Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-04-11
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nuaeD c0uV0vu0U -
: of the Admipistrstion, which We ~
: from what followa, was dec'oe0y 9
ieudly 10 The main. Yet Il would see"
4 ,he editor did rot present MT. h'o
,oln', ,,sw. precisely - that gentleman
,oula like 70 have them UNDERTOOK o'
he American people. And be accord
uelv wrote the editor a note ~h'eo va
,nhl.bed in the next Dumbef Of toe
Review, the object Of which is to ameod
hi. record. The following 10 the portion
Of the January article to which the
President takes exception:
Even 90 long ago % wbea Mr.. Lin
CO q. not yet convinced Of the danger
and msgo,,uds Of the crisis, wae eIdea-
vor.ng TO persuade bimself OF Union
maioritiss al the South and to carry on
. war that WAS halt peace, in the hope
Of peace that would have been oil war
while be was still enforcing the Fug'-
tive Slave law, under some theory that
accession, however it might sbSolve
States from Their obligations, could not
escheat them OF their claims under the
Constitution, ., d that slaveholders in
rebellion had alone among mortals the
privilege Of having their cake and eating
il at tho same time-the enemies OF free
government were striving to persuade
the people that the war was an abolition
crusade. To rebel without reason was
proclaimed rs one of the rights Of man.
while it was carefully kept out Of sight
that to suppress rebellion is the first
duty Of government.
Mr.. Lincoln took that paragraph as
his text and wrote the Reuiew as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANRIoN,
Washington, January l6, 1854.
Nessrs. Grossly d Nichols:
GENrLExEN Tho number Tor THE
month and year OF the North american
Hevieso war duly received, and for which
please accept my thanks. OF course !
am not the most impartial judge; yet
with due allowance fer this, l venture to
hope that the article entitled "The Pres
ident's Policy" will be Of value to the
country. fear am not quite worthy
Of ali which is therein kindly said Of
me personally.
The sentence Of twelve lines com.
meucing at the top of page 252, could
wish TO te not exactly as 1t is. In what
is there expressed the writer has not
correctly understood me. have never
had q theory that secession could absolve
States or people from their Obligations
Precisely the contrary is asserted in the
inaugural address; and it was because o.
my belief in the continuation Of these
obligations that / was puzzled, for {
time, as to denying the legal rights o
those citizens who remained lndiv dual
ly innorent of treason or rebellion
But mean no more now than to mere
~ call attention to this point.
Yours respectfully,
A. LINCOLN.
The editor Of the Review thus explain
the paragraph to which the Presiden
took exception:
Nothing could have been further from
the intentions Of the editors than to mi.
represent the opinions Of the President
They merely meant that, in their judg
nent, the policy Of the administration
was at fist such an practically to con.
cede to any rebel who might choose L
profess loyalty, rights under the Consti-
tuition whose corresponding obligation
be repudiated.
Now let us see whether the Presiden
OF the United States has not deliberate
~ perverted the truth of history for tn,
Paltry purpose of misleading the publ
as to bis own political PHILOSOPHY ant
securing a denomination by a partisa,
Convention. He declares in his letter
Il had NEVER Msory that Secessio,
could absolyc States or People iron
their obligations" We sffirm that h,
heres fals.fes facts and we submit
the proof tom an official document.
When Mr.. Lincoln was in Congress.
he made speech from which we quote
Any people any where, being inclined
and having the power, have the ,igh
to rise up aud shake eff the existing
government, and foim new one that
suits them better. This is most valua-
die dnamost Scored right-a Iip lit which
we hope and believe IS to libarate the
world. Nor is the right confined to
to cases in which the wAole people Of an
existing gosernmcnt may cho ss to ex-
erc'sc II. Any portion Of such people
that can, may ,evolutiopize and make
their own OF SO much OF the territory as
they inhab't. More than this, a major
'fy Of any portion of such people may
revolutionize, putting down a minority
in,ermingled with or near about thcm
Who may oppose these movements
ADpendts Congress, ional Globe, ls47-
80, p. ~. #as VIE
There it is-au official record which
cannot he disputed-a full and complete
vind'cation OF "the R1oHr-a most val
liable and sAcsED RIG nr," 10 secede from
and shake off the existing Cove, n
ment." According to Mr.. Lincoln thi,
fright" does not depend upon circum
stances, such - oppression BY "the ex
listing Government" the invasion OF con
atituticnal n,iv,louoe ,hn ovn.,h., i.