, 1859-05-21
TIT. MASSACHUSETTS AKKND1EHT.
letter from Hon. fhr4hAm L1Ne1ns


--~-A-
letter from Hon. !thrahAm Llncen.
lFln;n the S.a;s ,usrua. issa.}
Wsnr. indebted to Dr.. Cauisius for copy OF
a letter written hy alr. Lincoln, in reply to
nose requesting lis views upon the lase action
of the Si2te OF Massachusetts,, III restricting the
right O., :nfrage. We subjoiu s'lc letter:
SrR,.eriE1p. May i, 1s's.
pR. TuEapoaE CAS1s1vs-I'ear Sir: Your note
asking, III ',.huif vi yourself md other t;ersnau
citizens, whether al,l for or uGainst the con.
ktltutiona| provision in regard to nuturullzca
citizens, 1;,:tiv adopted by Massachusetts; and
whether aus for or agniast II fusiun ot the Re-
nub!ican>, aud oi,sr opposition elements. t'r
the canvass ni 1>.;t, is rrcriv+a.
Massachusetts is i sn:rr'i.n AID :;;'',.,ilt-
dent State and it is III privilege If min" IN
sco!d her for " hat she durs. :sti.l ii from what
she has done. M inference is sought to be
drawn as to what would do, may, without
improperly, speak out. l say then, that as |
understand the Massachusetts provision, uni
against its ndoptiun in Illinois, Ut in any other
rlace, where haye right to oppose it. In
slerstandiny the spirit Of our institutions to ain
1T the ELEVATION OF men, IN, opposed to what
ever tends to nEGRAnE them. have some little
notoricty for cons5nisscrating the oppressed con-
dition of the negro; and should be strangely
inconsistent II ! could favor any project for
curtailing the existing rights of.wH17E MEN, even
thougl. born in different lands. aud speaking
different lauguages from myself
As to the matter Of fu>iou, am for it, il it
can be had OIL Republic: grounds; and ana
nut for it On any other terms. a tualon On any
other terms would be as foolish as unprncipled.
1t would lose the whole North, while the com:
mon enemy would still carry the whole Soutt
The question Of men is Il different one There
are good patriotic men and able statesmen in
tue South. whom would checrfully support, II
ttcv would now place themselves IN Republican
ground; but ain against letting down the Re-
publican standard u hairs bread1h.
| have written this lustily. but believe it
answers your questions substantially:
Yours, truly. 4. LINCOLN.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE REPUBLICANS Of PEORIA.
At meeting Of the Republicans Of Peoria,
If which Dr. ]. D. Arnold Was President, and
Wm. l.. Avery, Secretary, l.. X. Webb from tue
Comm5:tc. on Resolutions, reported thc fullow-
ingt which we're unanimously adopted:
The Republicans nf the city Of Peoria, in
meeting assembled, for the purpose Of con-
chuset.> imposing additional restrictions upon
the rights of suffrage of foreign burn citizens
Of that State, do
L,sol,, Tnat as one Of tue charges preferred
by our furetathers III the Declaration IF Ipde-
pcndcncr against the king Of Great Ertain was,
lion Of these states, for thai purpose obstruct-
ing the law for the naturalization Of foreigners,
ana relnS,us ~ eneoura ,'v1 Ia,'u"
sire. aud mtol.rant action Of thu people uf Mas
sachusetts, believe it to be incumbent on us to
denGllllce t'le sumo IN nn@easnrea terms: as u.
cn,',! !;nI " nt I'd a. cnntr,rv ~ tr sr;r;, n
our ire institutions.
hsoI,,a. That believing a. We do that the reo-
f''e VI !it'Ho'' a.. e'e. iurIteo ~ 'oiu
'oil4 e"':1"@ ''' 'ue no.sn ~ a.. ..I.ln
and ,.;>o uyina that The spjr;t Of our inst,,l,
rious aud The constitution ot' our country both
guarantee ]it,vrt, Of conscience and equality of
rights among citizens, VI decm j, to be the poll
cy u1,d the ju,y Of thu Republican party to in
yite and encourage thr atIiliation and co.opcra-
lion Of alI men, toreign Us well ns native, 10 lie
end that the caust OF Freedom nav be ,romut.
I'd aud 1hc n,utrrial growtl, un,l irosnerity Of
our rountr, ,,,ay be augmented.
