Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-07-17
SECOND EDITION.
THREE O'CLOCK p. n.
AN IMPORTANT PRESIDENTIAL MES
SAGE.

It, he had prepared; e1fltning that The acton OF
Congress In curing Ia most ob;ecsens Die features
by subsequent Legislation had determiset him 10
sign the bill instead Of vetoing IL a. he had In
tended TO do. This message 10 therefore Of great
importance ss frankly explaining to the country
the convictions under which, and the principles
upon which he designs administering the Con-
hscasion bill and employing negroes In the Gov
ernment's military service; the act giving him,
Il will be remembered, absolute personal discre-
ton and control over both these subject matters.
The following 10 the message:
Fsllot1- eiiissss ef fhs Sssdfs
and Hosss Of Representatives.
Considering the bill for Gan act to suppress
insurfeetien, to punish treason and rebellion, to
seize and esnAscate the property Of rebels and for
other purposes, ana the joint resolution explain
atory Of said act, a. being Substantially one,
have approved and signed both.
Before was informed Of the resolution, had
prepared the draft Of message, stating objec-
tons to the bill becoming law, q copy OF which
daft is herewith submitted.
July IL, 1853. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Fsllets- efEsess efths
Horse Of Representatives.,
1 herewith return 10 you. honorable body, In
which Il originated, the bill for an est entitled
IAN act to suppress treason and rebellion, 20
seize and conhscate the property Of rebels, and
for other purposes" together with my objections
to Its becoming q law.
There IL much In the bill 10 which perceive
no objection. II Is wholly prospective; and II
touches neither person or property Of any loyal
citizen In which particular II Is just aud proper
The frst and second sections provide for the
conviction and punishment OF persons who shall
be guilty Of treason, and persons who shall " In
ctte set on foot, assist or engage In any rebellion
Instruction against the authority Of the United
States, or the laws thereof, or shs1l give aid or
comfort thereto, or shall engage In or give aid
and comfort 10 any such existing rebellion or In
sunecton." BY fair construction, persons within
those sections are not punished withou; Tegulst
trials In duly constituted courts under the forms
and all the substantial provisions Of law and Of
Constitution applicable to their Se.eral To
this perceive no objection; especially a. snch
persons would be within the general gardening
povef, and also the special provision for pardon
and amnesty co.tsined In this act.
II Is also provided that the es-es Of persons con-
vIcted under these sections shall be free. think
there Ii unfortunate form Of expression, rather
than substantial objection In this. IL 10 start
ling TO say that Congress can free slave within
State, and yet IL IL were said the ownership Of
the slave had first been transferred TO the Nation
.na Congress had then liberated him, :he di IL
Guilty woc.d at once vanish. And this is the real
case. The traitor egsinst the General Govern.
ment forfets his slave at 1ssst Justly he does
any other property; and he forfeits Goth to the
Government against which he ofends. The
Government, so far as there can be owne uhip,
thus owns the forfeited slaves, and the question
for Congress In regard to them is, "shall they be
made free or be soId TO new masters / per-
ceive no objection TO Congreff deciding In sd-
vance that they shall be free.
To the high honor Of Kentucky, a. I am In
formed, she 10 the owner Of some slaves by
ssehsat, and has sold none, but liberated all 1
hope the same Is true OF some other States. In
deed, do not believe II will be physically pos
sible for the General Government to return persons
20 citcumstanced to actual slavery. I believe
there would be physical resistance to It, which
could neither be turned aside ~ argument, nor
driven away by force. In this view I have no
objection to this feature Of the bill. Another
matter involved In these two sections and run
ming through other parts Of the act, will be no
ticed hereafter.
perceive no objections 10 the third and fourth
sections.
So far a. I wish to notice the ffth and sixth
sections, they may be considered together. That
the enforcement Of there sections would do no
injustice to the persons embraced within them,
is clear. That those who make causeless war
should be compelled to pay the cost Of II, 10 too
obviously just to be called In question. To give
governmental protection to the property Of per-
sons who have abandoned II, and gone on a cru
sade 10 overthrow that same government, 10 ab-
surd, II considered In the mere light Of justice.
The severest justice may not always be the best
policy. The principle Of ssiIing and eppropria-
ting the property Of the persons embraced within
these sections 10 certainly not very Objectionable
but a Justly discriminating application Of 1t
would be very different, and, to q great extent,
impossible. And would II not be wise to place
power Of remission somewhere, % that these
persons may know they have something to lose
by persisting, and something TO gain by desist-
ing7 am not sure whether such power Of re-
mission 10 or 10 not within section thirteen.
Without any special act Of Congress, I think our
military commanders, when. In military phrase,
"they are within the eneny's country, )" should,
ia an orderly manner, seize and use whatever Of
real or personal property may be necessary or
convenient for their commands; at the same time
preserving, in some way, the evidence Of what
they do.
What have said In regard 70 slaves while
commenting on the FIRST and second sections 10
applicable to the ninth, with the difference that
no provision Is made In the whole act for de.
termining whether particular individual slave
does does not fall within the classes defined In
that section. He Is TO be free upon certain con-
ditons; but whether those conditions do or do no,
pertain 70 him, no mode Of ascertaining 10 pro-
vided. This could be easily supplied.
To the tenth section make no objection. The
oath therein required seems to be proper; and the
remainder Of the section 10 substantially identical
with law already existing.
The eleventh section simply assumes TO confer
discretionary power upon the Executive. With
out the law, have no hesitation TO 20 as far In
the direction indicated a. may at any time deem
expedient. And I am ready 10 say now, think
Il 10 proper for our military commanders 10 en-
pioy, % laborers, a. many penons Of African de-
scent ~ can be used to advantage.
The twelfth and thirteenth sections are some
| thing better than unobjectonsble; and the four
teenth IL entirely proper, II all other parts Of