Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-07-25
APPEAL or THE PRESIDENT TO THE
BORDER STATE CONGRESSMEN.

RESPONSE or THE DELEGATION.
The representatives aud senators Of the bor-
der saveholdiug states having, by special in
vitation Of he President. been convened at
the Executive Mansion on Saturday morning
last, Mr.. Lincoln addressed them as follows,
rom a written paper held in his hand
Gentlemen After the adjournment Of Congress
near shall have opportunity Of seeing you ipr sove.
raj months Believing that you Of the border states hold
more power Tor good than any other equal number Of
members feel It duty which cannot jushhaby waive
to make this appeal 90 you.
intend no tcpruach ur complaint when assure You
that IN my opinion If you all had voted for the Iesoln
ton IN the gradual emancipation message " last March
the would now be urstanuolly ended And the plan
therein proposed IL yet Of the most potent and swift
definitely and certainly that in event will the states
represent ever join their proposed coniedetay ana
they cannot much longer maintain the contest But you
cannot dyest them u their hope 10 ultimately have you
with them so long you show determination 20 perpet
uate the institution within your own states beat tnem
at elections, you have Overwhelmingly done, and
nothing daunted, they still claim you ~ heir own You
and know what the lever Of their power is Break the
lever before their faces and they can shake you no more
Most ofyou have treated mo with Kindness and consid
cration ard trust you will not now thuk improperly
touch what is exclusively your own, when for c sake o
the whole country, ash can you, for your states do
better than 90 take the course urge Discadng pune
ftO and maKims adapted 20 Manageable times, ana
looking only the unpeccdcn'edy stern aot % our case
can you do better in any possible event! You prefer
thatthe constitutional relation Of the States TO the nation
shall be practically restored without disturbance Of the
institution; and this were done my whole duty ih this
respect under the Constitution my oath Of Office,
would be performed But tits not done aud we are try
ing 20 accomplish il by The incidents Of the war
cannot be avoided. lfthe continues long a. t must
II the object be not sooner attained, the institution IN
your States will be eNungushed by mere friction and
abrasion-by the mere incidents " the war II VII be
gone, aud you will have nothing valuable TO lieu OFT -
Much of It's value is gone already How much better for
you and for your people TO take the step which at once
Tor that which be wholly lost in any other event
How much better 10 thus save the money which else
sink forever n The war low much better to do 1t while
can, lest the ere long render us pecuniariy una
bic 10 do il How much better for you, seller and the
nation, buyer 10 sell out and buy out that without
which the war could never have BEEN than 20 sink both
the thing to be sold and the price Of In cutting one
another's thtoats
do not speak Of emancipation at once but Of dccis
ion at once to cmancipatc gradually. Room In south
America for colonization be obtained chcaply, in
abundance and when numbers shall be large enough "a
be company and encouragement for one another e freed
people will not be so reluctant to 20.
] am pressed with difficulty not yet menuoned-on'
which threatens division among those who, united are
none too strong. An instance Of IL is known 10 you
Gen Hunter is an honest man He was, aud hope sui
is, my friend valued him the less for his agree
ing with in the general wish that all men everywher
could be freed II proclaimed all frec within Ger
tain states aud rcpudiaied the pfoclama ion lie cN
peced more good aud less harm from the than
/
dissatisfaction not ofense many VII support h
county afford To lose. And this snOt tue end %
H. The fessute in this direction is still upon me and
increasing by conceding what now ask yuu can relieve
me and much more can relieve the country in this i'm
pottant point
Upon these considerations have again begged your
enton the message NJ Marchlast Before leaving TN
Capitol consider and discuss It among yourselves Yo
patriots and statesmen and such pray you C0usd
cr this proposition and at the least commend it 10 th
consideration ofyour states and people AS YOU woub
pefpctuae popular government fur the best people ia h
world, bcscech you that you do u no wise omit this
Our common country L. 10 great peril, demanding the lof
test views and budcst action 20 bring speedy relief -
Once relieved, its fom NJ government Is saved 20 th
world its beloved history and cherished memories arr
ateand its happy future fully assured and RENDERED
tncoucCivahy lfaud. To YOU more than TO any other
the privilege s given TO that happiness and swell
that grandeur aud To link our names Herewith forever
At the conclusion Of these remarks SOM
conversation was had between the residen
aud several Of the members of the delegation
from the bordar States, in which it was rep
resented that these States could not be expec
ted to move in so great matter as that bro
to their notice in the foregoing address Will
as yet Congress had taken no step beyon,
the passage of a resolution, expressive rather
of sentiment than presenting reliable basi
of action.
The President acknowledged the force o
this view, and admitted that the border State
were entitled to expect substantial pledg
Of pccuniary aid as the condition Of taking
into consideration proposition so importan
in its relations to their social system.
1t was further represented. in the Confer
ence, that the people Of the border State
were interested in knowing the great impor
lance which the President attached to tn
policy in question, while it is equally due t.
the country, to the President, and to them
selves, that the representatives OF the horde
slavoholdng States should publicly announc
b. the motives under which they are called L
act and the considerations of public polio
urged upon them and their constituents b
= the President.
With a view to such a statement Of thei
position, the members, thus addressed, me
in council to deliberate on the reply the
should make to the Preside mt, and, as the II
f suit of a comparison OF opinions anon
. themselves, they determined upon the adoI
ton Of a majority and minority answer.