Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-07-25

| IlSton, TO the Border States Congressman
and their reply:
IMPORTANT CORRESPOI-DE..,-GE.
LlNCoLNS APPEAL 10 THE BORDER STATES
| RESPONSE OF TIE BORDER STATES cuNGRcsSMgS
| From tho Baltimore Sun, July lgh
| The Representatives and Senator's Of the
Border Slayeholding States having, by special
invitation Of tha President, been convened al
| the Executive Mansion on Saturday morning
last, Mr.. Lincoln addressed them us follows
from a written paper held in his hands,
| GENTLEMEN After the the Adjournment Of
Congress, now near, shall have no opportt,-
nifty OF seeing You for several months. Re
lieying that you OF the Border Stat43 hold
more power for good than any other equal
number Of members, I feel il q duty which
| cannot iustiiiably w.ve, IL tIialles this sl{ieal
| to y6n
intend no rrprnach or complaint when ]
assure y"n thai, in my opinion, il YOU all had
| voted far the resolution in the gradual cman-
cidation message, oflast March, the war would
now be substantially ended. And the plan
| therein proposed is yet one oftlc most potent
and snrest means CT enlin% it. Let the States
| which are in rebellion see definitely and cer-
tanly that in no event viii the States Won re-
present ever join their proposed Cnnit.'leracv,
and they cannot much longer Inaintain the
| contest. But you cannot divrst them Of the
hope to ultimately have You with thcn as
long As you show Il determination to pcrpet,l-
ate the institution within your own States
Beat them at elections: as You have over
whelmingly done, and, nothing dauntcd,
| they still claim yon as their own. You and
know what the lcTer Of their power is. Breal:
that lc:er before their faces. and they can Shake
you 10 more fore"tr-
"Most ofyou hare treated me with kind
ness ANA consideration, and trust YOU will
NOT low think improperly touch what is ex-
cluslyelr vour own, when, for the sake Of the
whole country, | ask, "can you, for your
States. do better than Ia take the course that
| urge DlscaTdng paHrttii0 and mayins
adapted 10 more manageable times. and look
Ing only to the unprccedentcdly stern lacts.1t
our case, can you do better in any possible
event. You prefer that the constitutional re-
latiOm Of the States to the nation shall be
practically restored without disturbance oi
the institution; and, if this were done, my
whole duty, in this respect, under the consti-
tuition and my oath Of office, would lie per-
formed. Bnl il is not done, and We are trying
to accomplish it by war. The incidents ufthc
war cannot he avoided 1.-THE war continues
long, as il must ii the ohiect be not sooner at
taned the institution in your States will be
cxtinguishcd by mere friction and abrasion
By the mere incidents of the war. 1t will be
gone; and you will have nothing valuable i'll
lieu of it. Much Of its value is gone already.
How much better for you and for your pco-
Pile to take the step which at once shorens
the war, and secures substantial comren9a-
tion for that which is sure to be wholly lost
in any other event! How much better TO thus
save the money which else We sink forever in
the war! low much better 10 do it while we
can, lest the war ere long render Us pecunia-
| riir unable to do il Ilow much better for
you as seller, and the na1inn- as hnrnr- To :,-u
I out and buy out that without which the war
could never have been, than to sink both the
thing to he sold and the price Of it in cutting
one anothcr's throats!
81 do not speak OF emancipation a cncc,
but of a 6sciSi9n at once to emancpate gra,is-
otY. Room in South America Ior col0n;-a-
ton can lie obtained chenply, aud i'll ;,Eun-
dance, and Whcn numbers shall tr LARGE
enough 10 he company and encouragement
ior one another, the freed people Will li1f he
su reluctant 10 60.
q am pressed with difficulty nnt Yet
mentioned -onc which threatens DIVISION
among those who, united, are none too strong.
An instance Of it is known to YOU. General
Hunter is an honest man. he was. and
hope still is, MY friend. valued him none
the less ior his agreeing with me in the gene
raj wish that all mcn cvcry where could be
freed. lie proclaimed all men free within
certain States, and repudiated the proclama-
ton. lie expected more good and less harm
from the measure than could believe would
follow. Yet, in repudiating it, | gave dis
satisfaction, if not otlense, to many whose
support the country cannot afford to LOSE
And this is not the end Of it. The pressure
in this direction is still upon me, and is in
creasing. By conceding waat now ask, you
can relieve me, and, much more, can relieve
the country in this important point.
Upon these considerations | have again
begged your attention to the message of March
last. Before leaving the capital, consider and
discuss it among yourselves. You are patrI-
OTIS and statesmen, and as such pray You
consider this proposition; and ut the least
commend it to the consideration of your
States and people. AS You would porpetuate
popular government for the best people in the
world, / beseech that YOU do in no wise omit
this. Our common country is in great peril,
demanding the loftiest views and bollcst ac-
tion to bring speedy relief. Once relieved,
its form of government is saved to the world d;
it's beloved history and cherished memories
are vindicated, and its happy future fully as
sured and rendered incnnceivahly grand. TO
YOU, more than to any others, the privilege Is
given to assure that happiness and swell that
grandeur, and to link yonr own name there
with forever
At the conclusion of these remarks some
conversation was had between the President
and several members Of the delegations from
the border States, in which it was represented
that these States could not be expected to
move in so great matter as that brought to
their notice in the foregoing address while as
vet the Congress had taken no step beyond
| the passage Of resolution, expressive rather
Of sentiment than presenting substantial
and reliable basis Of action.
The President acknowledged the lorGc oi
this ,iew. and admitted that the border
States were entitled to expect substantial
pledge of pecuniary aid as the condition OF
taking into consideration proposition so i'm
portant in it's relations to their social system
1t was further represented, in the Confer
cncc, that the people OF The Border States
were interested i'll knowing the great import
ance which the President attached tn the
policy in question, while il was equally due
to the country, to the President, and t. them
selves, that the representatives OF the border
slaveholding States should publicly announce
the motives under which they were called to
act and the considerations of public policy
urged upon them and their constituents BY
the President
With view to such statement OF Their
postion, the members thus addressed met IN