Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-07-25

The National baslii0caccr gives the following
as the paper read by President Lincoln to the
Representatives and Senators from the Dotderl
Slave States, who met at the Presidential Man
sion by request;
GrNTLrMEN; After the adjournment Of Con-
gress, now near, shall have no opportunity Of
seeing you for several months. Believing that
you Of the Border States hold more power for
good than any other equal number Of members, |
| feel il duty which cannot justifably waive
to make this appeal to you.
intend no reproach or complaint when l as
sure you that in my opinion, il you all had voted
for the resolution in the gradual emancipation
message Of last March, the, war would now be Y
substantially ended. Aud the plan therein pro- |
posed Is yet one Of the most potent and swift |
means Of ending IL. Let the States which are in |
rebellion see definitely and certainly that in no
event viii the States you represent ever Join
their proposed Confedeacy and they cannot
much longer maintain the contest But you can
not dvest them Of their hope TO ultimately have
you with them so long as you show determin-
alton 10 perpctuate the institution within your
own States Beat them at elections as you
have overwhelmingly done, and nothing daun-
ted they still claim you as their own. You
and know what the lever Of their power is
Break that lever before their faces and they can
shake you no more forever.
Most Of you have treated me with Kindness
and consideration and you must not now think
] improperly touch what is exclusively your
own, when for the sake of the whole country
ask, "Can you for your States do better than to
take the course l urger" Discardng pauctiliO
aud maxms adapted to more manageable times,
and looking only to the unprecedented stern
facts of our case can you do better in any possi-
ble event7 You prefer that the constitutional
relations Of the States to the nation shall be prac-
tically restored without disturbance of the in
stituton; and if this were done my whole duty,
in this respect under the Constitution and my
oath of office, would be performed. But it is not
done, and we are trying to accomplish il by war.
The incidents of the war cannot be avoided. III
! the war continues long, il must if the object
: be not sooner attained, the institution in your
, States will be extnguished by mere friction and
1 abrasion-by the mere incidents of the war. II
q will be gone, and you will have nothing valua-
Bile in lieu of it. Much of its value is gone al
o ready How much better for you and your peo-
o pie to take the step which at once shortens the
war, and secures substantial compensation for
that which is sure to be wholly lost in any 9TH
\ er event. How much better to thus save the
I money which else we sink forever in the warl--
! How much betterto do it while we can, lest the
b war ere long render us pecuniarly unable to do
i'll How much better for you as seller, and the
nation, as buyer, to sell out and buy out that
without which the war could never have been
than to sink both the thing TO be sold and the
price of it, in cutting one anothcr's threats.
do not speak of emancipation at once, but of
decision at once to emancipate gradually
Room in South America for colinization can be
lobtained cheaply and in abundance, and when
numbers shall be large enough to be company
$ and encouragement for one another, the freed
o people will not be SO reluctant to go.
e am pressed with difficulty not yet mem
= tioned-one which threatens division among
r those who, united, are none too strong An in
!; stance of it is known to you. Gen. Hunter is an
: honest man. He was, and ] hope still is, my
friend. j valued him none the less for his agree
$ ing with me in the general wish that all men
n everywhere could be freed He proclaimed all
q men free within certain States, and repudated
o the proclamation. He expected more good and
If less harm from the measure than could believe
a would follow. Yet in repudating it, | gave
is dissatisfaction if not offense, to many whose
> Support the country cannot afford to lose. And
At this is not the end of it. The pressure in this
direction is still upon me and isincreasing. BY
le conceding what now ask you can relieve me
je and, much more can relieve the country in this
1t important point
d Upon these considerations have again beg
i lged your attention TO the Message of March last
IF Before leaving the Capitol consider and discuss
v il among yourselves You are patriots and
statesmen, and as such pray you consider this
f proposition; and at the least commend it TO the
/ consideration of your States and people As
, you would perpetuate popular government for
the best people in the world, l beseech you that
4, lyOu do in no wise omit this. Our common
country is in great peril demanding the loftest
views and boldest action to bring speedy re-
lief Once relieved, its form of government is
saved TO the world; its beloved history and
cherished memories are vindicated and its hap
NV future fully assured aud rendered inconceiv.
: ABLY grand To you more than to any other,
: the privilege is given TO assure that happiness
o and swell that grandeur, and to link your owl
IF names herewith forever"
n Tho L,,eyios,,ocr f,rtbor cove.
5, At the conclusion of these remarts Soma oon
r yersaton was had between the President an,
u several members Of the delegations from the Dor
he ger osates' III whleh II was represented Una
I'd SO great matter as that bropgbt to tbe;r
ly lin the foregoing address, while as vet Congress
had taken no step beyond the passage of reso
ye ullon expressive rather Of sentiment than pre-
as The President tbe fro 81 III
~ view, and admitted that the Border States wer
W, entitled to expect substantial pledge ofpecuni
m y a'd ar the e9nuitlon oi taxing INTO consider
70 their social stem ~ 10 i'i''''o'
e. It was further represented. in the Conference
ae that the people of the Border States inter
h. eSle9 IN showing me great Importance whicl
& While If was eonaIIv Jne eI ~ Po.Uy =, q''s'I m
s. President, and to themselves that the Repre-
IN sentatives Of the Border Slaveholding State
t. n. snoniu publicly announce the motives unde
it tons of pgbIic nol;cy UrSed " nnon t5eT az.