The national Republican., 1862-07-19
rnE PREslDEsT's APPEsL To Ynn
HORDRR acATkA.

s'SuWusN otnts uaVinX, Oy spoCIai
Invitation II the President, bsen convened at
~ Executive Msnaiou on Saturday morninr
~, hr. Lincoln sd0ressed them a. Fsllows
from written paper hsld In his hands
GENTLEMEN. Atter Tie adjournment " Cor.
srsss, nov near, shall have no opportunity Of
ssstNg you for sevsrsi months 1siisving that
you Of the border Hx.As hold mors power fvr
gcod ,han any other 9taln S,sbero ~ bae N.
iseI i = duty which ] cannot jus,inAbly waive
intend no rcprosch or complaint when I ~.
sure you that. in my opinion, II you AL had
voted for the resolution In the gradual emnpci.
patton messags II last March, the war would
nos be substantially ended. AID the ip AN
'nersin proposed is yet one Of the most potent
and cwift msans Of srding II. Let the States
whtch are In rebellion sec definitely and Ger.
taiuly that H. no event will the States you rep
resent ever join their proposed Cenfederaoy.
Md No they % cannot much longer maintain the
hope TO ultimately have you with them so long
- you show determination 10 perpetuats the
Institution within your own States. Beat them
81 elections, I. you have ovsrwhslningly DONE
their Own. You and know what the lever of
their power 10. Break that lever before their
faces, and they can shake you ne more for.
Most Of you have treated me with kindn.s.
think improperly touch what IL exclusively
your own. when, for the sake VI the whole
country, ! ask, can you, for your Sts'aa, do
Letter than to take the course I urge. DIS
carding puacitlto and mxxims adapted to more
manageable times. and looking only to tho
unprsceden,sdly stern facts Of our csse, oan
you do better In any possible eventi You pre-.
Ter that the constitutional relation OF the Stn'es
10 the nation shall bs practically restored with.
out disturbances Of the institution; and, n this
were done, my whole duty. in this respect,
under the Constituuon and my oath Of ONCE,
would DO performed. But Il IL not done, aud
We are trying to accomplish II BY war. Ths
Incidents OF the war cannot be avoided. Ifthe
war continues long, ~ II must tho objsct bo
not sooner attained, the Institution in your
States will bs sxtinguished by nero friction
and sbrasion-by the mere incidents Of the
war. 1t will BE- gone, and you will have moth
Ing valuable In lieu oft. Much Of its value Ia
gone already. How much better for you and
for your people 70 take the step which at once
shortsns the war, and secures substantial com.
psnsstioA for that which ia sure IN be wholly
ost In any other evontl How much better u
thus save the money which else We sink fur
ever In the war! How much better to do Il
while We oan, Lost the war ore long render us
pecubiarily unable TO do Ill How much better
Tor you, a. seller, and the nation. ~ buyer, 10
sell out and buy out that without which the
var could never have 6sen, than to sink both
ting 0ns anothsr's throats.
do not speak Of emancipation at once, but
of decision at Onoe TO emancipate gradually
Room In South America for colonization can 6e
obtained cheaply, and In abundance, and when
numbers shall be large enough to be company
and announcement for one another, the freed
people will not be so reluctant TO 20.
l am pressed with difficulty not yet men
toned-0ne which threatens division among
those who, united, are none too strong. Az
instance Of II is known to you. Gen. Hunter il
~ honest man. He was, and hope still is, my
friend. ! valued him none the less for his
agreeing with me in the general wish that all
men everywhere could be freed. He pro
| repud,ated the proclamation. He expected
more good and less harm from the measure
than could believe would follow. Yet, In re-
pudiating II. l gave dissstisfso ton, II not
cannot afford 10 lnse. And this 10 not the eud
Of IL. The pressure IN this direction 10 s,ill
upon me and 10 increasing. By conoeding whs,
now ask, you can relieve me, and, much
more. can relieve tho country In this importAn,
point.
Upon these considerations have again beRsed
your attention TO the message OF March last.
Before leaving the Capitol, consider and discuss
1t among yourselves: You arc patriots and
proposi,ion; and at the leas, comr end il 10 ths
consideration OF your Stsies and people. Az
you would perpetuais popular government for
the best penpls In the world, ] bssseoh you tba,
yu In noWiss omit this. Our common coun
viaws and boidest ao,iUn 10 bring speedy re.
lief. Once relieved, its form OF government /.
saved to the worl its beloved history ard cher
ished memories are vindioxted, and its happy
f9'ure fully nssured and rendered inconosivs
bly, grand. To you, more than 10 any others,
tho privilege 10 given to assure that happiness
and swell that grandeur, and TO link your own
names herewith forever.
At the conclusion OF these remark,, some
conversation was had between he President aud
several members Of the delegations from th-
border States, 10 which 1t was represented that
there States could not bs expected to move 10
o. great matter as that brought 10 their notice
10 the foregoing address, while q yet the Con
gres had taken no rtsp ueyond the passage Of
than presenting substantial and reliable basis
Of action.
The President acknowledged the force u this
view, and admitted that the border States were
entitled to expect u substantial pledge Of pecu
mary aid % the condition Of taking into oon
sidsrstlon u proposition 20 important In IL re
laiions 70 their social system.
1t was further represented, in the confer
ence, that ths people Of the border States were
interested in knowing the great Importance
which the President attached 70 the policy In
question. while II was equally due to the coun
Try, to the President, aud u themselves, ths,
States should publicly announce the motive+
under which they were called 70 act and tlpr
considerations Of public policy urged upon
them and their constituents by the President.
With view to such statement of their posi-
lion, the members thos addressed met In couu
ell " deliberate on the reply they should make
tho President. and, a. the result Of oompsr
son Of opinion among themselves, they determ
ined upon the adoption of . majority and q
minority answer.
We have only space to-day for tho reply Of
tho minority:
WAsnIEdTON, July Is, 1867.
Mr.. President Tho undersigned, members
| OF Congress trom the border States. In response
10 your address of Saturday last, beg leave to
say that they attended meeting on the same
day ,hs address WAS delivered, for the purpose
Of considering the same. The meeting appoint
ed u committee TO report q response to your
address. That report WAS made on yesterday
and the action of the majority indiostsd clearly
that the response reported, or one IN substance
The same, would be adopted and presented to
you.
Inasmuoh M wa cannot, consistently with our
own sense Of duty to the country, undsr the
existing psrils which surround us, concur 10
that response, we feel It to be due to you and