Year: 1861

IVIIey Uud tIlat 70 De eNpcnucd the tcrrtor
iai aequlSton. Having practieed the acquisition Of
territory for nearly sixty years the question of the
tonsutunonal power to do sol no longer open one
WIN us. me power was questioned nj hrSt by Mr.
Jefferson. who. however. in the purchase of Louis
lan yielded to his seruples the plea great ex
pedency.


II it be said that the only legitimate object of ac
curing territory Is to furnish homes for white men,
tins measure effects that object. for emigration Of
colored men leaves additional room for white mcnre-
manning or coming here. Mr.. Jefferson. however
placed the Importance OF procuring Louisiana more
political and commercial grounds than on proyid-
ing room for population
On this whole proposition, including the appropria-
ton Of money with the ACQUISITION of territory does
not the expedlency amount to absolute necessity
petuated if the war continues.


In considering over the policy be adopted
for suppressIng the insurrecton, | have been anX-
ious aud careful that the inevitable conflict for this
purpose shall not degenerate into violent and re-
morSeiess revolutionary struggle, have therefore,
IN every case thought 1t proper to keep the integri-
ty of the Union prominent as the primary object of
the contest on our part leaving all questions which
are not of vital military inport;lnce TO the more de-
lIberate action of the Legislature.


In the exercise Of my best discretion have alhcr-
geants. instead putting in force 10y proclamation
the law OF Congress enacted at the late session for
closing these ports: SO also obeying the dictates of
prudence as well the obligations of law, instead of
transccndiug have adhered to the OF Congress
to confscate property used for nsurrectionary pur
poses. II a new law upon the same subject shah he
proposed, its pTopriety will be. duly considered.


The Union must be preserved, and hence all Indis-
pensab!e means must be employed. We should not be
IN haste to determine that radical and extreme meas
ures. which may reach the loyal well the disoyal


The Inaugural address at the beginning OF the Adj
mnstration and the message to Congress the late
special session, both mainly devoted 10 the do
mestic controversy out of which the insurrecon and
subsequent war has sprung.


Nothing more occurs to add Substract 10 or from
the principles of general purposes stated and
pressed in those documents The last ray of hope for
preserving the Union. peaceaby, expired at the
saut upon Fort Sumter. and general review of what
has occurred since may be Improbable.


What was painfully uncertain then, is much better
and mo diStup un and tka -
events is plainly in the right direction, The nsur-
gents confidently claimed strong support from
North of Mason and Dixon's line, and the friends of
the Union were not free from apprehension that
point This, however, was soon settled definitely and
on the right side.


South Of the line. noble little Delaware led off right
from the first. Maryland was made to seem against
the Union. Our soldiers were assaulted, bridges
burned, and railroads torn up within her limits, and
we Were many days, at one time, without the ability
to bring single regiment her soil to the Capital


Now her bridges and railroads are repaired and
open to the Government. She already gives seven
enemy, and her people al the regular election have
sustained the Union by large majority, and "a larger
aggregate vote than they ever before gave any
dIdatc on any question.


Kentucky too, for some time in doubt, is now deci-
dedly, and think. unchangesby. ranged the side
of the Union. Missouri Is comparatively gEiet and


believe cannot again be ovcrrun by the insrrectol-
lists. These three States of Maryland Kentucky and
Missouri, neither of which would promise a single
soldier at first have aggregate of less than
forty thousand in the field for the Union while of
their citizens. certainly not more than third of that
number and they of doubtful whereabouts and doubt
ful existence, are in arms against It, After a some
- 5 " sI IN % oiitils Hl Nii''f closes on tht
masters of their own country.


An insurgent force of about fifteen hundred for
months dominating the narrow peninsular region of
the counties of Ace onac and Northampton. and
known the Eastern Shore of Virginia together
with some contiguous parts of Maryland have lain
down their arms, and the people there have renewed
their allegiance 10 and accepted the protection Of the
old flag They have no armed insurrection north Of
the Potomac or east Of the Chesapeake.


Also, we have obtained footing each Of the so-
lated points on the southern coast of HateTas Port
Royal Tybec Island near Savannah. and Ship Island;
and likewise have some general accounts of pop
ul:r movements in behalf of the Union. in North Car
DINA and Tennessee These things demonstrate that
ward


Since your last adjournment, LieutenantG!eneral
Scott has retired from the head of the army. During
his long life the nation has not been unmndful of his
merit ct, oa calling ia mind how faithfully ably and
brilliantly he has served the country from a time far
back in our history, when few of the living had
been born, and thenceforward continually, cannot
but think are still his debtors submit there
for your consideration, what further mark of recogni
ton s due to him and to ourselves as grateful peo-


With the retirement of General Scott came the cx-
ecutiye duty of appointing in his stead GeneI air-
Chief Of the army. 1t a fortunate circumstance
that neither in council country there, far
| know any difference of op1iion as To the pronrr
person to be selected. The retiring Chief repeatedly
expressed his judgment in favor of General Mcclellan
for the position and in this the nation decreed give
unanimous concurrence.


The designation of General Mcclellan is therefore
in a considerable degree, the selection of the country





to hope that there will be given him the conf
dence and cordial support thus, by fair implication
promised. and without which he cannot with so full
efficiency the country. II has been said that
bad General is better than good ones, and the
saying true, If taken 10 mean no more than that
army is better directed by single mind, though in
ferior than by two superior variance and cross
purposes with each other. And the same is true in
all joint observations wherein those engaged can have
but common end in view and can differ only
to the choice of means.


In storm at one can wish the snip to sink,
and yet unfrequently, all go down together, be-
too many will direct, and no single mind can be
allowed to control.


It continues develop that the Insurrection large
ly II not exclusively. upon the first principles
OF popular government-the rights of the people.
Conclusive evidence OF this Is found in the most grave
and natureIy considered public documents, well
in the general tone of the insurgents.
In these documents We find the abrdgement of the
existing right Of suffrage. and the denial to the people
of all right to participate i'm the selection of public of
fcers. except the Legislature boldly advocated. with
abored arguments to prove that large control of the
people in goyeTpment the of all political evil
Monarchy itself is sometimes limited at as possible
refuge from the power of the people.


In my present position could scarcely be justified
to omit raising warning voice against this ap-
proach of returning despotlsm.


1t is needed fitting here that general arGu-
ment should be made i'll favor of popular institutions
But there Is one point with ITS competitions not SO
hackneyed most others, to which ask a brief at
tention


1t is the effort place capital equal footing
with If above labor, in the structure of the Gov
ernment II is assumed that labor Is available only IN
connection with capital thar nobody labors unless
somebody else owning capital somehow by the use of
it. induces him to labor. This presumed it is next
sldered whether il best that capital shall hire labor
ers. and thus induce them TO work by their con-
sent buy them and drive them to it without their
/ consent.


/ Having proceeded so far. il is naturally concluded
that all laborers either hired lahOrers what
call slaves And further it assumed that whoever is
hired aborer, is fixed in that connection for life
Now there is such relation between capital and L.
bor assumed nor is there any such thing free
being fixed for life in the rendition of hired la
borer. Both these assumptions false, and all in
ferences from then. groUndtess. Labor is prior
to and independent Of capital. Capital is only the
fruit of labor and could never have existed if labor
had not FIRST existed


Labor is the superior of capital and deserves nl9ch
higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which
are as worthy of protection any other rights


Nor is it denied that there is and probably always vii


be relation between labor and capital producing
mutual benefits. The error Is IN assuming that the
whole labor of the community exists within that rea


lion. ~ 3 Id


few men own capital, and that few avoid labor, o.


buy another few to labor for them. large majority