Year: 1863

W Aoiii-NpiO-Nf -NhS lOs iCOo.


Hon. James C. Conhling:


Ny DEAR SIR: Your letter invit-
ing me to attend a mass meeting of
unconditional Union men, to be held
at the capital of Illinois on the Sd
day Of September. has been receiv-
ed 1t would be very agreeable to
me to thus meet my old friends at
my own home, but | cannot just now
be absent from this city so long as
the visit there would require.


The meeting is to be of all those
who maintain unconditional devotion
to the Union; and am sure my old
political friends will thank me for
rendering, as | do, the nation graf
itude TO those other noble men whom
no partisan malice or partisan hope
can make false to the nation life.


There are those who are dissatis-
fed with me. To such | would say.
You desire peace and You blame me
that we do not have it. But how can
we attain it: There are but three con
ceivable ways. First, to suppress
the rebellion bv force OF arms. This
! am trying to do. Are You for it:
If YOU are. so far we are agreed. If
you are not for it, second way is to
give up the Union. am against
this. Are you for it? If you are,
you should say so plainly. If you
are not for force, nor yet for djssoiu-
Goa, there only remains some imagin-
AIRY compromise.


| do not believe any compromise
embracing the maintenance Of the
Union is now possible. All that
learn leads to directly opposite be-
lief The strength of the rebellion
is in It's militarv-its army. That
army dominates all the country and
all the people within its range.


ANY offer of terms made bv any
man or men within that range, in OPP
position to that army, is simply moth
ING for the present, because such man
or men have no power whatever to
enforce their side of compromise,
if one were made with them.


To illustrate: Suppose refugees
from the South and peace men ofthe
the North get together in conven-
ton, and frame and proclaim II com
promise embracing restoration of
the Union, in what way can that
compromise he used to keep Lee =
army out of Pennsylvania?


Mcade's army can keep Lees ar
my out of Pennsylvania. and ! think
can ultimately drive it out of exist
cnce; but no paper compromise to
which the controllers of Lees army
are not agreed, can at all affect that
army. In an effort at such com
promise we should waste time which
the enemy would improve to our dis
advantage; and that would be all.


a compromise. to be effective.
must be made either with those who
control the rebel army. or with the
people first liberated from the dom
ination of that army by the success
es of our army. Now. allow me to
assure YOU that no word or intimation
from that rebel army, or from any of
the men controlling it. in relation To
any peace compromise, has ever come
to my knowledge or belief All
charges and intimations 20 the con
trary are deceptive and groundless.
and | promise YOU that if any such
shall hereafter come, it
shall not be kept secret from YOU.
| freely acknowledge myself the ser
want of the people according to the
bond of service-the United States
Constitution-and that rs such am
to them.


But. 10 be plain. YOU are disSatis-
fed with me about the negro. Quite I
likely there is difference OF opin-
ion between YOU and myself upon
that subject. | certainly wish that
all men could be free. while / sup 1
pose you do not; yet. ! have neither
adopted nor proposed any measure
which i not consistent with even