The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-15
LINCOLN AND HIS ADVISERS.
The Frankness of His First Inaugural
Address and the Hope 1t Insirped.
0bject-Why the Emancipation Procla-
nation Was Not Issued i'm 1862.

Lincoln made Lincoln the nominee of the Re-
publican party for President at the Chicago con-
vention in 1860, to the great disappointment of
Dir. Seward and his supporters. The election
came on and resulted in the election of major
sty of Republican electors, but these electors did
not receive majority of the public vote by
nearly million of votes which fact Mr.. Lincoln
often referred to during his administration. The
Republican party, as such, stood pledged to the
maintenance inviolate, Of the rights OF the
States. and especially the right OF each State to
order and control its own domestic institutions,
according to its own judgment exclusively. To
that pledge Mr.. Lincoln determined vigorously
to adhere and if during his administration there
was any seeming depression from that resolve,
it was brought about and compelled by the
sxigencies of the war; In his first inaugural ad
dress he expressed himself as follows:
II have purpose, directly Or indirectly, to
interfere with the institution of slavery in the
States where it exists I believe have no law
ful right to do so, and I have no inclination to
do So" This. he sad was quoted from one of
his former speeches. and further that the same
sentiment would be found in nearly all his pub
Tic speeches. In the course of his address he
said: mo State upon its own mere motion can
lawfully get out Of the Union; resolves and ordi-
nances to that effect legally void, and that
acts of violence, within any State or States,
against the authority of the United States are
insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to
circumstances" Then followed declaration
that in his view of the Constitution and the
laws, the Union was unbroken, and that to the
extent of his ability he would take care that the
laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all
the States that there need be no bloodshed or
violence in doing this and that there would be
none unless it was forced upon the national
authority. 1t is needless to say that these
pledges were kept
The frankness of this inaugural address, and
the pledges contained in it. inspired the devotees
of the Union In the North with the hope that
peace would finally prevail 1t is plain that Mr..
Lincoln entertained such hope, and he had ample
season for it, if he considered the popular vote.
1t was but fair TO assume that the votes cast for
Messrs. Douglas and Bell, with the fusion vote
of Pennsylvania for Breckenridge, were, with
but few exceptions, the votes Of Union men.
They, with the votes cast for him, amounted to
nearly 4, 600, 600 votes, leaving only 600, 600
700, 900, who voted for Breckenridge. who were
for the most part disunionists. 1t was incredi-
BILE that these Union votes would join in a rebel
lion for the dissolution of the Union over the
express pledge in the inaugural address that,
'the government will not assail you. You can
have no conflict without being yourselves the
Aggressors"
Upon the closest scrutiny of the administra-
sion of Mr.. Lincoln. it will be found that his
paramount object was the preservation of the
Union, and to enforce in all the States the laws
of the United States. He found it necessary to
assault the institution of slavery; it was be-
cause he deemed it necessary to carry out his
principal object all of which was tersey ex
pressed in his letter to Mr. Greeley that he
would preserve the Union if it could be done
without freeing any slaves, land if could save
it by freeing.all the slaves would do it-and if
] could save it by freeing some and leaving
others alone would also do that"
Mr.. Greeley evidently dissatisfied with
the explanation of Mr.. Lincoln, and the Tribune
teemed with complaints and criticisms of his
administration. which very much annoyed him.
SO much so that he requested Mr.. Greeley to
come to Washington and make known in per-
son his complaints, to the end that they might
be obvated if possible The managing ed
itor of the Tribune came. Mr.. Lin
coin said: You complain of me- What
have / done omitted to do which has
provoked the hostility of the Tribunea" The re-
ply was: You should issue a proclamation
aholishing slavery" Mr.. Lincoln answered.
Suppose do that There are now 90 600 of our
muskets on the shoulders of, Kentuckians, who
are bravey fighting our battles. Every one of
them will be thrown down carried over to the
rebels" The reply was: Let them do it. The
eause of the Union will be stronger if Kentucky
should secede with the rest than it is now" Mr.
Lincoln answered: "Oh, can't think that"
No matter to what political party any man
had been attached, if he was in good faith for
the maintenance of the Union, he had the conf
dence of Mr.. Lincoln. During his administra
ton he recognized but two parties, one for the
Union and the other against IT. He repealed no
one; he strove to make friends, not for himself
so much as the preservation of the government,
and seeing clearly from the beginning that
property in slaves was In the way OF many, he
urged them to accept compensation. His wis
dom anG foresight is now apparent to all. If the
border States would have accepted COMPENSATION
for slaves or if Virginia had adhered to the
Union there would have been war. and
slavery would have been abolished by agreement
for compensation.
contents: Suppose you go to war you cannot
fight always; and when, after much loss on both
Sides and no gain on either, you cease fighting
the identical old questions as to terms of inter
course again upon YOU"
Failing to bring about the emancipation of the
slaves in the border States by agreement and
compensation, Mr.. Lincoln set about the restora-
ton of government in the States in rebellion.
On the 9Th of December, 1863, he issued his
proclamation of amnesty. BY that proclama-
tion it was declared that whenever in any of the
seeding States a number of persons not less
than one tenth in number of the votes cast in
such State at the presidential election of 1860
shall have taken the oath required, aud not vic.
lated it, and being qualified voter by the cleo
tion law of the State existing Immediately
before the so'called Act of Secession, and excud-
ing all others, shall reestabiish State govern
ment which shall be republican, such shall be
recognized as the true government of the State
and protected by the United States as State,
against invasion and domestic violence
1t will be observed that persons who were
authorized to re-establish State government
were to DE qualified voters of the State before
secession. MIR. Chase insisted that this paragraph
of the proclamation should be changed. and the
word citizens inserted in the place of qualified
voters. The Attorney general had given an
opinion to Mr.. Chase. Nov. 90, 1862, that colored
aen born in the United States were citizens of
Lincolns administration. so that if he had
adopted the views of Mr.. Chase. the tenth in
number necessary to organize State might
have been legally composed of colored men,