the writings-5-第77章

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laid　before　you。



Under　and　by　virtue　of　the　act　of　Congress　entitled　〃An　act　to

confiscate　property　used　for　insurrectionary　purposes；〃　approved

August　6；　1861；　the　legal　claims　of　certain　persons　to　the　labor　and

service　of　certain　other　persons　have　become　forfeited；　and　numbers

of　the　latter　thus　liberated　are　already　dependent　on　the　United

States；　and　must　be　provided　for　in　some　way。　　Besides　this；　it　is

not　impossible　that　some　of　the　States　will　pass　similar　enactments

for　their　own　benefit　respectively；　and　by　operation　of　which　persons

of　the　same　class　will　be　thrown　upon　them　for　disposal。　　In　such

case　I　recommend　that　Congress　provide　for　accepting　such　persons

from　such　States；　according　to　some　mode　of　valuation；　in　lieu；　pro

tanto；　of　direct　taxes；　or　upon　some　other　plan　to　be　agreed　on　with

such　States　respectively；　that　such　persons；　on　such　acceptance　by

the　General　Government；　be　at　once　deemed　free；　and　that　in　any　event

steps　be　taken　for　colonizing　both　classes　（or　the　one　first

mentioned　if　the　other　shall　not　be　brought　into　existence）　at　some

place　or　places　in　a　climate　congenial　to　them。　　It　might　be　well　to

consider；　too；　whether　the　free　colored　people　already　in　the　United

States　could　not；　so　far　as　individuals　may　desire；　be　included　in

such　colonization。



To　carry　out　the　plan　of　colonization　may　involve　the　acquiring　of

territory；　and　also　the　appropriation　of　money　beyond　that　to　be

expended　in　the　territorial　acquisition。　　Having　practised　the

acquisition　of　territory　for　nearly　sixty　years；　the　question　of

constitutional　power　to　do　so　is　no　longer　an　open　one　with　us。　　The

power　was　questioned　at　first　by　Mr。　Jefferson；　who；　however；　in　the

purchase　of　Louisiana；　yielded　his　scruples　on　the　plea　of　great

expediency。　　If　it　be　said　that　the　only　legitimate　object　of

acquiring　territory　is　to　furnish　homes　for　white　men；　this　measure

effects　that　object；　for　emigration　of　colored　men　leaves　additional

room　for　white　men　remaining　or　coming　here。　　Mr。　Jefferson；　however；

placed　the　importance　of　procuring　Louisiana　more　on　political　and

commercial　grounds　than　on　providing　room　for　population。



On　this　whole　proposition；　including　the　appropriation　of　money　with

the　acquisition　of　territory；　does　not　the　expediency　amount　to

absolute　necessitythat　without　which　the　government　itself　cannot

be　perpetuated？



The　war　continues。　　In　considering　the　policy　to　be　adopted　for

suppressing　the　insurrection　I　have　been　anxious　and　careful　that　the

inevitable　conflict　for　this　purpose　shall　not　degenerate　into　a

violent　and　remorseless　revolutionary　struggle。　　I　have　therefore　in

every　case　thought　it　proper　to　keep　the　integrity　of　the　Union

prominent　as　the　primary　object　of　the　contest　on　our　part；　leaving

all　questions　which　are　not　of　vital　military　importance　to　the　more

deliberate　action　of　the　Legislature。



In　the　exercise　of　my　best　discretion　I　have　adhered　to　the　blockade

of　the　ports　held　by　the　insurgents；　instead　of　putting　in　force　by

proclamation　the　law　of　Congress　enacted　at　the　late　session　for

closing　those　ports。



So　also；　obeying　the　dictates　of　prudence；　as　well　as　the　obligations

of　law；　instead　of　transcending　I　have　adhered　to　the　act　of　Congress

to　confiscate　property　used　for　insurrectionary　purposes。　　If　a　new

law　upon　the　same　subject　shall　be　proposed；　its　propriety　will　be

duly　considered。　　The　Union　must　be　preserved；　and　hence　all

indispensable　means　must　be　employed。　　We　should　not　be　in　haste　to

determine　that　radical　and　extreme　measures；　which　may　reach　the

loyal　as　well　as　the　disloyal；　are　indispensable。



The　inaugural　address　at　the　beginning　of　the　Administration　and　the

message　to　Congress　at　the　late　special　session　were　both　mainly

devoted　to　topics　domestic　controversy　out　of　which　the　insurrection

and　consequent　war　have　sprung。　　Nothing　now　occurs　to　add　or

