Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-11-01
PRESIDENT L1NcOLN's MISSION
An Eloquent Speech by Senator DOolitlle.
AT spRINGFIELD. ILLINOIS, oCr. A, 1864


An Eloquent Speech by Senator DOOlitile
AT sPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, OCT A, 1864.
FELLOW CITIZENS On the lth Of February,
1861, Abraham Lincoln, President elect left his
home, at this place, to 60 to Washington, 10 Q
come, on the 4ih Of March ensuing, PresiGe II Of
great country and great people.
In the whole history of the world there is
nothing more simple, more touching, or more
Hnbme than The scene at his departure,
Bear in mind the situation of affairs then
existing. That conspiracy which had beoH
plotting disunion for more than quarter of n
century which had been secretly arming, or
ganizing, and drilling its foroes which had
filed the Cabinet, If not the head and the heart
Of buchanan himself with most malignant tIea-
son, had at this time already mnde open war
agains. tue Government Of the United Htntes
know the full force OF what tay, and repeat,
epen and incorporating war bad been declared
levied and actually waged against the Uuited
States, before Mr.. Lincoln left his home for
Washington. say nothing now Of ordinances
Of secession, speak only of acts Of hagrant war.
On the eth of December. 1860, the Rebel forces
seized Fort Moultrie aud Castle pinckney, and
United states revenue cutter at CharleslOn
On the 81 of January, 1861, they captured
Fort Pulaski, Georgia, aud the Arsenal at Mt
Vernon, Alabama with 20. 900 stand Of arms.
On the 4th OF january they seiEol Fort Nor
90 /, il Mobile Bay-the same fort which Admi-
rai FaIragut and General Smith have lately re-
captured. adding glury to our arms on sea aud
on land.
On the 9th Of January they fred into the
steamship Star Of the West, bearing the flag of
our country, loaded with provisions for our
forces in Fort Sumptcr, nnd drove her from the
harbor of Gharleseon.
On the l0,h of January the Rebel forces sci
eel Forts Jackson, 81. Philip and Pike. near New
Orleans, thus cloing agan,t US tho mouth of
ia, Mis- ,issippi, as they had already. by hat
tny erected upon that river in the State of Mis-
glssippi, closed its navigation for hundreds OF
miles above,
On the l4lh Of January they seized the P,n.
sOcola Navy Yard aud Forts DArancus mud
| McRae. and laid siege 10 Fort Pfekeus
On the 18th they seized Baton Rouge Arsenal;
on the 3lsl the New Orleans Mint and Custom
House on the 2od of February the Arsenal at
Little Rock. 10 Arkansss on the 9Th the Rebel
Provisional Constitution was adopted, and on the
9 h of February Jefferson Davis aud Alexander
II. Stephens were chosen President and Vice
President of q pretended Reb, CoufederAcy,
claiming, and by force Of arms asserting juris.
diction over nearly one third Of the States and
Territories of the United States.
While all this was tansPiring, James Bu-
ehRnan, then President, the most imbeclls ol
men, or tine most wicked Of traitors refused ic
raise hand in defence Of the Constitution lac
had sworn to ''pteserve. protect vnd defend"
II was under circumstances like those, in th,
mid,t OF civil war already begun which, by
bold and rapid movements OF the Rebels and by
the base, oowsrdly surrelder Of Buchanan's nd
minstration, had already given possession pt
nearly 2OUO miles Of our sea oOnst aud out third
of our Stbtes to the rebellion, that Mr.. Lincoln
the citizen President elect, unarmed and with
few friends left his home, here for Washington
Citizens Of Springfield, what o scene was herl
presented on that memorable | llh Of February
II must still live in your memories. The word.
he uttered at parting with you. as you sioOt
around him uncovered aud n tears. are know
the world ever, they are classic alike iu lheii
simplicity, touching pathOes, und depth Of meen
ing. "Aly frends, said he, "nl Ons not in nil
position can appreciate tue sadness feel at thi
parting. 10 this people owe all that Rm. -
Here have lived more than quarter OF cen
tuty here my children were born, aud her
one OF them lies buried. | know not how Hoo
shall set you again, A duty depolVes ayOn m
lohlsh is perhaps, greafer haA Mat which has de
UotUed upon any other man siaes The daysof Wash
! ,nyion."
/ lie mover would have succeeded except 70
the aid OF Divine Providence. upon which he
all times relied 81 feel that cannot succee
+ without the same Divine aid which susiaine
r him. On the same ALMIGHTY Being place IN
r reliance for support, aud hupe yOu,my fritnd
4 will all pray that may receive that Divine M
4 HistRnOe, without which | cannot succeed Ia
with which success is certain"
How clearly he saw, how deeply he felt, Ill
grOat duty devolved upon him the work
= which he was called viz: to maintain III
= Union, some OF whose pillars had long bee
+, undermined, ppl were then crumbling aroun
: him; to defend the Cupptitution, whose NJ
y y thority the party then in power. and which
. seeking il again, would not enforce; and d,
ie cared it had no right to enforce by arms ;
=, execute the laws in every State and holl, OF
~ u cupy and possess the forts, property and pac,
~ belonging to the Government one third of whic
y mad already been seized by armed traitors q
basely SURRENDERED by the administration
James buchanan; in one word, to take from Ii
hands Of u weak and cOWnrdly imbecle, the fla
of the Union thus iusulted, outraged and tram
Piled upon, and raise it once more alOft So III
glorious standard OF common country-wit
j. not one stripe erased, not one star obgcured-
ID full high advanced and right onward, until,
Fpte Of rebellion at home aud threatened inter
i. vention from abroad, il should float agait
r hOnored, respected, Gu euery foot of every Stat
nj and Territory Of tho United SlateR.
How lruo, almost prophetic we're those part
ing words what II duty what gigant
york, what heavy responsibility was indeC
devovel upon that heart and brain Whs
would man more need Divine assistance to su
tain and strengthen him And shall we not gi,
i'd him our sympathy and Bupportl
" Never, iu my opinion, since the world bogal
in has higher duty, greater work, a weight,
d. responsibility rested upon any human beu
II than upon him. LCheers.
al For almost four years. he has been engage
es in discharElng that duty. iu performing ii
ne great work,-in bearing that responsibility. II
in amount of bis mental and physical labor
ar almost Incredible more than that Of ten Pres
lot deHts in ordinary times 10 the mere matter
appointments to office he has been called upt
to make more and 10 sign more commissions tht
ID, all the other Presidents put together That
may have made mistakes is true; but the m 4
"0 vel Of marvels is, that he has not made mai
all more, and can only be accounted for 10 The ia
that, he is endowed by nature with vigor a
uu tivity and olearness of intellect unsurpassed
,ut any man of our time, Icheers] and by pati
olic, unsel6Hh singleneas Of purpose in disp
en- sing Of every question as it arises. Tnheers Il
bsr welding of great patronage is the severest te
the Of executive ability. That In addition to
az his other duties he has done 90 long and up