the writings-5-第49章

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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　something　toward　raising　the　flag。　　I　may；　therefore；

have　said　something　indiscreet。　　I　have　said　nothing　but　what　I　am

willing　to　live　by　and；　if　it　be　the　pleasure　of　Almighty　God；　die

by。









REPLY　TO　THE　WILMINGTON　DELEGATION；



FEBRUARY　22；　1861



MR。　CHAIRMAN：I　feel　highly　flattered　by　the　encomiums　you　have　seen

fit　to　bestow　upon　me。　　Soon　after　the　nomination　of　General　Taylor；

I　attended　a　political　meeting　in　the　city　of　Wilmington；　and　have

since　carried　with　me　a　fond　remembrance　of　the　hospitalities　of　the

city　on　that　occasion。　　The　programme　established　provides　for　my

presence　in　Harrisburg　in　twenty…four　hours　from　this　time。　　I　expect

to　be　in　Washington　on　Saturday。　　It　is；　therefore；　an　impossibility

that　I　should　accept　your　kind　invitation。　　There　are　no　people　whom

I　would　more　gladly　accommodate　than　those　of　Delaware；　but

circumstances　forbid；　gentlemen。　　With　many　regrets　for　the　character

of　the　reply　I　am　compelled　to　give　you；　I　bid　you　adieu。









ADDRESS　AT　LANCASTER；　PENNSYLVANIA；



FEBRUARY　22；　1860



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　OLD　LANCASTER：I　appear　not　to　make　a

