The sun., 1863-09-03
Dir. Lincoln's Springfield Letter.
Pssitie, or the Administrator

Rrnes1ius Mansson. Washington, Aug l6, SO
Hon. James &. ConkiiDs- Ny dear Sir: Your letter
Inviting me 70 attend = rpaas m.etins OF uneonditiop.
d Union msp TO b. held a. the esptal Of Illinois on
lhs Sd Of September, hss b-,u received II would
- very agreeable 20 thus m-e my old friends
q ny sss home but I cannot ,us, nov be absent
Gom this eity 90 long Wet there you'd require.
The meetins 10 TO Le o. ali those who ma intain un-
snnditsonsl devotion to the Union; ard sure that
ny old political friends III thank for rendering.
- do, the Nations gratitude 10 those noble men
whom no partisan malice or partisan hope can make
lhlss 70 the Nations life. rhc,e thoss Who are
dissatisfied With me. To such would ,sy: You
dssirs peaes. md you blame ne that vs
DO not have 1t. But how csn We attain
ke There are but three conceivable vays!
first--To suppress the rebellion by force Of
arms. This am trying 10 do. Are you for i,s II
vuu ere, 90 we rs agreed. II 700 are no, for II, .
sscond vsy 10 TO give ~ ths MON. ] AN assinst
shis- II 700 ere, you should say 30 plsiniy- II
ere nat for force, vet for only
mains some IMAGINABLE eompromise. ] do not believe
chat any compromise embracing the msiu'epsuce Of
Che Union IL ro.,ible All that learn lead. ~
directly opposite belief The strength ~ th. rshc,-
hon 70 II, military Il. army. That army dominates all
the oountry and all the psope within ia ruuer. Any
sdsr Of tsrms msds bv sny men. men within that
range, IN opposition 10 that army, simply nothing
1ovn whatever to enforce The 2 side o. copwol,ss
.,,oo:. ~: 'r. ,s.r.: %:d' r NTH them or,h To =
sSns,on. .pd fisms add SceIar pTeeI..n :" com s%"
.h.i vsy can that cnmpromiss BE- ued TO keep Cen.
l..ss army out Of Psnnsylvsnis. Gen. Meade. AZ
thpk can ui,ro,s.ay dive Il out as s1:tso.. III In.
20 psper eompromise to which the controllers Il Gen.
In an effort at Sueh comproniss would vsste time,
vhieh The snemy voaid improve to our dsadvsntsss;
nur bs made either -i'h those no control te re
army, or With the people int liberated from the do
Nov, allow me 70 aasure OIL that no word or ,ntms
tiou from the rebel army, or tGoui ~ny OF the men
po@ise, Ia. !" ever come 20 mo NJ sno-istse 2 % or % se
Ief All CHARGES and intma ions 10 ghs contra
~ are deceptive aud U9vnt.. And promise
u shall not be rejected aud kept secret from you.
freely achno-ltdrr my-e,f 70 b. thr ser,,n' o, ths
btsie. Constitution. and that surh, im rsspon'i
Sle 20 them. Bn,, to b. pls'ni iSn are dl','i'hed
ference OF opinion bei- cen you and tuyte! u9on that
sub}eet fs.r.lnly .sh that ,ll men could b. ffee
per moposrd any meAsuie which is not consistent
9TH even your ,ie-, provided ,ou arr for tn mon
seplitd that you did not Wish 70 be taxed to buy
sios. But I had not Asked you to be tar to w
as1 sis.on 70 'usH .ase tie rsSa % snc.ssy a ,'I 5,
etheT means You dislite the Emancipation Pro
,ns S:Ts:I; .Gaf ,S,s; sss; asny .s'
think that the Constitution invests its Commander
as., .a ..S H' 20 snI II s
roperty 10 there has thrie be- u, any questo,
that by the as OF war property, both oi enemies AM
friends, may he taken when needed. And 10 II no
needed whenever taking 1t helps US hurts the ne
uyf Armies tn. world over DESTROY eneny's proper
~ when they cannot use 1t: and even destroy thei
s~p 20 keep i, from the enemy Civilized belliref
rn do AL IN theb power 10 help thtp,elves or bur
the enemy, exegp few thiner re go gded bsrba
U cruel. Among he exception, are the massacre o
vsnIuishsd foe, and non c ON batants. male and fe
male. But the Proclans alton, o. Law, 10 valid
not valid. II n not valid II needs no Tetraetion.
II Il valid cannot be retrscted, any more than th
dead cen be brought TO lite Bome Of you profess
tn nh that ne retrscon would operate favorsbiy "a
The mon. Why better after the retraction than bs
fore the issuef There vss more than Q year and
hsf Of tia TO supp.ess the rebellion before the Pr,
eamation vss s-ued, tine last one hundred day
CT shicb raised under an explicit notice that Il vi
ssmnc uIis.s svsrttd b. thos in revolt returnins
their slel lisnce. The var has certainly proeressed
fsyorshlv for us snee the itsue of the
6soi. kpo.. ~ fully - one can know the oplnioI
st etherS that SONS Of the commsaden Of ouI .