Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1863-09-03
PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LETTER.

The following is President Lincoln : letter
60 the Springfield, Illinois, meeting.
Evrc77rIvE MANSION, " AsHINGToS, Aug. 26.
HON JAS. G. CoNkL1Ne-My Dear SIR !:
of The Unconditional Union men, to be
baId at the capital of Illinois on the Sd day OF
sse has been received. 1t would be
onrv agreeable 10 me thus to meet my Old
tr;onds at nv own home, but lcannot Just now
he absent from this city so long as the VISIT
rhare would require The meeting IS to be OF
I'll those who maintain an unconditional de,
yntion 10 }he Union, and | am sure my ola
ro];t;cal friends will thank me tor rendering,
~ do, the nation gratitude to those otnef
,roh|a men whom no partisan malice or partisan
hone can make false to the nation hte., ;,
~ ere are those who are dissatisfied with
NO r. such would say, You desire peace,
an5 vou blame me that we do not have It., Dut
how can we attain it? There are but, three
ooncassive ways: First, to suppress reDellloh
nv farce Of arms. This / am trying to do
Are YOU for it? If you are, SO tar we aro
agreed. IF you are not Tor It, we are 1lo'
agreed. A second way is to give up the On'o 9I;
am against this II you are you snoula
saw 50 plainly. II you are not tor force nor
vet for dissolution, there only remains some
imaginary com pFoi44lSo' o0 NV 49, = {,
anv COMPROMISE embracing the maintenance OF
t sins T T il now possible. All that I learn
leads me TO a directly opposite belief. The
strength Of the rebellion is its mllltary-lts
arn1y. That army dominates all the, country
and all the people within It's range any oner
Of terms made by any man or men within tna1
range, in opposition to that army, IS simply
nothing for the present, because such man Or
men have no power whatever TO enforce tne!r
side Of compromise, If one were made with
To illustrate: suppose refugees from the
South and neace men Of the North get to-
Gather in convention, and frame and proclaim
= compromise, embracing the restoration OF
+he Union. IN what way can that compromise
be used to keep General Lees army out OF
Pennsylvania? General NJ eade's army can
keep Lees army out of Pennsylvania, and /
think can ultimately drive 1t out OF existence;
but no paper compromise to when the con
trollers OF General Lee s army are not agreed,
can at all effect that ar ny in an effort at such
COMPROMISE. We would waste time which
the enemy would improve to our disadvantage,
and that would be all. A compromise, to De
effective, must be made either with those who
control the rebel army, or the people hrst 10
Grated from the domination OF that army, by
the success Of our army. Now allow me TO
assure you that no word of intimation from
the rebel army, or any of the men who control
it, in relation to any peace compromise, has
ever come to my knowledge or belief. All
charges and intimations TO the contrary are
deceptive and groundless; and | promise you
that if any such proposition shall hereafter
come, it shall not be rejected and kept secret
from you. freely acknowledge Myself TO DC
the servant of the people, according TO the
~ ODafIfJt-
tion--and that as such / GIN responsible to
them.
But to be plain, you are dissatisfied With me
about the negro. Quite likely there is dit