New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-10-05
Presidcns IincsIns Letter % the eprins.
neId Convention.
Ereso The L~06oW Ti0eeS.

Among the many marvels and paradoxes OF
the American Revolution there is none greater than the
part played by President Lincoln himself That such
man should have been called upon TO guide the destnies
Of a mighty nation during grand historical crisis
surely strange enough but that he should have dun.
dered and yaellaed s. he has without for . momens
that Of his countrymen is stranger still His language
on the great questions at issue has varied 50 much q
different times show that he never can have had
ANYTHING worthy Of being called q policy, unless 1t be
that which be described in the wisest Of all bis homey
sayings as a resolution 10 keep pegging away 1--we
compare his early addresses and his first Presidential
Message with his subsequent letters and his speeches
or with his last Message. find degree Of inconsist
ency which is perfectly udicrous. The great problem
and it would be possible TO Gull from his declarations on
this subject passages in favor OF every principle nom
A boli.ionism to absolute non.intervention. =.
Between the elaborate compensation scheme proposed
in the Message Of December 1862 and the Proclamation
January confscatng the slaves of all the seeding
States o measure Of military necessity. there is
theoretical abyss which no argument can span 30
however from seeing this the President Justihes ootn
,n1,cr,minately IN the letter to the unconditional
Union men" OF Illinois. which we published yesterday.
and manages 10 confound both with the armng OF ne
groes on behalf Of the Union which has nothing " 90
with either This letter is In other respects 80 remaik
able document and characteristic specimen Oh tne
Presidents style and habits Of Thought that we cannot
do better than extract the most ambitious paragraphs OF
The signs look better The Father OF Waters again
goes unyexcd to the thanks to the great North West
Tor 10.
Nor yet wholly TO thom; 800 miles up they met New
England Empire. Keystone and Jersey hewing theu
way right and left. The sunny South too IN more col
ors than one also lent hand On the spot their part o.
the history was jotted down In black and whre Inc
lob as great national one. and let none De banned
who bore honorable part in It. And while those who
have cleared the great river may well o. proud even
that is not all 1t is hard to say that anything has been
moro brayey and better done than ut Antieam. Mur'
frccsboro Getty sburg and on many fields OF less note
Nor must Uncle Sans web feet be forgotten. At
all the VOTERS margins they have been present. not only
in the deep sea- the broad bay and the rapid river but
also up the narrow. muddy bayou. and wherever the
ground was little damp they have been and made their
Thanks TO all for the Great Republic for the princi
pe by which lives and keeps alive for maus vast ~
ture. Thanks TO all
Peace does not appear distant as 1t did"
How any in his sober could have sat down
TO compose such rhapsody this or having composed
IT, could havo read 1t over with gravity and ordered 10
to be printed passes our comprehension. 1t Is some
thing between a prophecy and oracalar response.
with dash Of Yankee slang and terms of expression
which remind alternately Of Ossa Of the incohcrent
utterances Of the Maori Chiefs and Of schoolboy trans
ations Of corrupt choruses In Crock ragedians Crom
well never spoke. and Mr. Carlyle wrote anything
no hopeessytobsoure and the persona there 90 any
such To whom such argon can appear impressive or
even inelgibe must have faculties and tastes OF wnen
we can form no idea One Is really tempted to think
Ssa IAASts rSxG.