The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-09

Friday Morning, October o, 1863.

LETTER FROM Hon. JOSIAH QUINCY TO
Mr.. LINcoLN.-We copy below letter from
the venerable Josiah Quincy of Boston to
President Lincoln, which appears in the New
York Post with the following explanatory
preface:
"This letter, copy OF which, in the firm
and clear handwriting of its anthor we have
seen, was not intended for the public eye, and
it has been acknowledged. as we are told, by
Mr.. Lincoln, in terms of the most frank and
cordial nature. We believe that we violate no
rule of propriety in laying it before the public,
which we have done after consultation with
some of Mr.. Quincy's friends. There is moth
ing in it which is otherwise than highly honor
able to botli him and the eminent parsonage
to whom it is addressed, and the subject is of
such universal interest, and is treated in such
a manner, that few win dissent from the judg-
ment which we have formed, that the public
have a right to read it now, instead of waiting
for its appearance in historic form. One of
its remarkable characteristics is the hopeful
and confident tone in which it speaks Of the
eventful victory OF the cause of the United
States Government. Age is ordinarily timid
and despondng, but the age of Mr.. Quincy
has all the cheerful courage of vigorous
manhood.
s"Hon. abraham Lincoln: Sir: Old age
has its privileges, which ! hope this letter
will not exceed. But l cannot refrain from
expressing to you my qualification and my
gratitude for your letter TO the Illinois Con-
vention; happy, timely, conclusive and effect
i've. What you say concerning emancipation,
your proclamation and your course of pro-
ceeding in relation to it, was due to truth and
your own character-shamefully assailed as it
has been. The development is an imperisha-
Bile monument of wisdom and virtue.
ola dth If
patton have been subjects of my thought for
more than seventy years; being first intro
duced to it by the debates in the convention
OF Massachusetts tor adopting the Constitu-
tion in 1888, which | attended | had subse-
quently opportunities of knowing the views
on that subject, not only of such men as Ham
ilton, King, Jay and Pickering, but also of
distinguished slavehoders-of both the Pick
neys, of Wm. Smith of South Carolina, and of
many others. With the first of these l had
personal intercourse and acquaintance. / can
truly say that | never knew the Individual,
Shareholder or non-slaveholder, who did not
express detestaton OF it, and the desire and
disposition to get rid of it. The only difficult
ty, in case of emancipation, was, what shall
we do for the MASTER and what shall we do
with the slave? A satisfactory answer to
both these questions has been, until now, be-
yond the reach and the grasp of human wis
dom and power.
Through the direct influence of good and
gracious God, the people Of the United States
have been Invested with the power of answer
ing satisfactorily both these questions, and al
so of providing Tor the difficulties incident to
both, of which. if they fail to avail themselves,
thoroughly and conclusively, they will entail
shame cn themselves and sorrow and misery
on many generations.
1t is impossible for me to regard the power
thus granted to this people otherwise than as
proceeding from the direct influence of SUI
perintending Providence, who ever makes
those mad achOm he intends TO Destroy
The only possible way in which slavery, af-
ter it had grown to such hight, could have
been abolished is that which heaven has
adopted.
Your instrumentality in the work is to you
subject OF special glory, favor and felicity.
The madness of secession and its inevitable
consequence, civil war, will, in their result
give the right and the power of universal
emancipation sooner or later. If the United,
States do not understand and fully appreciate
the boon thus bestowed on them. and fail TO
improve it to the utmost extent of the power
granted, they will prove recreant to them
selves and posterity.
Iwrite under the impression that the victo-
ry Of the United States in this war is ineyita-
bic.
Compromise is impossible. Peace on any
other basis would be the establishment of two
nations each hating the other, both military,
both necessarily hostile, their territories inter
locked, with a tendency to never ceasing hos
t'hty. Can we leave to posterity more cru
e Inheritance, or one more hopeless OF happi-
ness or prosperity?
Pardon the liberty have taken in this let
ter, and do not feel obliged in any way to
take notice of il; and believe me,
Ever your grateful and obliged servant,
JOSIAH QUINCY.
Quincy Sept T. 1893,