the writings-5-第53章

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hold　the　right　side　in　the　dispute；　there　still　is　no　single　good

reason　for　precipitate　action。　　Intelligence；　patriotism；

Christianity；　and　a　firm　reliance　on　Him　who　has　never　yet　forsaken

this　favored　land；　are　still　competent　to　adjust　in　the　best　way　all

our　present　difficulty。



In　your　hands；　my　dissatisfied　fellow…countrymen；　and　not　in　mine；　is

the　momentous　issue　of　civil　war。　　The　government　will　not　assail

you。　　You　can　have　no　conflict　without　being　yourselves　the

aggressors。　　You　have　no　oath　registered　in　heaven　to　destroy　the

government；　while　I　shall　have　the　most　solemn　one　to　〃preserve；

protect；　and　defend〃　it。



I　am　loath　to　close。　　We　are　not　enemies；　but　friends。　　We　must　not

be　enemies。　　Though　passion　may　have　strained；　it　must　not　break；　our

bonds　of　affection。　　The　mystic　chords　of　memory；　stretching　from

every　battle…field　and　patriot　grave　to　every　living　heart　and

hearthstone　all　over　this　broad　land；　will　yet　swell　the　chorus　of

the　Union　when　again　touched；　as　surely　they　will　be；　by　the　better

angels　of　our　nature。









REFUSAL　OF　SEWARD　RESIGNATION



TO　WM。　H。　SEWARD。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　March　4；　1861。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Your　note　of　the　2d　instant；　asking　to　withdraw　your

acceptance　of　my　invitation　to　take　charge　of　the　State　Department；

was　duly　received。　　It　is　the　subject　of　the　most　painful　solicitude

with　me；　and　I　feel　constrained　to　beg　that　you　will　countermand　the

withdrawal。　　The　public　interest；　I　think；　demands　that　you　should；

and　my　personal　feelings　are　deeply　enlisted　in　the　same　direction。

Please　consider　and　answer　by　9　A。M。　to…morrow。



Your　obedient　servant；



A。　LINCOLN。









REPLY　TO　THE　PENNSYLVANIA　DELEGATION；



WASHINGTON；　MARCH　5；　1861



Mr。　CHAIRMAN　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　PENNSYLVANIAN　　DELEGATION：As　I

