The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-15
The President Elect En- Route for
Washington.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Feb. IL.
Mr.. Lincoln left home at half past seven
o'clock this morning, accompanied by
large cOncourse to the depot, where nearly
one thousand citizens had already collected.
After he had shaken hands with number
of his friends, he took his stand on the
platform, and spoke as follows:
My FRIENDS mo one not in my posi-.
tiOn, can appreciate the sadness I feel at
this parting. To this people owe all that
am. Here have lived more than quar-
ter of a century-here my children were
born, and here one of them lies buried. l
know not how soon l shall see you again.
A duty devolves upon me which is perhaps
greater than that which has devolved upon
any other man since the days of Washing
ton. He never would have succeeded, ex-
cept for the aid of Divine Providence, upon
which he at all times relied. feel that
cannot succeed without the same Divine aid
which sustained him, and in the same Al
mighty Being place my reliance for sup.
port. l bope you, my friends, will pray
that may receive the same Divine assist
ance, without which cannot succeed, but
with which success is certain. Again bid
all an affectionate farewell. Loud applause
and cries of 1--WE will pray for you."
During the speech Mr.. Lincoln displayed
much emotion and the crowd was affected
to tears. Train left at $3.50 A. NJ
Te!egraphs from Decatur, Naperville
and State Line, report party in fine spirits.
Mr.. Lincoln spoke briefly to the large
crowds that gathered at depots on the
route.
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. IL.
The firing of "a guns announced the ap,
preaching train bringing the Prt sident
elect and party. The President was re.
ceived and welcomed by Governor o. P.
Morton, and escorted to carriage drawn
by four white horses. The procession FORM
ed itself into pagaent, seldom if ever wit
messed here before, The procession was
composed of the members of both Houses
of the Legislature, public officers, municipal
authority, military and fire companies, citi.
zens and strangers.
The President elect stood in his carriage
acknowledging the welcome. The process
sion upon reaching the Bates House halted
and MIR. Lincoln was escorted to the balcony
where he addressed his fellow citizens.
He said be came here to thank them for
the support given by Indiana to true and
just cause. Coercion and invasion are terms
much used now with temper and hot blood.
Let US not misunderstood their meaning,
nor the meaning of those who use them.
Let US get their meaning from the men
who deprecate tie things they would
represent by their use. What is
the meaning of these words Would
marching an army into South Carolina
with hostile intent be invasion. l think it
would. and it would be coersion also, if the
South CarOlinians were forced to submit
but if the United States should merely hold
and retake its own forts and collect the du.
ties, or withhold the-mais, where they were
habitually violated, would any or all these
things be invasion or coersicn Do pro.
| fessiOnal. union.lovers who resolve to resist
coersion understand that such things as
these on the part of the United States would
be coersion or invasion? If they do, their
idea of the preservation of the Union is ex-
ceedDgly thin and airy. In their view,
the Union as family relation, would seem
to be no regular marriage, but sort of
free love arrangement to be maintained by
passional attraction. In what consists the
special sacredness of state? l speak not
OF the position assigned to state in the
Union by the Constitution, for in that by
the bond, we are recognized. If a stateor
county possess equal rights in Territories
and inhabitants, in what, as a matter of
principle, is the State better than the
county: Would an exchange of names be
an exchange of rights? Upon principle,
by what rightful principle may state hav-
ing not more than one fifteenth part of the
nation, break up the nation and then CO.
cree the larger division of itself. What
mysterious right to place is conferred on
district OF country with its people calling it
a state.
Mr.. L. in conclusion said be was not as
serting any thing, but asking questions for
them to consider and decide in their own
minds what was right and what was wrong.
AT o'clock this evening, the members
OF the Legislature paid their respects to the
President elect who is now holding recep.
ton at the Bates House. The President
elect leave fOrs Cincinnati to morrow.