Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-06-16
Mr.. Lincoln as a Congressman on the
President.

The New York Leader exhumes Mr.. LIN
COINS single speech in Congress- in ls4S, in
which he discussed the message OF President
POLK and the war with Mexico. The extracts
given below may perhaps thros light on what
sort Of talk Mr.. LINCOLN will permit to be ut
tered concerning himself:
Let him (the Presidelt) answer fully, fairly
and candidly. Let him answer With fdcts, aud
not with arguments. Let him remember he
sts where Washington sat; and 20 remember
Ing, let him answer as Washington would an.
sWer. As a nation should not, and the Almighty
toiH not, be evaded, SO let him attempt no eva
sion, no equivOca!ion,
But If he cannot CT piH NO! do this-if, on
any pretense, or no pFetense, he shall refuse OF
omit it-then | shall be fully convinced, oi
what more thsn suspect already, that he ID
deeply conscious of being in the wrong; that be
| feels the blood of thia war, like the blood oi
Abel, is crying 10 heaven agoinst him; that he
ordered Gen. Taylor in the midst Of peaceful
Mexican settlement purposely to bring on war
that, originally having come strong motive
what will not stop now TO give my opinion
concerniug-to involve the two countries in q
war, and, trusting to escape scrutiny by fixing
the public gaze upon the exceeding brightness
of military gIory-thst attractive rainbow that
rises In showers of blood-that charms 10 de-
s.roy-he plunged into it, and was swept on and
on till, disappointed in his calculation of the
ease with which Mexico might be subdued, he
now finds himself he knows not where. How
like the half insane mumbing Of fever dream
is the whole war part Of the late message!
ALI this shows that the President Ia in no wise
satisfied with his own positions. Fret, he takes
up one, and in attempting to argue us into 1t, he
argues himself out Of 1t; then uelzss another,
and goes through the came process; and then,
confused by not being able to think of nothing
new, he snaches up the old one again, which he
has come time before cast off His mind, tssked
beyond its power, 10 rnnuing hither and thither
like some tortured creature on q burning sur.
face, finding no position on which II can eettlt
down and be at eaee.
Again, Il is O singular omission in this mes
sage that II nowhere intimates iohen tte Presi
dent expects the war to terminate. At begin
ming General Scott was, by tho President, driver
into dislavor, il not disgrace, for intimatint
that peace could not be conquered in less thar
three or four months. But now, az the end o
about twenty months during which lime ou
arms have given us the most splendid successes
every department, every Fart, land and wa
ter, officers and prvates, regulars and volun
teers, doing all shat men could do, and hundred
of things which It bad never before been though
men could not do-after all this, this same Pres
ident gives us long message, without showing
us that, as to the end, he has himself even al
imaginary conception. He Is o beNildered an,
miserably perpIexed man. God grant he me,
be able to show there Is not something abou
his conscience more painful than all his menta
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