have　so　frequently　said　heretofore；　when　I　have　had　occasion　to

address　the　people　of　the　Keystone；　in　my　visits　to　that　State；　I　can

now　but　repeat　the　assurance　of　my　gratification　at　the　support　you

gave　me　at　the　election；　and　at　the　promise　of　a　continuation　of　that

support　which　is　now　tendered　to　me。



Allusion　has　been　made　to　the　hope　that　you　entertain　that　you　have　a

President　and　a　government。　　In　respect　to　that　I　wish　to　say　to　you

that　in　the　position　I　have　assumed　I　wish　to　do　more　than　I　have

ever　given　reason　to　believe　I　would　do。　　I　do　not　wish　you　to

believe　that　I　assume　to　be　any　better　than　others　who　have　gone

before　me。　　I　prefer　rather　to　have　it　understood　that　if　we　ever

have　a　government　on　the　principles　we　profess；　we　should　remember；

while　we　exercise　our　opinion；　that　others　have　also　rights　to　the

exercise　of　their　opinions；　and　that　we　should　endeavor　to　allow

these　rights；　and　act　in　such　a　manner　as　to　create　no　bad　feeling。

I　hope　we　have　a　government　and　a　President。　　I　hope；　and　wish　it　to

be　understood；　that　there　may　he　no　allusion　to　unpleasant

differences。



We　must　remember　that　the　people　of　all　the　States　are　entitled　to

all　the　privileges　and　immunities　of　the　citizens　of　the　several

States。　　We　should　bear　this　in　mind；　and　act　in　such　a　way　as　to　say

nothing　insulting　or　irritating。　　I　would　inculcate　this　idea；　so

that　we　may　not；　like　Pharisees；　set　ourselves　up　to　be　better　than

other　people。



Now；　my　friends；　my　public　duties　are　pressing　to…day；　and　will

prevent　my　giving　more　time　to　you。　　Indeed；　I　should　not　have　left

them　now；　but　I　could　not　well　deny　myself　to　so　large　and

respectable　a　body。









REPLY　TO　THE　MASSACHUSETTS　DELEGATION；



WASHINGTON；　MARCH　5；　1861



I　am　thankful　for　this　renewed　assurance　of　kind　feeling　and

confidence；　and　the　support　of　the　old　Bay　State；　in　so　far　as　you；

Mr。　Chairman；　have　expressed；　in　behalf　of　those　whom　you　represent；

your　sanction　of　what　I　have　enunciated　in　my　inaugural　address。

This　is　very　grateful　to　my　feelings。　　The　object　was　one　of　great

delicacy；　in　presenting　views　at　the　opening　of　an　administration

under　the　peculiar　circumstances　attending　my　entrance　upon　the

official　duties　connected　with　the　Government。　　I　studied　all　the

points　with　great　anxiety；　and　presented　them　with　whatever　of

ability　and　sense　of　justice　I　could　bring　to　bear。　　If　it　met　the

approbation　of　our　good　friends　in　Massachusetts；　I　shall　be

exceedingly　gratified；　while　I　hope　it　will　meet　the　approbation　of

friends　everywhere。　　I　am　thankful　for　the　expressions　of　those　who

have　voted　with　us；　and　like　every　other　man　of　you；　I　like　them　as

certainly　as　I　do　others。　　As　the　President　in　the　administration　of

the　Government；　I　hope　to　be　man　enough　not　to　know　one　citizen　of

the　United　States　from　another；　nor　one　section　from　another。　　I

shall　be　gratified　to　have　good　friends　of　Massachusetts　and　others

who　have　thus　far　supported　me　in　these　national　views　still　to

support　me　in　carrying　them　out。









TO　SECRETARY　SEWARD



EXECUTIVE　CHAMBER；　MARCH　7；　1861



MY　DEAR　SIR：Herewith　is　the　diplomatic　address　and　my　reply。　　To

whom　the　reply　should　be　addressedthat　is；　by　what　title　or　style

I　do　not　quite　understand；　and　therefore　I　have　left　it　blank。



Will　you　please　bring　with　you　to…day　the　message　from　the　War

Department；　with　General　Scott's　note　upon　it；　which　we　had　here

yesterday？　I　wish　to　examine　the　General's　opinion；　which　I　have　not

yet　done。



Yours　very　truly

A。　LINCOLN。









REPLY　TO　THE　DIPLOMATIC　CORPS



WASHINGTON；　THURSDAY；　MARCH　7；　1861



Mr。　FIGANIERE　AND　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　DIPLOMATIC　BODY：Please　accept　my

sincere　thanks　for　your　kind　congratulations。　　It　affords　me　pleasure

to　confirm　the　confidence　you　so　generously　express　in　the　friendly

disposition　of　the　United　States；　through　me；　towards　the　sovereigns

and　governments　you　respectively　represent。　　With　equal　satisfaction

I　accept　the　assurance　you　are　pleased　to　give；　that　the　same

disposition　is　reciprocated　by　your　sovereigns；　your　governments；　and

yourselves。



Allow　me　to　express　the　hope　that　these　friendly　relations　may　remain

undisturbed；　arid　also　my　fervent　wishes　for　the　health　and　happiness

of　yourselves　personally。









TO　SECRETARY　SEWARD



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　MARCH　11；1861



HON。　SECRETARY　OF　STATE。

DEAR　SIR：What　think　you　of　sending　ministers　at　once　as　follows：

Dayton　to　England；　Fremont　to　France；　Clay　to　Spain；　Corwin　to

Mexico？



We　need　to　have　these　points　guarded　as　strongly　and　quickly　as

possible。　　This　is　suggestion　merely；　and　not　dictation。



Your　obedient　servant；

A。　LINCOLN。









TO　J。　COLLAMER



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　MARCH　12；　1861



HON。　JACOB　COLLAMER。

MY　DEAR　SIR：God　help　me。　　It　is　said　I　have　offended　you。　　I　hope

you　will　tell　me　how。



Yours　very　truly；

A。　LINCOLN。





March　14；　1861。

DEAR　SIR：I　am　entirely　unconscious　that　you　have　any　way　offended

me。　　I　cherish　no　sentiment　towards　you　but　that　of　kindness　and

confidence。

Your　humble　servant；

J。　COLLAMER



　＇Returned　with　indorsement：＇



Very　glad　to　know　that　I　have　n't。

A。　LINCOLN。









TO　THE　POSTMASTER…GENERAL。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　MARCH　13；　1861



HON。　P。　M。　G。



DEAR　SIR：The　bearer　of　this；　Mr。　C。　T。　Hempstow；　is　a　Virginian　who

wishes　to　get；　for　his　son；　a　small　place　in　your　Dept。　　I　think

Virginia　should　be　heard；　in　such　cases。



LINCOLN。









NOTE　ASKING　CABINET　OPINIONS　ON　FORT　SUMTER。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　MARCH　15；　1861



THE　HONORABLE　SECRETARY　OF　WAR。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Assuming　it　to　be　possible　to　now　provision　Fort

Sumter；　under　all　the　circumstances　is　it　wise　to　attempt　it？　　Please

give　me　your　opinion　in　writing　on　this　question。



Your　obedient　servant；



A。　LINCOLN。



＇Same　to　other　members　of　the　Cabinet。＇









ON　ROYAL　ARBITRATION　OF　AMERICAN　BOUNDARY　LINE



TO　THE　SENATE