the writings-5-第55章

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Government　toward　you；

I　remain；　etc。；



ABRAHAM　LINCOLN。









SECRETARY　SEWARD'S　BID　FOR　POWER



MEMORANDUM　FROM　SECRETARY　SEWARD；

APRIL　1；　1861



Some　thoughts　for　the　President's　Consideration；



First。　　We　are　at　the　end　of　a　month's　administration；　and　yet

without　a　policy　either　domestic　or　foreign。



Second。　　This；　however；　is　not　culpable；　and　it　has　even　been

unavoidable。　　The　presence　of　the　Senate；　with　the　need　to　meet

applications　for　patronage；　have　prevented　attention　to　other　and

more　grave　matters。



Third。　　But　further　delay　to　adopt　and　prosecute　our　policies　for

both　domestic　and　foreign　affairs　would　not　only　bring　scandal　on　the

administration；　but　danger　upon　the　country。



Fourth。　　To　do　this　we　must　dismiss　the　applicants　for　office。　　But

how？　I　suggest　that　we　make　the　local　appointments　forthwith；　leaving

foreign　or　general　ones　for　ulterior　and　occasional　action。



Fifth。　　The　policy　at　home。　　I　am　aware　that　my　views　are　singular；

and　perhaps　not　sufficiently　explained。　　My　system　is　built　upon　this

idea　as　a　ruling　one；　namely；　that　we　must

CHANGE　THE　QUESTION　BEFORE　THE　PUBLIC　FROM　ONE　UPON　SLAVERY；　OR　ABOUT

SLAVERY；　for　a　question　upon　UNION　OR　DISUNION：

In　other　words；　from　what　would　be　regarded　as　a　party　question；　to

one　of　patriotism　or　union。



The　occupation　or　evacuation　of　Fort　Sumter；　although　not　in　fact　a

slavery　or　a　party　question；　is　so　regarded。　　Witness　the　temper

manifested　by　the　Republicans　in　the　free　States；　and　even　by　the

Union　men　in　the　South。



I　would　therefore　terminate　it　as　a　safe　means　for　changing　the

issue。　　I　deem　it　fortunate　that　the　last　administration　created　the

necessity。



For　the　rest；　I　would　simultaneously　defend　and　reinforce　all　the

ports　in　the　gulf；　and　have　the　navy　recalled　from　foreign　stations

to　be　prepared　for　a　blockade。　　Put　the　island　of　Key　West　under

martial　law。



This　will　raise　distinctly　the　question　of　union　or　disunion。　　I

would　maintain　every　fort　and　possession　in　the　South。





FOR　FOREIGN　NATIONS；



I　would　demand　explanations　from　Spain　and　France；　categorically；　at

once。



I　would　seek　explanations　from　Great　Britain　and　Russia；　and　send

agents　into　Canada；　Mexico；　and　Central　America　to　rouse　a　vigorous

continental　spirit　of　independence　on　this　continent　against　European

intervention。



And；　if　satisfactory　explanations　are　not　received　from　Spain　and

France；



Would　convene　Congress　and　declare　war　against　them。



But　whatever　policy　we　adopt；　there　must　be　an　energetic　prosecution

of　it。



For　this　purpose　it　must　be　somebody's　business　to　pursue　and　direct

it　incessantly。



Either　the　President　must　do　it　himself；　and　be　all　the　while　active

in　it；　or　Devolve　it　on　some　member　of　his　Cabinet。　　Once　adopted；

debates　on　it　must　end；　and　all　agree　and　abide。



It　is　not　in　my　especial　province；　But　I　neither　seek　to　evade　nor

assume　responsibility。









REPLY　TO　SECRETARY　SEWARD'S　MEMORANDUM



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　APRIL　1；　1861



HON。　W。　H。　SEWARD。



MY　DEAR　SIR：Since　parting　with　you　I　have　been　considering　your

paper　dated　this　day；　and　entitled　〃Some　Thoughts　for　the　President's

Consideration。〃　　The　first　proposition　in　it　is；　〃First；　We　are　at

the　end　of　a　month's　administration；　and　yet　without　a　policy　either

domestic　or　foreign。〃



At　the　beginning　of　that　month；　in　the　inaugural；　I　said：　〃The　power

confided　to　me　will　be　used　to　hold；　occupy；　and　possess　the　property

and　places　belonging　to　the　Government；　and　to　Collect　the　duties　and

imposts。〃　This　had　your　distinct　approval　at　the　time；　and；　taken　in

connection　with　the　order　I　immediately　gave　General　Scott；　directing

him　to　employ　every　means　in　his　power　to　strengthen　and　hold　the

forts；　comprises　the　exact　domestic　policy　you　now　urge；　with　the

single　exception　that　it　does　not　propose　to　abandon　Fort　Sumter。



Again；　I　do　not　perceive　how　the　reinforcement　of　Fort　Sumter　would

be　done　on　a　slavery　or　a　party　issue；　while　that　of　Fort　Pickens

would　be　on　a　more　national　and　patriotic　one。



The　news　received　yesterday　in　regard　to　St。　Domingo　certainly　brings

a　new　item　within　the　range　of　our　foreign　policy；　but　up　to　that

time　we　have　been　preparing　circulars　and　instructions　to　ministers

and　the　like；　all　in　perfect　harmony；　without　even　a　suggestion　that

we　had　no　foreign　policy。



Upon　your　Closing　propositionsthat；



〃Whatever　policy　we　adopt；　there　must　be　an　energetic　prosecution　of

it。



〃For　this　purpose　it　must　be　somebody's　business　to　pursue　and　direct

it　incessantly。



〃Either　the　President　must　do　it　himself；　and　be　all　the　while　active

in　it；　or；



〃Devolve　it　on　some　member　of　his　Cabinet。　　Once　adopted；　debates　on

it　must　end；　and　all　agree　and　abide〃



I　remark　that　if　this　must　be　done；　I　must　do　it。　　When　a　general

line　of　policy　is　adopted；　I　apprehend　there　is　no　danger　of　its

being　changed　without　good　reason；　or　continuing　to　be　a　subject　of

unnecessary　debate；　still；　upon　points　arising　in　its　progress　I

wish；　and　suppose　I　am　entitled　to　have；　the　advice　of　all　the

Cabinet。



Your　obedient　servant；



A。　LINCOLN。









REPLY　TO　A　COMMITTEE　FROM　THE　VIRGINIA　CONVENTION；　APRIL　13；　1861



HON。　WILLIAM　BALLARD　PRESTON；　ALEXANDER　H。

H。　STUART；　GEORGE　W。　RANDOLPH；　Esq。



GENTLEMEN：As　a　committee　of　the　Virginia　Convention　now　in　Session；

you　present　me　a　preamble　and　resolution　in　these　words：



〃Whereas；　in　the　opinion　of　this　Convention；　the　uncertainty　which

prevails　in　the　public　mind　as　to　the　policy　which　the　Federal

Executive　intends　to　pursue　toward　the　seceded　States　is　extremely

injurious　to　the　industrial　and　commercial　interests　of　the　country；

tends　to　keep　up　an　excitement　which　is　unfavorable　to　the　adjustment

of　pending　difficulties；　and　threatens　a　disturbance　of　the　public

peace：　therefore



Resolved；　that　a　committee　of　three　delegates　be　appointed　by　this

Convention　to　wait　upon　the　President　of　the　United　States；　present

to　him　this　preamble　and　resolution；　and　respectfully　ask　him　to

communicate　to　this　Convention　the　policy　which　the　Federal　Executive

intends　to　pursue　in　regard　to　the　Confederate　States。



〃Adopted　by　the　Convention　of　the　State　of　Virginia；　Richmond；　April

8；　1861。〃



In　answer　I　have　to　say　that；　having　at　the　beginning　of　my　official

term　expressed　my　intended　policy　as　plainly　as　I　was　able；　it　is

with　deep　regret　and　some　mortification　I　now　learn　that　there　is

great　and　injurious　uncertainty　in　the　public　mind　as　to　what　that

policy　is；　and　what　course　I　intend　to　pursue。　　Not　having　as　yet

seen　occasion　to　change；　it　is　now　my　purpose　to　pursue　the　course

marked　out　in　the　inaugural　address。　　　I　commend　a　careful

consideration　of　the　whole　document　as　the　best　expression　I　can　give

of　my　purposes。



As　I　then　and　therein　said；　I　now　repeat：　〃The　power　confided　to　me

will　be　used　to　hold；　occupy；　and　possess　the　property　and　places

belonging　to　the　Government；　and　to　collect　the　duties　and　imposts；

but　beyond　what　is　necessary　for　these　objects；　there　will　be　no

invasion；　no　using　of　force　against　or　among　the　people　anywhere。〃　By

the　words　〃property　and　places　belonging　to　the　Government；〃　I

chiefly　allude　to　the　military　posts　and　property　which　were　in　the

possession　of　the　Government　when　it　came　to　my　hands。



But　if；　as　now　appears　to　be　true；　in　pursuit　of　a　purpose　to　drive

the　United　States　authority　from　these　places；　an　unprovoked　assault

has　been　made　upon　Fort　Sumter；　I　shall　hold　myself　at　liberty　to

repossess；　if　I　can；　like　places　which　had　been　seized　before　the

Government　was　devolved　upon　me。　　And　in　every　event　I　shall；　to　the

extent　of　my　ability；　repel　force　by　force。　　In　case　it　proves　true

that　Fort　Sumter　has　been　assaulted；　as　is　reported；　I