The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-05-07
Executive MANSION,
AAES " AAf n IA NSloN5
WASHINGTON, April 4, 1864

WASHINGTON April a. 1864
4. q H,5oes Eso E.onLcort l.n,,,.h,,.
NJ
MY DEAk oiki lo9 ask me TO pun IN wri,
ing me substance OF what l verbally SAID,
, :, other uay IN your presence, Governor
nram,etIe ana senator DIXON 1t was about
10 81, i9'lo"s'
aln naturally anu slavery. II slavery
nv. Iionei hothn!9 Is "rong' GanhV'
l anI III. wnen uiu no' so .h'hk anu ieei.
p onu w. nase never unoers'oou lhat the
ss:uIney .onieaieu upon me an uhres'ric.
seu W ac' onlclal'y upon this Ju9gment
,Iot 7 ,r''' Fl o.. was :" 'ne oa.n 'oon'
ema. "ou,u " .hs pesl vi my ability pres
,ha n;taJ S,at t se'epu snG Ions'i.u.ioh vi
otsoa ,.;,La,,t ,aI; H., .ou .,. M s"Ae '"e !.
NV ,,;ar ,,'o. 's 'nS o".n. vi was =.
nowsr and hroL ,Sa 18th ,t q" JUN 70 se'
nrdar.,oad toa thn, j.; IN lug NC po"e d
m;n;strat;n, III. H., a .I" an, .nn a..
mroct;nsIl, ;rJ,I'o on abatr .Ho "
ment on H. 80. !" p' 20 sIJ JUG
had nuhlclv do,iareda "t tb;s nav. y, ,;mo.
Jav I S,va Jn,. nn aa;,;ai ~, ia w l snt'
ersnc 1 to uohs ~ oc d az, III mere Gea
on slavery '' ~ jung A'"' GNU ''e'''s
VI" g" ida" did y # urd.rs,,rd howovor ,b,, MT
oath to nre.erye the CONSTITUTION +" ths
best Of nv ability ;mnosad mon ~. Tho
dutv of nr.xerv;ny Inv everv ;aJnsnansohis
means. that Northumberland 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
protected; vet often limb must he amnutn.
led to save a life; but life is never wisely
given to save a limb. felt that measures
Otherwise unconstitutional might become
lawful. by becoming indespensable 10 the
preservation of the Constitution. through
preservation of the Nation Right or wrong
i assumed this ground, and now avow it.
could not feel to the best of nv ability |
had even tried to preserve the Constitution.
if, to save slavery, or any minor matter,
should permit the wreck of Government,
Country, aud Constitution, altogether
When, early in the war, Gen. Fremont at.
because | did not then think il an indesnen.
sable recessity. When n little later. Gen
Cameron, the Secretary of war, suggested
the arminp ofthe blacks. | objected be
cause | did not vet think it an indesper sable
necessity. When still later, Gen, Hunter
attemtei military emancination. Iapain for.
bade it hecapse did NOT vet think the in.
d;sneusable necessity had come
"Wben in March. and Nav. and .Julv.
1879 Imada earnest and successive anneals
tn the border States to favor Communicated
demonstration. | believed the indisneus.bla
necessity for military characterization, and
aiming the blacks. would come. unless
ayerted by that measure. They declined
,bs nronos,t;on. and I wa, in INV hest ;udu.
mert. driven TO the alternative Of either sur
rendering the Union, and with it the Consti.
tution. or Of layinp strong hand unnn the
colored element. | chose the latter. In
cLoos;np il honed for greater gain than
loss: hnt of this was not entirely Confident
More than n wear of trial now shows no loss
by i in our foreign relations: none in orr
home popular sentiment: none in our white
military torce-no loss by it any how or any.
where. On the contrary. it shows again
| of ouite n hundred and thirty Thousand
soldiers seamen, and laborers. These arc