Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1909-05-06
SIMPLE FAITH OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
His Belief That He Was but an
Instrument in the Hands of
the Almighty.
1.-THE Diary of Gideon welles." Atlantic

1.-THE Diary of Gideon Welles,'' Atlantic
Monthly for March.
Monday, September q, 1S62.---We had to-
day special cabinet meeting. The sub
ject was the proclamation concerning
emancipating slaves after certain date,
In states that should then be in rebellion.
For. several weeks the subject has been
suspended but the president says, never
lost sight of. When the subject was sub
mitted in August. and indeed in taking it
up, the president stated that the question
was finally decided, but that he felt 1T to
be due to US to make us acquainted with
the fact and to invite criticism on the
proclamation. There were some differ
ences in the cabinet, but he had formed
his own conclusions and made his own
decisions He had. he said, made vow,
a covenant. that If God gave us the VIC
tory In the approaching battle (Which had
just been fought), he would consider II
his duty to move forward in the cause OF
emancipation We might think it strange,
he said, but there We're times when he
felt uncertain how to act; that he had in
this way submitted the disposal of mat
tiers when the way was not clear to his
mind what he should do. God had decided
this question In favor of the slave. He
was satisfied it was right was confirmed
and strengthened in his action by the vow
and by the results his mind was fixed,
his decision made. but he wished his pa
per announcing his course to be as COR
rect In terms as 1t could be made without
any attempt to change his determination.
For that was fixed-we must emancipate
the slaves OF be ourselves subjugated. The
slaves must be with us or against US.
! They were against us.
He read the document and Seward s,lg-
gested one or two unimportant amends
ments that were approved. 1t was then
handed to the secretary of state. to pub
lish. After this Blair remarked that he
| considered 1t proper to say he did not
concur in the eNpediency of the measure
at this time, though he approved of the
principle. and should therefore wish to
file his objections. He stated at some
length his views. which were that we
ought not to put In greater jeopardy the
patriotic element in the border states He
apprehended that they would go over to
| the secessionists as soon they had seen
the proclamation. 1t would be we'll also
to remember that the army was not united
on the subject. and that there was class
| of partisans in the free states endeavoring
to revive old parties, who would have q
club put in their hands of which they
would avail themselves to beat the adj
ministration
| The president said he had considered
The danger to be unprecedented from the
| first objection, which was undoubtedly
serious, but the objection was certainly
as great not to act; as regarded the last,
1t had not so much weight with him; they
would use their clubs, do what he might.
The question of power. authority In the
| government to set free the slaves was not
much discussed at this meeting, but had
been canyassed by the president in pri.
vate conversation with the members indi-
vidually. Some thought legislation advis-
able before the step was taken. but con-
gress was clothed with no authority on
this subject nor is the executive, except
under the war power, military necessity,
martial law, when there can be no egis-
lation. This was the view which took
| when the president first presented the sub
! feet to Seward and myself last summer.
us we We're returning from the funeral OF
Stanton's child, a ride of two or three
4 miles from beyond Georgetown. Seward
was at that time not at all communities
tive. and j think not willing to advise,
though he did not dissent from the move
ment. 1t is momentous both in its imme-
diate and remote results, and an exercise
| of extraordinary power which cannot be
| justified on mere humanitarian principles,
and would never have been attempted but
to preserve the national existence. The
slaves must be with or against us In
the war. Let us have them. These were
my convictions. and this is the drift Of
\ the discussion.