Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-03-05
LETTER ERoM PRESIDENT LINCOLN
To THE WORKINnMEN OF NAM

LETTER EROM PRESIDENT LINCOLN
TO THE WoRKINGMEN OF MAN
CHESTER.
[From the Manchester Guardian, Feb. TO-
The following letter and inclosure
were received yesterday by the Mayor
OF Manchester. Abel Haywood, Esq: !.
"LEGATioNoF TIE UNITED STATES,
LONDON, Feb. 9, 1868.
"SIR-I have the honor to transmit
to you, by the. hands OF Mr.. Moran,
the Assistant Secretary. of this Legs;
ti0n, a letter OF the President Of the
United States, addressed to you as
Chairman of the meeting of working
men, held at Manchester on the 3lst
of December, and IN acknowledgment
of the address which l had the plea
sure to forward from that meeting.
81 am. sir. your pbedient servant,
"CHARLESFRANCIS ADAMS.
"ABEL HEYwoOo, Esq, Chairman,
&C., Manchester.
EXECUTIVE Mansion.
"WAsHrEeroE,, Jan. 19, 1868.
"7o the WorEfngnsen of Manchester.
al have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of the address and resolu-
tions which you sent me on the eve OF
the new year.
"When came, on the 4th of March,
1861. through a free and constitutional
election, to preside in the Government
Of the United States, the country was
found at the verge of civil war. What.
eyer might have been the cause. or
whose soever the fault, one duty, para
mount to ell others, was before me,
namely, to maintain and preserve at
once the Constitution and the integrity
of. the Federal Republic. A couscien-
tious purpose to perform this duty is
the key to all the measures of admins
tration which have been, and to ell
which will hereafter be, pursued. Un-
der our form Of government, and my
official oath, l could not depart from.
this purpose if 1 would. It is not, al
ways in the power Of governments 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.
81 have understood well that the du-
ty of self-preservstion rests solely with
the American people. But l have at
the same time been aware that favor or
disfavor of foreign nations might have
a material influence 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 belief that the past &C.
tion and influence of the United States
was generally regarded as having been
beneficial toward mankind. / have,
therefore, reckoned upon the forbesr-
Pnce of nations. Cifcumstances-to
sotbe Of which you kindly allude-in-
duced me especially to expect that, il
justice and good faith should be prac-
ticed by the United States, they would
encounter no hostile influence on the
part of Great Britain. It is now a
pleasant duty to scknoWledge the de-
mons,ration you have given of your de-
sire that a spirit of peace and amity
toward this country may prevail in the
councils Of your Queen, who is respect
ed and esteemed IN your own country
only more than she is by the kindred
nation which has its home on this side
of the Atlantic. -i+s.F {.
"I know, and deeply deplore, The
sufIeribgs which the workingmen at
Manchester. and in all Europe, are
called to endure in this crisis. 1t has
been often and studiously represented
that the attempt TO overthrow this Gov
eminent. which was built upon the
foundation of human rights, and TO
substitute for 1t one which should rest
exclusively on the basis Of human slave-
ry. was likely to obtain the favor OF
Europe. Through the action of our
disloyal citizens, the workihgmen Of
Europe baye been subjected 10 ses