Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-06-27
MIR. LINCOLN'S REPLY.
.IIIl. I.I-NNVI..N - INI8I II
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, June u, 1868. !


WASHINGTON, June II, 1868.
Hon. Erastus Corning, 0nd others:
GENTLEMEN Your letter OF May 10, en-
closing the rcsoluti) )ns of Il public meeting
held ut Albany, New York, on the 10th OF
the same month, was received several days
ago.
The resolutions, as ! understand them,
are rcsOlyable into two proposluons-hrst
the expression of purpose to sustain 'lle
cause of the Union, To secure peace through
victory and To support the Administration
in every constitutional and lawful measure
to suppress the rebellion; and secondly, Il
declaration of ccnsure upon the Admnlstra-
ton for supposed unconstitutional action,
such as the making of military arrests. And
from the two propositions, thiru Is ue-
duced, which is that the gentlemen compri-
sing the meeting are resolved on doing their
part to maintain our common Government
and country despite the folly or wickedness
as they may conceive, of any Administration.
The position is emincntly patriotic, and rs
such thank the meeting, and congratulate
the nation for it. My own purpose is the
same so that the meeting and myself have
common Object and can have no differ
cncc, except in the choice OF means Or mea-
surcs for cilccting that object.
And here ought 10 close this paper, and
would close it, if there were no apprehcn-
| sion that more injurious consequences tlian
any merely personal to myself might follow
the ccnsurcs Systematically cast upon me
for doing what in view of duty, ! could
not torbear. The resolutions promise to
support me in every constitutional ana law,
tul measure to suppress the rebellion am
have not knowingly employed, nor shall
knowingly employ any other But the
meeting, bv their resolutions, assert and
argue that certain military arrests, and pro
cecdings following them, for which am
ultimately responsible, are unconstitutional
| | think they are not The resolutions quote
! from the Constitution the definition OF
| treason, and also limiting safeguards and
/ guarantees therein provided for the citizen
| ON trials for treason, and on his being held
/ to answer for capital or otherwise infamous
crimes, and, in criminal prosecutions, his
| right to a speedy and public trial by an i'm
| partial jury. They proceed to resolve thai
/ these safeguards of the rights of the citizer
against the prctcnSions Of arbitrary poweI
were intended more especially for his pro
/ lection in times of civil commotion' Ana
apparently TO demonstrate the proposition
! the resolutions proceed; They were secured
substantially 10 thc IhSllsh pcopic h''I
years of protracted civil war, and wcr'
adopted into our Constitution at the clos'
of the revolution Would not the demon
stration have been better, il IL could hay'
been truly said that these safeguards ha1
been adopted and applied during the eiyi
wars and during our revolution, instead
after the Que and at the close of the other
! too, am deyotedly for them after civi
war, and before civil war, and at all times
except when, in cases of rebellion or inva
sion, the public safety may require thel
suspension. The resolutions proceed ~ gel
us that these safeguards have stood IA
test OF seventy six yeArs Of trial, under on
republican syslem, under Circumstance
which show that while they constitute lh
foundation Of all free government they ~
the elements Of the enduring stability n ia
. republic" No one denies that they hay
So stood the iest up o. tic beginning of ia
present rebellion, u We except certain o'
cuTfenee AT New Orleans nor docs any on
question that they viii stand the Fare le'
much longer gilsT the Tcbcllion closes. is,
these provisions of the iogslilulion has
no application % the case Ne have ~ han
bccause the arrests complained OF Neis ns
. made foT treason that ls, not for the lf'tsn
defined in the Constitution, aud upon ~
leop,iellon u vl..h ihs Puni'hmtni Is a'a'