the writings-5-第43章

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ADDRESS　TO　THE　LEGISLATURE　OF　OHIO　AT　COLUMBUS

FEBRUARY　13；　1861



Mr。　PRESIDENT　AND　Mr。　SPEAKER；　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　GENERAL　ASSEMBLY

OF　OHIO：It　is　true；　as　has　been　said　by　the　president　of　the

Senate；　that　very　great　responsibility　rests　upon　me　in　the　position

to　which　the　votes　of　the　American　people　have　called　me。　　I　am

deeply　sensible　of　that　weighty　responsibility。　　I　cannot　but　know

what　you　all　know；　that　without　a　name；　perhaps　without　a　reason　why

I　should　have　a　name；　there　has　fallen　upon　me　a　task　such　as　did　not

rest　even　upon　the　Father　of　his　Country；　and　so　feeling；　I　can　turn

and　look　for　that　support　without　which　it　will　be　impossible　for　me

to　perform　that　great　task。　　I　turn；　then；　and　look　to　the　American

people　and　to　that　God　who　has　never　forsaken　them。　　Allusion　has

been　made　to　the　interest　felt　in　relation　to　the　policy　of　the　new

administration。　　In　this　I　have　received　from　some　a　degree　of　credit

for　having　kept　silence；　and　from　others　some　deprecation。　　I　still

think　that　I　was　right。



In　the　varying　and　repeatedly　shifting　scenes　of　the　present；　and

without　a　precedent　which　could　enable　me　to　judge　by　the　past；　it

has　seemed　fitting　that　before　speaking　upon　the　difficulties　of　the

country　I　should　have　gained　a　view　of　the　whole　field；　being　at

liberty　to　modify　and　change　the　course　of　policy　as　future　events

may　make　a　change　necessary。



I　have　not　maintained　silence　from　any　want　of　real　anxiety。　　It　is　a

good　thing　that　there　is　no　more　than　anxiety；　for　there　is　nothing

going　wrong。　　It　is　a　consoling　circumstance　that　when　we　look　out

there　is　nothing　that　really　hurts　anybody。　　We　entertain　different

views　upon　political　questions；　but　nobody　is　suffering　anything。

This　is　a　most　consoling　circumstance；　and　from　it　we　may　conclude

that　all　we　want　is　time；　patience；　and　a　reliance　on　that　God　who

has　never　forsaken　this　people。



Fellow…citizens；　what　I　have　said　I　have　said　altogether

extemporaneously；　and　I　will　now　come　to　a　close。









ADDRESS　AT　STEUBENVILLE；　OHIO；



FEBRUARY　14；　1861



I　fear　that　the　great　confidence　placed　in　my　ability　is　unfounded。

Indeed；　I　am　sure　it　is。　　Encompassed　by　vast　difficulties　as　I　am；

nothing　shall　be　wanting　on　my　part；　if　sustained　by　God　and　the

American　people。　　I　believe　the　devotion　to　the　Constitution　is

equally　great　on　both　sides　of　the　river。　　It　is　only　the　different

understanding　of　that　instrument　that　causes　difficulty。　　The　only

dispute　on　both　sides　is；　'What　are　their　rights？〃　If　the　majority

should　not　rule；　who　would　be　the　judge？　Where　is　such　a　judge　to　be

found？　We　should　all　be　bound　by　the　majority　of　the　American　people；

if　not；　then　the　minority　must　control。　　Would　that　be　right？　Would

it　be　just　or　generous？　Assuredly　not。　　I　reiterate　that　the　majority

should　rule。　　If　I　adopt　a　wrong　policy；　the　opportunity　for

condemnation　will　occur　in　four　years'　time。　　Then　I　can　be　turned

out；　and　a　better　man　with　better　views　put　in　my　place。









ADDRESS　AT　PITTSBURGH；　PENNSYLVANIA

FEBRUARY　15；　1861



I　most　cordially　thank　his　Honor　Mayor　Wilson；　and　the　citizens　of

Pittsburg　generally；　for　their　flattering　reception。　　I　am　the　more

grateful　because　I　know　that　it　is　not　given　to　me　alone；　but　to　the

cause　I　represent；　which　clearly　proves　to　me　their　good…will；　and

that　sincere　feeling　is　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　And　here　I　may　remark

that　in　every　short　address　I　have　made　to　the　people；　in　every　crowd

through　which　I　have　passed　of　late；　some　allusion　has　been　made　to

the　present　distracted　condition　of　the　country。　　It　is　natural　to

expect　that　I　should　say　something　on　this　subject；　but　to　touch　upon

it　at　all　would　involve　an　elaborate　discussion　of　a　great　many

questions　and　circumstances；　requiring　more　time　than　I　can　at

present　command；　and　would；　perhaps；　unnecessarily　commit　me　upon

matters　which　have　not　yet　fully　developed　themselves。　　The　condition

of　the　country　is　an　extraordinary　one；　and　fills　the　mind　of　every

patriot　with　anxiety。　　It　is　my　intention　to　give　this　subject　all

the　consideration　I　possibly　can　before　specially　deciding　in　regard

to　it；　so　that　when　I　do　speak　it　may　be　as　nearly　right　as　possible。

When　I　do　speak　I　hope　I　may　say　nothing　in　opposition　to　the　spirit

of　the　Constitution；　contrary　to　the　integrity　of　the　Union；　or　which

will　prove　inimical　to　the　liberties　of　the　people；　or　to　the　peace

of　the　whole　country。　　And　furthermore；　when　the　time　arrives　for　me

to　speak　on　this　great　subject；　I　hope　I　may　say　nothing　to

disappoint　the　people　generally　throughout　the　country；　especially　if

the　expectation　has　been　based　upon　anything　which　I　may　have

heretofore　said。　　Notwithstanding　the　troubles　across　the　river　＇the

speaker　pointing　southwardly　across　the　Monongahela；　and　smiling＇；

there　is　no　crisis　but　an　artificial　one。　　What　is　there　now　to

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

genera