American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-07-13

man, so far aS known, they successfully Tcsis-
ted the traitors
Efforts Of those whose commands but Ar
hour before they obeyedas resoiute law. This
Is patriotic instinct of plain people. They
understood without an argument that the
destroy ing OF the good which was made ~
Washington means 10 good 10 them Our
popular good has cftcH been called nn eXpcr-
imeAt, two points in IL one people have Al
ready settled the successful establishing ana
4 the successful ADMINISTRATION Of IT, One still
remains, its successful mainiainancc against
a formidable internal attempt 60 overthrow
IL Ii is now for them 90 demonstrate to the
world that those who can fairly carry an
election can also suppress rebellion that
ballots are the TightfUl and peaceful sUcecs-
sors Of bullets, and that when ballots have
fairly and constitutionally decided, there can
be no successful appeal back 20 huliets- that
there can be no successful appeal except 20
ballots themselves az succeeding elections,
such will 6e the great lessons Of peace teach
ing men that what they cannot take hF ara
election, neither can they take by war, ana
teaching all their folly of being the beginners
of war. Lest there may be some uneasiness in
the minds Of candid men 90 what IS Co be
The course q the Government toward the
Southern States, after the rebellion shall have
been suppressed, the Executive deems ID pro-
per TO say that il viii 0e guided by the Con-
Stitution and the laws, and that be probably
viii have no different understanding OF the
powers and Cnties az che Federal Government
relating TO the rights Of the States and tho
people under the Constitution, heneNpressed
in the inaugural address. He desires 30 pre-
serve the Government that 30 may be admin
istercd for all as il was administered bv men
who made loyal citizens everywhere have the
right 70 claim this of .hcir Government anil
the Government has no right 10 Withhold or
neglect il. Il is not perceived that "a giving
this there IS any coercion, any conqueriug or
any suhjugation in any jusl sense Of these
terms. The Constitution provides, and an
the States have accepted the provisions, that
the United States shall guarantee 20 every
State in this Union republican form Of gov
eminent. Bat if State NAV lawfully go out
of the Union, having done so il may also dis
card the republican form OF government. So
that TO prevent its going out is all indispen-
sable means the end of maintaining the guar
antce mentioned is lawful and obicatorv-
The Indispensable means 10 il are also lawful
and obligatory.
IL is with the deepest regret that the exec
utive found the duty Of employing the war
power in defense Of the Government for.
forced upon him, he could but perform thi.
duty or surrender the existence Of thc Gov
in compromise. Not that compro-
misses are not often proper, but that no pop
llar Government can long survive EIurkti
precedent, that those who carry an election
,an only save the Federal Government FROM
immediate destruction. giving up Ire main
POINTS upon which the people gave tbc c'tr-
ion. The people themselves, and not the.-
servants, can safely reverse their OWE dClih-
rate decision. As private citizen. the cN-
cutive could not have consented that these
shall perish, much less could be
n the betrayal of vast and so sacred -
rust as those free people had confded To
lim- lie felt that he had moral right TO
brink, nor even TO count the chances % his
ife in what might follow in fun view Of hia
'reat responsibility, he has so far done what
e has deemed his dnty. YoI viii now, nr-
ording to your own Judgments. perform
ours. He sincerely hopes your views and
cur action mas so accord with his as o. as
lre all faithful citizens who have been dis
lrbcd in their rights of certain and speedy
,storation of the laws, and having thus cho-
N our course, with pure purpose. let as re-
sw our trust in God, and 60 forward with
Mt fear and with manly hearts.
(SigRed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN-