Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-17
Lincoln's Message,
WssufScToy. Julg 4. 1861.

forming the Federal Union.
Being satisfied that the National prep
erty were seized ard put into offensive po-
sition, &c. &c. &c.
He eiahorates the wrongs and rehellious
conduct of the Rebels, which is but a fepe-
tition of the song of the New York Tribune
for which we have no room. He says:
ITO prevent the Evacuation of Fort Sum-
ter, tie Government plannedsan expedition
to vicfual Sumter. to be used or not, as cir
cumstanees might require. Contingencies
requiring the contamination of this plan,
Governor Pickens vas notified that if the
victualing was not resisted, no attempt would
be made TO throw in men, or ammunition,
without giving him notice. TIE fort, how
ever, Was taken without waiting for the
victHaling expedition, thus the attack OF
Sumter can in no sense be said to ha c been
in self defence.
. . ! = Z
The fos bearance of the G yernment had
been 20 extraordinary AID long contln ed
as 10 induce foreign nations to shape thelf
&C ion on the ~supposition Of ali early dsSo-
luton. The administration was concerned
about this, bet is now happy to state that
the sovereignty Of the Union is TOW cyers-
v here practically respected aad a sympa by
with the Government manifested throughout
the world.
| recommend the adoption Of measures
to make the contest short and decisive and
that you place at the Governments disposal
at least four hundred thousand men and
four hundred Millions of money, that nun
Der of men being about enc eprh of the
available men within the will ng region, and
that sum- ne-twenty third Of the wealth Of
the men who seem willing to devote their
property to that object. The amount Of SIX
hundred millions will be a less debt per head
than was the Revolutionary proportion, and
surely the motive now lisa strong as then, and
and might not The result now be worth to the
world ten times the number Of men, and ten
times the amount of money
He desires legislative sanction for only
the necessary material, for there is work
abundant, and the greatest Government
perp!exIty is to avoid receiving men faster
than they are prepared The people Will
then have a Government, if the Government
do its duty.
While there is perceptible but little df.
ference between Secession and Revolution tie
movers knew they could never raise Their
treason 10 a point of respectability by using
a naIne lmplkilg a violation of law.
IS they co Id only advance indirectly, in
the teeth Of these noble sentiments Of the
people, they commenced by insidious public
sentiments, invented ingenious sophism, which
if considered logically, followed all incidents
to the disruption of the Union. Their so
phisms makes it legal for a peaceful with
drawal without the Unions consent.
With this sugarcoated rebellion the pub
lie mind has been dragged during thirty
ty years, and good men are now in arms
against this Government. This sophism de
riyes currency from the assumption Of
some important supremacy, pertaining to {
State Or States, who have neither more no
less than a reserved power, no one of thea
being a State of the Union. The originaI
ones passed into tie Union before casting
off the British Colonial dependence New
ones came in from a condition of dependence
Even two, during their temporary depen
dence, were never designated as a State
The word sovereign State is not in the Con
stitution, nor, as it is believed, in any Stat,
Constitu ion.
Here follows an elaborate argumen
against the right Of secession, about as lucid
the foregoing, in which ii is qucstioned wheth
er the people in every State except Soutl
Carolina are not in favor of the Union, tn
contrary not having been demonstrated.
Our adversaries have adopted declaration
of independence in which the words all me
are created equal are omitted. Their Cor
s%titution, instead of we the people has w
the deputies of the sovereign and indeper
dent States Why ignore the rights of me
and the authority of the people? This is e
s~entially the peoples contest aud | am hap
ply to believe that the plain common pee
pie appreciate this fact.
1t is not unworthy of mention that viii
in the nations trial, officers have resigned, Il
common soldier or sailor has deserted h
flag.
1t remains to be demonstrated that thoS
who can carry an. election, can also repre<
a rebellion that ballots are the rightful ar
peaceful successors Of bullets, and that whe
ballots have fairly and constitutionally dec
ded, there can be no successful appeal bac
to bullets-no appeal except to ballots then
selves at a succeeding election. Sue
will be the lesson of peace teaching uz1
what they cannot take by any election, tht
cannot take by war.
Lest there be any uneasinesS regardir
the course of the Government towards Il
Southern States, after we suppress the r
bellion, 1t may be proper to say that we W
be guided by constitutional laws. The Ea
ecutive desires to administer the GovernmeI
as it would be administered by the Cover
ment-maker, aud loyal persons eVerywhe
have a right to claim this. The North h
not perceived that there is any coercion, 81
~jlgation or conquering in these terms.
The Constitution guarantees to each Sta
, a representative, to form the Government.
: If a State withdraws it may chlnge tt
:, form. 70 prevent going out, is indispensa
l BILE t. the maintaining Of their guarantee.
1t is with the deepest regret that the Go
eminent has employed the war power
: the defence of the Government, but it h
! been forced upon him and be could but p
I form his duty or surrender che GovernmeI
No compromise in this case could work
cure, not that compromises are not Oft
: proper, but no popular Government can 10
= survive them. ltwould be setting a mark
Il precedent that those who can carry an ell
) ton can only save the country by giving
{ the main point on which the people ga
. the election. The people themselves, I
, their servants, can reverse such a decision.
d As a private citizen the Executive couial
. consent that these institutions should ref
: much less could he display so vast, SO sacl
d a trust as a free people his confided
!" him.
He had no more right to shrink than col
Is the chances of his own life, in what I'M
81 follow. He has kept fully in view the q
n responsibility, and has done what hesdeen
his dutv. You know now to act accord
a. to your own judgment, and may YOUR hoE
your views and actions so accord with |
1e TO assure to these faithful citizens, who b
ID been disturbed in their ri lights, aspeedy re
le ration.
OF Having thus chosen our course, with p
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