The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-09-23
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER

nos alcopy of which was also sent 10 the ne
publican Union Convention at Syracuse,N \,
EXEC. MANSION, Washington, Aug. 26.
Hon James C. Conkin: My DEAR
SIR Your letter inviting me to attend
mass meeting of unconditional Union
men, to be held at the capital of Illinois
ou the Sd day of September, has been re,
ceived. 1t would be very agreeable for
me thus to meet my old friends at nv own
home; but | cannot just now be absent
from here so long as visit there would
require. .e.
The meeting is to be of those who
Imain,ain unconditional devotion to the
/ Union and | am sure that my old pollt-
/ ical friends viii thank me for rendering,
d. [ do, the natiou's gratitude to those
other noble men whom no partisan NAL
ice OF partisan hope can make false to the
nations life.
There are those who are dissatisfied
with me To such would say: You
desire peace aud you blame me that you
do M, have it But how can We attain
lit? There are but three conceivable
ways: Flist--to suppress the rebellion
Il by force vi arms. This l am trying to
/ do. Are you Tor ity If you are, SO far
we are agreed If you are not for it, a
second way is to give up Il Union.
am against this. Are ycu for il? lfyou
are you should say SO plainly If you
are uot for force. nor vet for dissoiHti"H,
there only renains some imaginable com,
promise.
| CO not believe that any compromise
embracing the mantence Of the Union Is
now possible. All that | learn leads to a
directly opposite belief. The strength OF
the Rebellion is In its military, It's army
That army dominates all the country and
all the people within its range. Any
offer of terms made by any nan or men,
within that range, in opposition to that
army, is simply nothing for the present
becauSe such man or men have no power
whatever to enforce their side of com.
promise, if one were made with them.
10 illustrate: Suppose refugees from
the South and peace men from the North
get together in convention, and frame and
lprgclaim compromise embracing res.
| teration of the Union. ln what way can
that compromise be used to keep Lee
army out of Pennsylvania? Meade's ar
Hly can keep Lees army out of Pennsyl-
vania, aud, | think, can ultlmatel y drive
it out of existence. But no paper COM
promise to which the controllers of Lees
army are cot agreed can at all effect that
army. In an efert at such compromise
we would waste time which The euemy
would improve to our disadvantage, and
that would be eH. .r
A compromise, TO be effective, mnst be
made either with those who control the
Rebel army, or with the people, first lib
Grated from the dominion Of that army by
the success of our own army. Now, al
low me to assure you that no word or in,
timation from that Rebel army, CT from
any of the men controlling it, in relation
to any peace compromise, has ever cone
to NY knowledge or belief. All charges
and insinuations to the contrary are de.
ceptive and groundless. And | promise
you that if any such proposition shall
hereafter come, it shall not be rejected
and kept secret from you. | freely
acknowledge myself to be the servant OF
the people, according to the bond of ser.
wee, the United States Constitution and
that, 4, such, | am responsible to them
Bat. to be plain. You are dissatisfied
with me about the negro. Quite likely
there Is difference of opinion between
You aud myself upon that subject. | Ger,
,ainly wlsh that all men could be free,
weile yea. | suppose, do not Yet, |
haze nyt ad pied or proposed any meas
ure which Is not consistent with even
your view provided that yOu are for the
Union. suggested compensated eman
cipaiiOn ; to which you replied you wished
not to be taxed to buy negroes. But |
had not asked you to be taxed to buy
negroes, except in such way as to save you
! from greater taxation to save the Union
exclusively by other means
You dislike the Emancipation Procla
nation, and perhaps would have it re,
tracted You say it is unconstitutional.
| think differently. Z think the Consti
tuition invests its Commander in Chief
with the Law of war in time of war. The
most lha, can be SAID, if SO much. is that
slaves are property. Is there, has there
ever been any question that. by the law
Of war, property, both of friends and en-.
emies. may be taken when needed? And
is it rot needed whenever it helps US and
hurts the enemy? Armies. the world
over, destroy enemies property when
they cannot use il; and even destroy
their own to keep it from the enemy -
Civilized belligerants do all in their power
to help themselves and to hurt the enemy,