Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1863-09-11

LETTER FROM PRES. LINCOLN.
To TuE
GGiOa Mass Convention at Springfield /,
flliRois.

EXncUTIvE M,NsIoS. Washington
August 81. 1865
Hsa. Js.,,s e. ConEh4g.
Ny Dear Sir: Your lctter inviting me
90 attend a mass meeting q unconditional
Union men. % De held AZ the capital u n
hn0is on the third day q September. IA,
been received. II would b., vcry agreeable
TO me thus % meet my old friends AZ my
own houc. but cannot jast nov be- abscu,
from this city. - long as visit there
would rcquirc
The meeting % 90 b. Of all those who
maintain unconditional devotion % al. I n
ION. and I am sure that my old political
friends vii thank me tor rendering. a. I
do. thr Nations gratitude % those other
noble men whom no partisan malice or par
tisan hope can make false % the Nations
lifc.
There arc those who are dissatisfied
with me. To such would say You de-
sirc peace. and you blame me that Ne 10
not have it; bat bow can We attain u ?
There arc but three conceivable wavs-
f'rsi. 90 suppress the rebellion By force oi
arms. Tbs l am trying o. DO: are you
for ~ II you arr. - far Nc ar agreed
IL you are not FOR it. second way .. 20
give up the Union. I am against this: Il
you arc YOU shosld say 90 plainly II you
arr not for force. nor YET for dissolutioa.
there only remains some imaginablc CON-
promise I Do no, believe that any com
promise embracing The maintenance Of tbe
l mon - now possible. All that learn
leads % n dirrctly opposite belief
The strength % thc Rebellion T. IN "a.
military-iis army. That'army dominates
ali the country and al the people within
its range. ANY ofcr % terms made bv
any nan or Hcn within that range in oppo-
siiion % that army Is SIMPLY nothing for
the present. because such man or men have
no power whatever % enforce their side Of
= compromisc. II one were made With tLem.
10 illustrate suppose refugees from the
South AMI peace mea from the North =;
together Ia Convention and frame and pro-
claim a comproulise. embracing a rsstora
tion - the Union. ia what way can that
oomPromiso be used 20 keep Gen. Lee.
army out % Pennsy lyania Gen. Meade,
Army can keep Lees army out q Pennsyl-
vania. and think can ultimately drive Il
out Of existence. bot no paper comprornis,
90 vbich the controllers Of Gen. Lee. ar
a III =
ms. In an effort az such compromi.e ",
would waste time. Which the enemy wool.
improve 60 Our disadsautagc. and tha
~oald be all
3 A oomPromise O. be elective must b.
made either wiih those who control the rob
81 army or with the people fret Ebcratet
from the domination q that army by th,
+ success of our army. Nov. allow mc O. a.
.urc you that ~ wor,l or intimaiion frou
the rebel army. or from any Of the mel
. contro ling. in relation to any peace com
Pr0misc. has ever come. o. my knowledg,
or belief All charges ani iniimations Q,
the contrary ar deceptive and croundl,ss
AMI Pr'mi-c you. that ii any such propo
sitien shall hereafter cone. it shall not b,
rejected and kepi secret from you.
freely acknowieigc mysclf % bc The ser
want of tie people according O. the bond o
sersicc in thc United Stafcs Consultation
aud that a. such ! am rcspon.iblc 20 them
Bot. o. Del PLAIN. you arr -i's.ati.,ic,l wiii
me about the negroes. Quuc likely tber
- a difference Of opinion between you an
myself on thc subject. certainly ui.
that al men could br free. While Won.
.upTose. 90 not. let have neither a,lor
ted nor proposed any Measure which is no
oonsistlut sith essu your siev. provide,
you are for tle Juion / suggested com
peusated emlr.iration. to whi.h you re
pIicI that yoa wished rot to le taxed %
bus uerro,.. Bnt bad not asked sou O.
i.c taxed to buy necroes. except n such
vay AZ O, save ga from greater taxatio'
O. save thr 20 ln exclusively ~ othc
H.,ans. Yo1 dislike ttc cmanc.patio'
proclaniat,on. you perhap. would have d
rctractci. You SAY t is uncoustitutlonai
think differently think ths Clfsfita
tion invests - eCommanlsr-in-tLief wid
Iav of ~ar. in times oi uar.
The most that can be saiI. o. sa maeL
b. taat slaves are property. l. there. On
thcr, ever been. any question that by th
las of sar. property. b1ih OF cncmies an.
fritnIs. mas he taken when nce.lrI, an
b. it not needed whenever taking it help
us and bart. che encmys Aruies. Oh
world over. destroy enemies proper,
shen thcy cannot use 30. and even iestro
their ON o. Keep Be- from the eueay. a.,