Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-07
tMfFER FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

!ttL IMPOSITION OF HIs VIEWS ON THE PROSPECT AND
CONDITIONS or PEAoE-THE NEGRO QUESTION RE
| VIEWED.
| We have received copy Of the Baltimore American
of the Sd inst containing the fooSing letter from the
President OF the United States to the Springfield Mass
meeting:
| Executive MANSION,
| WASHINGTON, August 49, (
I Hon Jdnles T. Coakling:
| My DFAR SIK-Your letter inviting me- 10 attend a
mass meeting OF unconditional Union men, to be he at
the Car oil Of Illinois the Sd day of ptember has
bpen n ceivcd It, would be very agreeable to me 10
thu, meet my old frie d, my home, but cannot
Just be absent from this city long visit there
| would require.
| TIE meeting is to be of all those who maintain un-
conditional devotion to the Union, and l am sure my
cid political friends will thank for rendering, de-
the nations gratitude to those other noble whom
no parIisan malice par isan hope make al,e 10
the nations life. There those who dissatisfied
with me. To such would say: you desire peace and
you blame that We do not have 1t Ba, how can We
obtain il There bu: three ceiVabls ways. Frst:
10 suppress the rebellion by force OF arms This
trying 10 do. Are you for it? II you are, SO far
are agreed II you are not for it, are hot agreed.
| second way IS 10 give up the Union. / sm against
this If you are you should say plainly. If you
not for force for dissolution, there only remains
some imaginary compromises. do not believe that any
compromises embracing the main eGance Of the Union
possible. All mat learn leads 10 QneCtiy the
opposite belief. The strength OF the rebellion is its
| EiltaIy--rs army. That army dominates all the
try sni al the people with n its range. Any of3r Of
terms made ~ any man or men within that range, in
opposition TO tia army simply hing, for the pres
cot because such man or men have no power whatever
10 enforce their eide OF the compromise If one
| made with them.
To illustrate Suppose a refugee from the South and
the peace men OF the North get together aud frame aud
proclaim compromise embracing the restoration Of the
TT,fnp In ha ut nm rnmi ha m ~
| keep General Lees army out of Pennsylvania? Gen.
Meades army Leep Lees army out of ana,
aud think ultimately drive it out OF existence but
paper compromise, 10 which the controllers OF Gen.
Lee Amy ale egreed at all affect that army
In an effort at such compromise would time,
which the enemy would improve TO disadvantage,
| and that would be all.
| compromise 10 be effective must be made either
| with those who nlrOl the army, or With the people
first liberated from the domination OF that army, by the
| succsss OF cur army Now, allow me u you
that word or ntmGIOR from the rebel army,
from any Of the men controlling H. i'll relation to any
peace compromise, Las ever come TO my knowledge
bief All charges or ntlmationS 10 Tho contrary
deceptive and groundess; ald promise you that if any
sIch proposition shl hereafter come, it shall be
| reje,,ed and kept secret from you.
freely ackno sedge myself to be the servant Of the
peoI. according to the bond Of serV.ce-the United
5 aes Consttuuon-1nd that as such am responsible
them Bu to be plain, you dissa.itfed with me
about the negro. Quite likely there is difference of
opinion between you and myself upon that subj CT
certainly wish that all men could be Tree, while you
suppose do not Yet have neither adopted'nor pro-
posed any measure which is rot cons stem; with even
| your views, provided you for the Union. | sug-
gesed compensated emancpatiCn to which you replied
that wished no. to be taxed 10 buy negroes But
had ked you to be taxed TO buy negroes except in
such to you rongreaer taxation 10 the
| ULioh exclusively by other means. You dislike the
| emancipation proclamation aud, perhaps. you want to
have it rstacted. You say il is unconstitutional /
think differently. think t a: the Constitution invests
It's COMMANDMENT Chief with tie law Of in time of
war. Tie most that can be said il so much-is that
slaves property. Is there has there BEEN any
question that by the law of war the property both Of
enemies and friends may be taken whom needed And
10 il needed whenever taken t helps suits The
enemy? Armies, the world over destroys the enemy's
property Wien they cannot use it, aud destroy
their own 10 kcepit from the enemy Civilized belg-
eenls do all in their power to help themselves hurt
the enemy, except few thirgs recorded bar blrous
or cruel. Among the eXceI on5 the massacre OF
aIquished iocs and non complaints, male aud female
But the pr amatio a law is valid is not valid
IL is valid il needs retIaction II IL is valid il
| cannot BE- retraced any more than the dead caa be
brought life Some OF you profess 20 think that its
retIacton would operate tiVorably for the Union. Why
better after the retracton than before tho iseue There
| vac more than year aud La! for trial 10 suppress
the rebellion before the proclamation Issued the
last one handrtd days of which passed under explicit
notice it com ng unless aver;ed by those in revolt
L
The war has certainly progressed favoraby for Us
| since the issue of che proclamation before. kuoS
as fully as know the opinions OF others, thai
some of the commanders OF our rmes in the field who
have given most important victories, believe that
| the emancipation policy and the aid of the coored
troops Gods lues the heaviest lows yet dealt ut The re-
bellon; that at least one Of those important
| cesses could pot have been achieved when was but
| for the aid of the black soldiers.
Among the commanders holding these views some
/ -bo havA had NJ ia al al hn
/ Tonsm, or With Republican party politics, but who
hold them purely pidtuy opinions. submit their
opinions being entitled TO scme weight sganst the
objections often urged that emancipation and The ATM
ing Of tho blacks unWise as military measures, and
| were not adopted as such in good f4itI
You say that you wilt not tight 10 Tree negTces. Some
of them TO be Wiling to light fer you but no mat
ter fight you them exclusively 10 save the Union. l.
issued the proclamation on purpose to aid you in saving
the Union. Whenever you shall have conquered all
sistance the Union, il shall urge you 10 oOutinro
6ghdrg it will be apt time then for you declare
that you will not fight to tree negro
though that In your struggle for the Union, to what
ever extent the negro should cease Lepirg the enem;
TO chat extent wukens the enemy in Lis ress apce to
YOU. Do you think differ emily thought that what
ever negroes be got to do soldiers leaves just
much lees for white soldiers DO in saving Union
Does It appear otherwise to youy But Wg o.s like
other people, act upon motives. Why should they do
anything for Us If will do, nothing for them? If
they stake their lives for they be prompted by
the strongest motive even the promise Of freedom; and
| the promise being made must be kept
| The signs look better The Father Of Waters again
goes unyexed to the sea- thahkso the great North vest
| for it, nor yet wholly TO them. Three hundred miles
| up they met New England, the EMPIRE keystone and
New Jersey hewiDg their way rgst and left. The sunny
South, too in colors than QUE, also lent hand on
| the spot Their part Of history vas ot cd down in
black and white. The goal was a great National oae,
and et be banned who bore honest part in it
while those VITO have cleared the great liver may well
| be proud
Even that il not ALL 1t is hard to say that anything
has been blasely and better done than at Antie
tam, Murfreesboro', Gettysburg and many fields Of
| leo note.