Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-03-08
,nicable or hostile must continue between

!. rmicable or hostile must continue between
them.
Is it possible then to make that intercourst
more advantageous or moro satisfactory
after separation than beforcy Can aliens
makc treaties better than frlends Can they
make laws? Can treaties b. more faithfully
enforced between aliens than laws can among
friends
Suppose you 60 TO war you cannot fight
always, and when after much loss on both
sides, and no gain on either, you cease fight.
ing the identical questions as to terms Of in.
tercourse arc again upon you. This country
with its institutions belongs to the people
who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow
weary Of the existing Government they can
exercise their Constitutional rights in amend.
ing, or their revolutionary right to dismem.
Der or overthrow it.
cannot BE- ignorant of the fact that many
worthy and patriotic citizens are DESTROYS Of
having the national Constitution amended
While make no recommendation of amend
mcnt, fully recognize the full authority Of
the people over the whole subject, to be exer.
cised in either Of the modes proposed in the
instrument itself, and should under existing
circumstances, favor rather than oppose a
fair opportunity being afforded the people to
act upon it. Twill venture to add that to me
the wisdom Of convention seems probable
IN that it deems amendments to originate
with the people themselves. instead Of only
permitting them to take or reject propositions
originated by others no. especially chosen
for the purpose and which might not precise
ly suit as they would wish others to accept Of
or refuse
understand a proposed amendment to the
Constitution which amendment however
have not seen, has passed Congress to the
effect that the federal government shall never
interfere with the domestic institutions Of
slavery including that Of persons held to SER
vice. To avoid misconstruction Of what
have said, depart from my purpose not to
speak Of particular amendments, so far as to
say that holding such, provisions to now be
implied Constitutional law, have no objec-
ton to its being made express and irrevocs-
BILE. The Chief Magistrate derives all his
authority from the people and they have con-
ferred none upon him to fixed the terms for
separation of the States.
The people themselves also can do this if
they choose but the Executive rs such has
nothing to do with it, his duty is to admins
ter the government as it came to his hands.
and to transmit it unimpaired by him to his
successor. Why should not there De pa
ticnt confidence in the ultimate justice Of the
people? Is there any better or equal hope
in the worldly s 80
In our present differences either party is
positive of being in the right. If the AL
mighty ruler of nations with His eternal
truth and justice be on your side of the north
or on yours of the south, that truth and
that justice will surely prevail. By the
judgment Of this Great Tribunal the great
American people. by the frame of govern
ment under which we live-this same people
have wisely given their public servants but
little power for mischief. and have with equal
wisdom provided for the return Of that little
to their hands at very short intervals. While
the people retain their virtue and vigilance.
No administration by any extreme wicked
ness or folly can very seriously injure the
government in the short space of four years.
Nothing valuable can be lost by taking
time. If there be an object to hurry any Of
you in hot haste to a step which you would
never take deliberately, that object will be
frustrated by taking time, but no good object
will be frustrated by it. Such of you as are
now dissatisfied still have the old constitution
unimpared and on the sensitive part the law
is of your own making. The new Admins
tration can change neither.
Intelligence. patriotism, charity, and a
firm reliance on Him who has never forsaken
this favored land, are still competent to ad-
just in the best way all our personal difficult
ty.
In your hands my dissatisfied fellow coun-
trymen, and not in mine. is the momentous
issue Of civil war. The Government will not
assail you. You can have no conflict without
being yourselves the aggressors. You have
no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the
Government, while / shall have the most
solemn one to preserve, protect and defend
it. l am loath to close. We are not enc
mics but friends; we must not be enemies :;
though passion may strain it must not break
our bonds of union. The mystic chords Of
memory, stretched from every battle field and
patriot grave to every living hearta and hearth
stone all over this broad land, will yet swell
the chorus Of the Union, when again touched
as surely they will be, by the better angles
Of our country.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.