subtract　to　or　from　the　principles　or　general　purposes　stated　and

expressed　in　those　documents。



The　last　ray　of　hope　for　preserving　the　Union　peaceably　expired　at

the　assault　upon　Fort　Sumter；　and　a　general　review　of　what　has

occurred　since　may　not　be　unprofitable。　　What　was　painfully　uncertain

then　is　much　better　defined　and　more　distinct　now；　and　the　progress

of　events　is　plainly　in　the　right　direction。　　The　insurgents

confidently　claimed　a　strong　support　from　north　of　Mason　and　Dixon's

line；　and　the　friends　of　the　Union　were　not　free　from　apprehension　on

the　point。　　This；　however；　was　soon　settled　definitely；　and　on　the

right　side。　　South　of　the　line　noble　little　Delaware　led　off　right

from　the　first。　　Maryland　was　made　to　seem　against　the　Union。　　Our

soldiers　were　assaulted；　bridges　were　burned；　and　railroads　torn　up

within　her　limits；　and　we　were　many　days　at　one　time　without　the

ability　to　bring　a　single　regiment　over　her　soil　to　the　capital。　　Now

her　bridges　and　railroads　are　repaired　and　open　to　the　government；

she　already　gives　seven　regiments　to　the　cause　of　the　Union；　and　none

to　the　enemy；　and　her　people；　at　a　regular　election；　have　sustained

the　Union　by　a　larger　majority　and　a　larger　aggregate　vote　than　they

ever　before　gave　to　any　candidate　or　any　question。　　Kentucky；　too；

for　some　time　in　doubt；　is　now　decidedly　and；　I　think；　unchangeably

ranged　on　the　side　of　the　Union。　　Missouri　is　comparatively　quiet；

and；　I　believe；　can；　not　again　be　overrun　by　the　insurrectionists。

These　three　States　of　Maryland；　Kentucky；　and　Missouri；　neither　of

which　would　promise　a　single　soldier　at　first；　have　now　an　aggregate

of　not　less　than　forty　thousand　in　the　field　for　the　Union；　while　of

their　citizens　certainly　not　more　than　a　third　of　that　number；　and

they　of　doubtful　whereabouts　and　doubtful　existence；　are　in　arms

against　us。　　After　a　somewhat　bloody　struggle　of　months；　winter

closes　on　the　Union　people　of　western　Virginia；　leaving　them　masters

of　their　own　country。



An　insurgent　force　of　about　fifteen　hundred；　for　months　dominating

the　narrow　peninsular　region　constituting　the　counties　of　Accomac　and

Northampton；　and　known　as　Eastern　Shore　of　Virginia；　together　with

some　contiguous　parts　of　Maryland；　have　laid　down　their　arms；　and　the

people　there　have　renewed　their　allegiance　to　and　accepted　the

protection　of　the　old　flag。　　This　leaves　no　armed　insurrectionist

north　of　the　Potomac　or　east　of　the　Chesapeake。



Also　we　have　obtained　a　footing　at　each　of　the　isolated　points　on　the

southern　coast　of　Hatteras；　Port　Royal；　Tybee　Island　（near　Savannah）；

and　Ship　Island；　and　we　likewise　have　some　general　accounts　of

popular　movements　in　behalf　of　the　Union　in　North　Carolina　and

Tennessee。



These　things　demonstrate　that　the　cause　of　the　Union　is　advancing

steadily　and　certainly　southward。



Since　your　last　adjournment　Lieutenant…General　Scott　has　retired　from

the　head　of　the　army。　　During　his　long　life　the　nation　has　not　been

unmindful　of　his　merit；　yet　on　calling　to　mind　how　faithfully；　ably；

and　brilliantly　he　has　served　the　country；　from　a　time　far　back　in

our　history；　when　few　of　the　now　living　had　been　born；　and

thenceforward　continually；　I　cannot　but　think　we　are　still　his

debtors。　　I　submit；　therefore；　for　your　consideration　what　further

mark　of　recognition　is　due　to　him；　and　to　ourselves　as　a　grateful

people。



With　the　retirement　of　General　Scott　came　the　Executive　duty　of

appointing　in　his　stead　a　general…in…chief　of　the　army。　　It　is　a

fortunate　circumstance　that　neither　in　council　nor　country　was　there；

so　far　as　I　know；　any　difference　of　opinion　as　to　the　proper　person

to　be　selected。　　The　retiring　chief　repeatedly　expressed　his　judgment

in　favor　of　General　McClellan　for　the　position；　and　in　this　the

nation　seemed　to　give　a　unanimous　concurrence。　　The　designation　of

General　McClellan　is　therefore　in　considerable　degree　the　selection

of　the　country　as　well　as　of　the　Executive；　and　hence　there　is　be