speech。　I　have　not　time　to　make　a　speech　at　length；　and　not　strength

to　make　them　on　every　occasion；　and；　worse　than　all；　I　have　none　to

make。　　There　is　plenty　of　matter　to　speak　about　in　these　times；　but

it　is　well　known　that　the　more　a　man　speaks　the　less　he　is

understoodthe　more　he　says　one　thing；　the　more　his　adversaries

contend　he　meant　something　else。　I　shall　soon　have　occasion　to　speak

officially；　and　then　I　will　endeavor　to　put　my　thoughts　just　as　plain

as　I　can　express　myselftrue　to　the　Constitution　and　Union　of　all

the　States；　and　to　the　perpetual　liberty　of　all　the　people。　　Until　I

so　speak；　there　is　no　need　to　enter　upon　details。　　In　conclusion；　I

greet　you　most　heartily；　and　bid　you　an　affectionate　farewell。









ADDRESS　TO　THE　LEGISLATURE　OF　PENNSYLVANIA；　AT　HARRISBURG；



FEBRUARY　22；　1861



MR。　SPEAKER　OF　THE　SENATE；　AND　ALSO　MR。　SPEAKER　OF　THE　HOUSE　OF

REPRESENTATIVES；　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　GENERAL　ASSEMBLY　OF　THE　STATE

OF　PENNSYLVANIA：I　appear　before　you　only　for　a　very　few　brief

remarks　in　response　to　what　has　been　said　to　me。　　I　thank　you　most

sincerely　for　this　reception；　and　the　generous　words　in　which　support

has　been　promised　me　upon　this　occasion。　　I　thank　your　great

commonwealth　for　the　overwhelming　support　it　recently　gave；　not　me

personally；　but　the　cause　which　I　think　a　just　one；　in　the　late

election。



Allusion　has　been　made　to　the　factthe　interesting　fact　perhaps　we

should　saythat　I　for　the　first　time　appear　at　the　capital　of　the

great　commonwealth　of　Pennsylvania　upon　the　birthday　of　the　Father　of

his　Country。　　In　connection　with　that　beloved　anniversary　connected

with　the　history　of　this　country；　I　have　already　gone　through　one

exceedingly　interesting　scene　this　morning　in　the　ceremonies　at

Philadelphia。　　Under　the　kind　conduct　of　gentlemen　there；　I　was　for

the　first　time　allowed　the　privilege　of　standing　in　old　Independence

Hall　to　have　a　few　words　addressed　to　me　there；　and　opening　up　to　me

an　opportunity　of　manifesting　my　deep　regret　that　I　had　not　more　time

to　express　something　of　my　own　feelings　excited　by　the　occasion；　that

had　been　really　the　feelings　of　my　whole　life。



Besides　this；　our　friends　there　had　provided　a　magnificent　flag　of

the　country。　　They　had　arranged　it　so　that　I　was　given　the　honor　of

raising　it　to　the　head　of　its　staff；　and　when　it　went　up　I　was

pleased　that　it　went　to　its　place　by　the　strength　of　my　own　feeble

arm。　　When；　according　to　the　arrangement；　the　cord　was　pulled；　and　it

floated　gloriously　to　the　wind；　without　an　accident；　in　the　bright；

glowing　sunshine　of　the　morning；　I　could　not　help　hoping　that　there

was　in　the　entire　success　of　that　beautiful　ceremony　at　least

something　of　an　omen　of　what　is　to　come。　　Nor　could　I　help　feeling

then；　as　I　have　often　felt；　that　in　the　whole　of　that　proceeding　I

was　a　very　humbled　instrument。　　I　had　not　provided　the　flag；　I　had

not　made　the　arrangements　for　elevating　it　to　its　place；　I　had

applied　but　a　very　small　portion　of　even　my　feeble　strength　in

raising　it。　　In　the　whole　transaction　I　was　in　the　hands　of　the

people　who　had　arranged　it；　and　if　I　can　have　the　same　generous

co…operation　of　the　people　of　this　nation；　I　think　the　flag　of　our

country　may　yet　be　kept　flaunting　gloriously。



I　recur　for　a　moment　but　to　repeat　some　words　uttered　at　the　hotel　in

regard　to　what　has　been　said　about　the　military　support　which　the

General　Government　may　expect　from　the　commonwealth　of　Pennsylvania

in　a　proper　emergency。　　To　guard　against　any　possible　mistake　do　I

recur　to　this。　　It　is　not　with　any　pleasure　that　I　contemplate　the

possibility　that　a　necessity　may　arise　in　this　country　for　the　use　of

the　military　arm。　　While　I　am　exceedingly　gratified　to　see　the

manifestation　upon　your　streets　of　your　military　force　here；　and

exceedingly　gratified　at　your　promise　to　use　that　force　upon　a　proper

emergencywhile　I　make　these　acknowledgments　I　desire　to　repeat；　in

order　to　preclude　any　possible　misconstruction；　that　I　do　most

sincerely　hope　that　we　shall　have　no　use　for　them；　that　it　will　never

become　their　duty　to　shed　blood；　and　most　especially　never　to　shed

fraternal　blood。　　I　promise　that　so　far　as　I　may　have　wisdom　to

direct；　if　so　painful　a　result　shall　in　any　wise　be　brought　about；　it

shall　he　through　no　fault　of　mine。



Allusion　has　also　been　made　by　one　of　your　honored　speakers　to　some

remarks　recently　made　by　myself　at　Pittsburg　in　regard　to　what　is

supposed　to　be　the　especial　interest　of　this　great　commonwealth　of

Pennsylvania。　　I　now　wish　only　to　say　in　regard　to　that　matter；　that

the　few　remarks　which　I　uttered　on　that　occasion　were　rather

carefully　worded。　　I　took　pains　that　they　should　be　so。　　I　have　seen

no　occasion　since　to　add　to　them　or　subtract　from　them。　　I　leave　them

precisely　as　they　stand；　adding　only　now　that　I　am　pleased　to　have　an

expression　from　you；　gentlemen　of　Pennsylvania；　signifying　that　they

are　satisfactory　to　you。



And　now；　gentlemen　of　the　General　Assembly　of　the　Commonwealth　of

Pennsylvania；　allow　me　again　to　return　to　you　my　most　sincere　thanks。









REPLY　TO　THE　MAYOR　OF　WASHINGTON；　D。C。；



FEBRUARY　27；　1861



Mr。　MAYOR：I　thank　you；　and　through　you　the　municipal　authorities　of

this　city　who　accompany　you；　for　this　welcome。　　And　as　it　is　the

first　time　in　my　life；　since　the　present　phase　of　politics　has

presented　itself　in　this　country；　that　I　have　said　anything　publicly

within　a　region　of　country　where　the　institution　of　slavery　exists；　I

will　take　this　occasion　to　say　that　I　think　very　much　of　the　ill

feeling　that　has　existed　and　still　exists　between　the　people　in　the

section　from　which　I　came　and　the　people　here；　is　dependent　upon　a

misunde