Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-09-04
LincOIn's last DeIIverance---
HIS Letter 10 the Springfield
GouvemafOu.

at present. Then, our National Councils
contained Statesmen Of high renown, who
dealt with the subjects of legislation, and
all the affairs Of State, in the true spirit of
wisdom and patriotism. But now, the
places of WEBSTER and CLAY, of JACK
SON and SILAs WRIoHT are vacant, or so
nearly so that it were we'll for the country
and the public liberties thattheir occupants
were removed to the perfect obscurity they
deserve. The nation is confronted to-day
by the weightiest issues ever brought to
neople's consideration-issue which in
volve the very existence Of popular free
dom in America-anG yet, there are none,
among all our rulers, wise enough, or pa
triotic enough, to present feasible mode
for their adjustment.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is an exceedingly
weak man, and to us he appears, despite
certain declarations to the contrary, as a
very dishonest man. He has exhibited no
wisdom he has kept no pledge to his
country. We have before us the anxious
lly looked for letter addressed several
days ago by Mr.. LINCOLN to mass meet
ing of his peculiar friends at his own home
in Illinois, in which he treats at some
length of the present situation Of the hor-
rid war now in progress. We really ex-
pected even from MIR. LlNooLNs better doc
ument than it is. There are but two
points sought to be established in the let
ter. The first is, that no compromise is
now possible in the great struggle between
the North and South the other, that the
celebrated proclamation Of negro freedom
is not only legitimate, but most effective
means to restore the Union.
Touching the mode of adjusting our do
mestic strife he says
oThere are but three conceivable ways
! first, to suppress the rebellion by force o.
arms. This am trying to do Are you fol
it2 If you are, so far we are agreed II yor
ara not for il, second way 10 to give up thu
Union am against this If you are, yo'
should say so plainly. If you are not TO
force, nor vet for dissolution, there only re
mains some imaginable compromise. d.
: not believe that any compromise, embracing
| the maintenance of the Union, is now posi-
Bile All that learn leads to a directly op
posite belief
Such is the prospect for peace and re
union set before the country by the Presi
dent. 1t is truly gloomy one. Wal
and nothing but war, is the only iecogniz
) ed means by which the fractured bond c
the Union can ever be re- -cemented. Sew
eral years ago, when Mr.. LINCOLN was in
augurated as President, when the storm {
civil strife was already rising in the lane
D he took a somewhat different and, we thinl
] more enlightened view of this matte
r He then said, appealing to the country
+ Suppose you go to war, you cannot fgl
always and when, after much loss on bot
i sides and no gain on either, you cease 6gh
y ing, the old identical questions as to terms
y intercourse are upon you"
a Here was an acknowledgment by tn
o President that a cessation of hostiliti'
9 9 would be necessary and that other NEAR
|. than war must be adopted to adjust IL
i cold identical questions" out of which Il
struggle grew. Such, indeed, was Il
view taken of our troubles in the begi
ming by every intelligent thinker in Il
land. Itwas feltthAt, though war shou
i, ensue, it must be settled, at last, by Con
= promise. Mr.. LINCOLN has evident
changed his mind on this point, or Civ
himself up entirely to that narrow brain
class of partiEans who declare that, und
no circumstances, could the Governme
in this struggle offer terms of peace
compromise to the rebels in arms. Y
:; always thought it q significant and W
, suggestion of SIDNEY SMITH, that &C
institutions often die Of dignity" Ii
- COLIN says that the South has offered
- terms of submission, and, therefore,
- war must go on, since the Govenm,
~ can make no proposition for peaceal
" adjustment. There is no stAtssmanship
nothing but partizsn bigotry, in an arG
= ment like that But, on this point. \
u LINCOLN, we think, is slightly mistak
'o Did not he refuse but few weeks since
~ receive Louisana back into the Uni,
~, ~ when she proposed to return upon the i'd
~ teal terms existing before she seceds'
Certainly. he did. He peremptorilY