The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-09
Letter from the Prssiden,

Letter from the President
President Lincoln was invited to attend
Union mass meeting at Springfield, H. on the
Sd inst and upon receiving such invitation
informed the committee that he probably should
not be able 10 attend the meeting. but would
write them letter. The following is y copy
OF that letter
Executive MANSION.
Washington, Aug 20, 1868.
To Hon. Jas +. Conkln:
My DEAR SIR: Your letter inviting me 20 at
tend a Mass Meeting Of unconditional Union
men. To be held at the Capital OF Illinois. ON
the Sd dav Of September. has been received.
Ii would be very agreeable To ne thus 10 meet
my old friends at my own home, but l cannot
Just now be absent from this city as long as a
visit there would require.
The meeting is TO be of all those who main
tain unconditional devotion 10 the Union and
am sure that my old political friends will
thank me for rendering. as l do, the nation :
gratitude to those other noble men whom no
partizaa malice or partizan hope can make
false to the nations life. There are those
Who are dissatisfied with me. To such | would
say, q. You desire peace. and you blame me
tain il? There are but three conceivable ways;
first, 10 suppress the rebellion by force OF arms.
This | am trying 10 do. You are for itr II
YOU are. 30 far We are both agreed II you are
not for it. a second way is TO give up the
UuOn / am against this. If you are. you
should say so plainly 1t you are not for
force nor yet for dissolution. there only re
mains some imaginable compromise. do not
believe that any compromise embracing the
maintenance Of the Union Is now possible
All that / learn leads to a directly opposite
belief. The strength Of the rebellion is in il.
military, lis army that dominat- = over all the
country and all the people within its range
Any oier Of terms made by any man or men
within that range in opposition to that army il
simply nothing for the present, because such
man or men have no power whatever 10 en-
force their side OF a compromise if one were
made with them To illustrate suppose refu
gees from the South and peace men OF the
North met together in convention and frame
/ and proclaim compromise embracing restO-
rat on of the Union. in what way can that com
promise be used to keep Gen. Lees army out
of Pennsylvania, Gen. Meade's army can
| keep Gen. Lees army ont OF Pennsylvania, and
| think can ultimately put il out Of existence
but no proper compromise TO which the con
l irollers of Gen. Lees army are not agreed. can
/ az all affect the army. Ia effort al such a
c0mprOmise. we would waste time, which the
enemy wonld improve TO our disadvantage. and
/ that would be all A compromise 10 be e.
/ lectual must be- made either with those who
control the rebel army or the people must be
/ first liberated from the domination OF that army
by The success Of our army Now allow me 10
assure you that no word or intimation from the
reDel army. or from any OF the men controlling
| II in relation TO any peace compromise has
] III A
charges and intimaton 10 the contrary are De
ceptve and grOundless. and promise you that
/ If any such proposition shall hereafter come, il
shall not be rejected and kept secret from you
| freely acknowledge myself 10 be the servant
of tbe people, according 10 the bond Of the
| United States Constitution, and that as such
am responsible TO them, but to be plain you
are dissatisfied with the about the negro. Quito
| likely. There is a difference Of opinion between
you aud myself upon that subject. / certainly
wish that all men could be free, while you
| I suppose. DO not Yet ] have neither
adopted nor proposed any measure which
II not consistent with your views provided thai
you arr for tie Union. | suggested cOmpensa
Ted emancipation, 10 which you replied, thai
you wished not 20 b. taxed 10 buy negroes; but
had not asked you TO be taxed TO buy ne
/ yroe-, except ia ,uch a way Is 10 save yot
from greater taxation 10 save The Union o.,
any other means. You dislike tn Proclama
ton and perhaps would have il retracted Yot
| think il Is unconstitutional; think differently
/ I think the Constitution vests the Commander
in-Chief with the Law of war in the time o
war. The most that can BE- said is that sIavei
arr property. l. there or has there ever beer
any question that 10y the law Of war that prop
erty both Of enemies aud friends may BE- iaker
when needed aud is il not needed whenevei
| tab - kt1r A.
mie- the world over destroy enemies property
when they can't u-e it. and even destroy thei
own 10 keep il from the enemy. Civilized bel
ligerents do all in their power 10 help them
selves or burt the enemy. except a few thing
regarded barDarOus or cruel Among tb'
exceptions are the massacre Of vancuished foe'
AID non cOmbatants. male and female. Bu
the proclamation is valid OF j. not valid. II Il
s not valid il needs no Tetractio1. If itis valid
il cannot be retracted any more than the dead
car be brought 10 life Some Of YOU profess
70 ihink that retractiOn would operate favOra.
Dis 10 the Union Why better siter The reJac
ton than before the issue. There was more thar
year and half's trisl 20 suppress the rebellion
before the proclamation was issued. the las
100 days OF which passed under an explicit
nOice t1at Il vas coming. unless averted b.
| those n revolt returning 10 allegiance. Ii Ger
| taioly has progressed a. favoraDly 10 us sincs
the issue Of the proclamation as before
know. a. fully as one car know the opinions o.
others. that some Of tie commanders Of oul
armies 10 the field, sho have ven us our
most important victories believe the emaac. pa
ton proclamation and the aid Of colored troop.
constitute the heaviest blows Jet dealt 10 The
REBELLION, and that al least one Of those imp0r
tsnf successes could not have been achieved
but for the aid Of black soldiers. AmO1g the
/ commanders holding these views are some WHO
have lever had any affinity with what Is called
Abolition Or REPUBLICAN party politics, but sho
hold them purely a military opinions I sub
nit. then. the opinion q being entitled to some
1 Fe' GIT against opinions often urged that eman-
C pasi0n among blacks Is Lot use measure
AID VAS n9i adopted ~ su-h il good faith
| You say that you will not fght 70 free negroes
Some Of them seem 70 be willing to fght for
you. bat 10 matter. Fight you then exclu.
sively 70 save the Union issued the proela-
nation % purpose 10 al you in saving the
Union Whenever you shall have conquered
all resistance to the UHion, II shall urge you