Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-05-06
Letter from President Lincoln.
HIS REASONS FOB HIS COURSE on TIE SLAVERY
QUESTION.
EXECUTIVE MANSON.


WAsHiNsrox. April 1. 1864 {
To A O. Hodges, Esq, Frankfort. Ky.
Ny Dear Sir,-N0u ask me 70 PIT in writ
ing the substance Of what ! verbally said
the other day, in your presence, 4 Governor
Bramlette and Senator Dixon. Il was about
as follows
d" I am naturally anti-slavcry. IF slavery
is not wrong, nothing Is wrong. | can
not remember when I did not see,
think and feel that it was wrong; and
yet | have never understood that the
Presidency conferred upon me an unrestrict-
ed right to act officially upon this Judgment;
and feeling it was in the oath | took that
would to the best Of my ability preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution Of the
United States ! could not take the Office
without taking the oath. nor was il my view
that | might take an oath TO get power and
break the oath in using the power. | IN
derstand too that in ordinary civil admins
tratiOn this oath even forbade me u practi-
cally indulge my primary abstract Judgment
on the moral question Of slavery. | had
publicly declared this many times and in
many ways; and | aver that u this day
have done no official act in mere deference 70
my abstract judgment and feelings on slave
~.
did understand. however. that nv oath
TO preserve the Constitution to the best Of
nv ability imposed upon me the duty Of pre-
serving by every indispensable means that
Government. that Nation. Of which that
Constitution was the organic law.
Was it possible to lose the Nation and vet
preserve the Constitution?
By general law life and limb must he pro-
tected Yet often a limb must be amputated
TO save life: but n life Is never wisely
given to save a limb.
feel that measures otherwise unconstitu-
tional might become lawful by becoming in
dispensable TO the preservation Of the Nation.
Right or wrong | assumed this ground and
now avow it. | could not feel that 10 the
best OF nv ability have even tried to pre-
serve the Constitution. if to preserve slavery
or anv minor matter | should permit the
wreck Of the Government, Country and Con
stitution altogether
When early in the war Gen Fremont at-
tempted military manciTati,n. Tornado II,
because ! did not ,hen think il un Inli-r,i-
sable necessity. When a little later Gen.
Cameron (then Secretary of War,) suggest
ei the arming of the blacks | objected, h,.-
cause did not Yet think ~ am indispensable
ne e>>ity.
When still later Gen. Hunter ATTEMPTED
military emHncip ti'n. | .glin rladr o.,
hecau-t did nIt yet -.iuk the indispensable
necessity bad come.
When IN MIrca. Nay and July, 1862.
made cururej aul successive appeals ID TIC
Border States 600 favor compensated enamel
patton, [ believed tac indispensable necessity
Tor military cmlncip1ti H aud aiming of the
blacks w.al3 e'me lUle- ayer,-j by that
measure
Iaev declined Tie proposition, and was.
IN my best judgment. drive. G. the al-erna-
tive of either guaranteeing the Union and
with it tle tla--I-Htl a. ne .i laying lie
strong band u..u tic ..4.rti element.
chose the latter. i1 ral ing J. hoped for
greater gain tlaa BOSS, q. I o this was not
entirely confident.
More than year Dl trial DOW shows no
loss by 1t in our foreign relations, none In
our home popular sentiment, rome ia our
white military force. so loss by Do amy
how or any where. On tie contrary {
shows gain o.. quite 10000 soldiers. sea-