The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-13
President Lincoln to the Working.
men OF Manchester.


ExxcurIvE MANSION, WASHINGTON, Jan. ~.
To the soorksegmen Of Manchester: .o
have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the address and resolutions
which you sent to me on the eve of the
new year.
When | came on the 4th day of March,
1861, through free and constitutional
election, to preside in the government Of
the United States, the country was found
at the verge of civil war. Whatever might
have been the cause, or. whosoever the
fault, one duty paramount to all others
was before ms,-namely, to maintain and
preserve at once the constitution and the
integrity of the Federal Republic. A con-
scientious purpose to perform this duty is
the key to all the measures of administra-
ton which have been, and to all which will
hereafter be pursued. Under our frame of
government and my official oath, I could
not depart from this purpose if I would.
1t is not always in the power of the gov
ernments to enlarge or restrict the scope
of moral results which follow the policies
that they may deem it necessary, for the
public safety, from time to time to adopt.
Ihave understood well that the duty of
self-preservation rests solely with the
American people. But l have at the same
time been aware that favor or disfavor Of
foreign nations might have material in
fuence in enlarging and prolonging the
struggle with disloyal men in which the
country is engaged. A fair examination
of history has seemed to authorize a be-
lief that the past action and influences of
the United States were generally regarded
as having been beneficial towards man
kind. / have, therefore, reckoned on the
forbearance ofnatlens. Circumstances, to
some of which you kindly allude, induce
me especially to expect that if good faith
should be practiced by the United States,
they would encounter no hostile influence
on the part of Great Britain. 1t is now
pleasant .duty;to acknowledge the demon
stration you have given of your desire
that spirit of peace and amity towards
this country may prevail in the councils of
your Queen, who is respected and esteem
ed in your own country only more than
she is by the kindred nation which has it's
home on this side of the Atlantic. IL
l know, and deeply deplore, the suffer-
ings which the workingmen at Manchester,
and in all Europe, are called to endure in
this crisis. 1t has been often studiously
represented that the attempt to overthrow
this government, which was built upon the
foundation of human rights, and to sub
stitute for it one which should rest exclu-
sively on the basis of human slavery, was
likely to obtain the favor of Europe.
Through the action of our disloyal citizens,
the workingmen of Europe have been sub
jected to severe trial, for the purpose
of forcing their sanction to that attempt.
Under these circumstances l cannot but
regard your decisive utterances upon the
question as an instance of sublime Chris.
tan heroism which has not been surpassed
in any age or in any country. tits indeed
an energetic and reinspiring assurance of
the inherent power of truth, and of the
ultimate and universal triumph of justice,
humanity and freedom. l do not doubt
that the sentiments you have expressed
will be sustained by your great nation;
and, on the other hand, l have no hesita-
ton in assuring you that they will excite
admiration, esteem, and the most recpro-
cal feelings of friendship among the Amer
lean people. l hail this interchange of
sentiment, therefore, as an augury that,
whatever else may happen, whatever mis-
fortune may befall your country or my
own, the peace and friendship which now
exist between the two nations, will he, as
it shall he my desire to make them, per-
petual. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.