11anrr c.ov, ~, mad, n, o1,horo+, c;,-c;
A''1' A'" " A'~
Die anu conclusive speech III support ol the re-
solutions lie was followed by Peter Davidson
f., wbo ,,,1rcsscd tp ,,aa,in,, r., , n,,ct;c,
nnd f'' ,.tf,,nt;v,. fa,G ,nanner r
sucxcu or ~ n urpxnox reo ,rpvuoxr r,rc
- -nn ~ 1,1,;I
80,
al Il meeting o1 Inc ionhg Mems hepuDh'
can Club Of Spring6eld-the' proceedings o.
which H.. ,r,,;s,,cd d.r mr. t,vo x;ncc nr
heFndoho VI '''a' Guy, oeh'cfea an etect''e aho
eloquent speech. After rapidly surveying the
staff, of Eur,,,e and rho Enronr.n crisis
.>.,,,,,,.,, - A. nnn,a ~ ,,a oes,t;nan4 ca'
.ne st'uS'es y. ~. peoi'e " 'Nc eo"''ne"t 4''
liberty and nationality md comp|lmcnted the
American people on tlleir prosperity, peace
.,n] noxcr Vr u snolc sub.t,nti,11v os f,,,
l,wss j"v s'"e' ill., 49, 'l'Ae 0o'S'AD'' 's ''''
T.:'..,,. n, ,.,
fi!a'in' ~ MF. ires,oent. Wy A1e EatneFeo mere
III thlS Aal! $o-"'gnt-"e Eepuo9'cans, native
and t"felSn b"rn-for the special purpose OF CIV
'nR vsht IL our sentiments ana expression to
our IDEAS on t'le late aci q Massac4nsetts IN r.
!at'on to her naturallzcd clt'zcns. We Rernbli'
cans Us eaflzens OF thfs city ana the state OF l1
no's, do not pretend that We iaye my right 10
dictate to sister state Of tins ln'op, what m
stllu1lons she *hdf. or stat hof hare. but as
American c1'lzehs-as AcfublcanS-"e have
some dear rights ana When any IA" OF any
s1ate l'roleet'nslH aets upon us. reaches outSH'e
~ .as 3"u ~ 20 pl,ns a"o sHeep' III
Jarsonsls anu ass1tneuss.s auec!s U.s. theh "t
havc IN nhnonnteu fl-h1 10 give SPECIFY a"c
M
son 10 o'' l"e;s IN 1e'MM'h ~! 'nereto' !MuS I'LL
We 70, oh' III, 'artleF' me iate act ot MlSsa
cAustit> t"ucnrS tile "hoie heP9ollcan party
ron Maine ~ georgia. ana 'som ~" iofk .
ta!i'ofnE'; 'o' "nty hoa' bnt 1af distant IN III
lo1ufe' n'l!ess in"' 1nut,s5;, unurts.1oa, u, vo,.,
~ ~ n1" "... aau1! s,oou si' ~ :ass.cnsnt'':
.''a' .h r' ~ t . - p. ''
n:. noe WYNN .eFs 1F: ~: ~ ~. t"s:s " 'l4t
tohSl'1u.!oha. i'sos'saon' "alous u IL -. 10Y
'olu i'l't' >" ns naau 'i' i1, l'"Non, "'''It
says, n substance, t;'at luz democracy fea'i.'
"an'cu 'He ~" Passeu sotl1e 'o'!'s l9i ~ Ss'1''
Sea'!elsh@ .'S;'s IL. I:s ls.or VI .ile oaf Vi !h'
elcct1"h: anu III wanting IL I" PasS ana r"t1ns
,'ontl! ior u. i"es cou'o nave Killed IL II thes'
Has1 "'s"eo ~ ~ '''
!ic.s y! 't'4s ~" ~ 's9aeu",v: y. nt'Tilt ~
la.l,.t' ,t nnoer, mg" e H. y ,'1t5.oi iIm@ " tn
t Trn,,;cans If i1l;ras ', r. H., '.''l n
.e ~. VI =. $.ie ~
"se.nst e n1 Is.',s ro'!ss
Tn 11u ,u. Ir ~ ;,,; ~ oata
,,'; -. re" I".7vs :
t:- 80" ~, aI1 ,ha i,,,hnnt' ' ,;.,,,ts ~ 1me,
@ r;,;1n.s s :,,chin~ M ,hrrcto and ,s;, Srs a.'
'''E w. ~ ~ "ci q
III W saH.n .'" s1cSl% u n ,''1e,eu.s shlonsa
t'e H'ua U" ~ as,s. III; ID" y. 'ass4enasg,' :,
| ue"les or 1epta'a.es 'nln' anu W. as NJ
| t"pl.: .ls' ~ ~" onu IT, :: s .A' ~ nus
| heart'ls aha unanimously a'sappro'e tn's "a"
because y + contrary III lahaan'eM!a' principles
and Tor the t"!loW!ng reasons: FlFst-b -bera'is
ana unjust !" Oil tnat elaSs u american c''l
| zens "no i44pPsneo !" " oo'r r., on In1opea'
| SUI al'o "1"e1 ""t ;1u4tt'e"n. 1"eSe et'Aeh"
inte4l1EeW' '"l nno l"ll''''c MN. na'e ne'
from luz towering oppressive iarones-ltoi
CHAINS aii ~ siitte'lns f''yn"s's q tue despots
Tue oht nild' ana n'Ee landeo among us II
makc ti1ls Their .>!oi':;a Tree holnc' suPposln:
7 WDHI