The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-25
A Voice from Springfield.
THE VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT ELECT ON
THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. It.4l

THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. lsfya
We find in the Missouri Democrat an ac-
count of an interview with Mr.. LINCOLN,
which will command the attention of the
country. The writer is gentleman of st.
Louis. Being introduced into Mr.. LIN.
coins parlor he found him engaged in q
conversation with an Ex-Governor of Hi
nois, and the subject was letter Mr.. L.
had written to some Southern gentlemen, in
which it seemed that. Mr.. L. had given his
views at some length upon political topics !;
but not for publication, with bis reasons
why it ought not to appear in print. The
writer says: -.ala, .-4. .4-. t. ,oa.t
Mr.. Lincoln expressed himself upon every
topic which was brought up with perfect
freedom. He said at one period of the
conversation, be hoped gentlemen would
bear in mind that be was not speaking as
President, but only exercising the privilege
of talking which belonged to him, in COM
mon with private citizens. AL ~
chose rather to be q listener than
talker, and paid careful attention both to
Mr.. Lincoln's matter and manner, and al.
though he seemed to talk without regard to
the fact of his being the President elect,
yet it was disc0verable that he chose his
words and framed his sentences with DELHI
Grafton, and with discretion becoming his
high position.
He was asked "Do you think the Mis-
souri, Compromise line ought to be restored?"
He replied that although the recent Presi-
dental election was verdict of the people
in favor of freedom upon all the territories,
yet personally he aOould be walling, for the
sake of the Union, to divide the territory aDe
noao o,on by that line, If in the judgment of
the nation it aOould SAGE the Union and restore
harmony. But whether the acquisition of
territory hereafter would not reopen the
question and renew the strife, was ques-
tion to be thought of and in some way pro-
vided against.
He had been inquired of whether be in
tended to recommend the repeal of the anti
fugitive slave laws of the States. He re-
piled that he had never read one of them,
but that if they were of the character
ascribed to them by southern men, they
certainly ought to be repealed. Whether,
as President of the United States, he ought
to interfere with state legislation by Pres
idential recommendation, required more
thought than he had yet given the subject.
He had also been asked if he intended to
interfere or recommend an interference with
slavery or the right Of holding slaves on the
dock>yards and arsenals of the United
States? His reply was, I" Indeed, sir, the
subject has not entered my mind" He was
inquired of whether he intended to recom-
mend the abolition Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia ? to which he replied, 6. Upon
my word, have not given the subject a
thought A gentleman present said to
him, Well, Mr.. Lincoln, suppose these
difficulties should not be settled before you
are inaugurated, what will you do?" He
replied, with a smile, "Well, suppose I
will have to run the machine as 1 find it." In
speaking on the subject of compromise,
he said, ut Nas sometimes better for man
to pay debt he did not one, or to lose a
demand ,Ohich aOas a just one, than to go to
law about it but then, in compromising our
difficulties, he would regret to see the vic
tors put in the attitude of the vanquished,
and the vanquished in the place of the vic
tors" He would not contribute to any
such compromise.
The Chicago Post says it is well UNDER
stood that the author of the above letter, is
Hon. EDWARD BATES, who has been invited
by MIR. LINCOLN to seat in his Cabinet.