that　they　are　to　be　retaken。　　When　I　shall　determine

definitely　my　time　of　starting　to　Washington；　I　will　notify　you。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　I。　N。　MORRIS



（Confidential。）

SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。；　Dec　24；　1860



HON。　I。　N。　MORRIS。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Without　supposing　that　you　and　I　are　any　nearer

together；　politically；　than　heretofore；　allow　me　to　tender　you　my

sincere　thanks　for　your　Union　resolution；　expressive　of　views　upon

which　we　never　were；　and；　I　trust；　never　will　be　at　variance。



Yours　very　truly；

A。　LINCOLN。









ATTEMPT　TO　FORM　A　COALITION　CABINET



TO　HANNIBAL　HAMLIN



SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　December　14；　1860。



HON。　HANNIBAL　HAMLIN。



MY　DEAR　SIR：I　need　a　man　of　Democratic　antecedents　from　New

England。　　I　cannot　get　a　fair　share　of　that　element　in　without。　　This

stands　in　the　way　of　Mr。　Adams。　　I　think　of　Governor　Banks；　Mr。

Welles；　and　Mr。　Tuck。　　Which　of　them　do　the　New　England　delegation

prefer？　　Or　shall　I　decide　for　myself？



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。













1861





TO　WILLIAM　H。　SEWARD。



（Private。）

SPRINGFIELD。　ILL。；　January　3；　1861。



HON。　W。　H。　SEWARD。



DEAR　SIR：Yours　without　signature　was　received　last　night。　　I　have

been　considering　your　suggestions　as　to　my　reaching　Washington

somewhat　earlier　than　is　usual。　　It　seems　to　me　the　inauguration　is

not　the　most　dangerous　point　for　us。　　Our　adversaries　have　us　now

clearly　at　disadvantage　on　the　second　Wednesday　of　February；　when　the

votes　should　be　officially　counted。　　If　the　two　houses　refuse　to　meet

at　all；　or　meet　without　a　quorum　of　each；　where　shall　we　be？　　I　do

not　think　that　this　counting　is　constitutionally　essential　to　the

election；　but　how　are　we　to　proceed　in　the　absence　of　it？　In　view　of

this；　I　think　it　is　best　for　me　not　to　attempt　appearing　in

Washington　till　the　result　of　that　ceremony　is　known。



It　certainly　would　be　of　s