Year: 1865

~ am naturally antslavery, If slavery is
not wrong nothing is wrong. cannot remem-
Der when did not so think and feel; and yet,
have never understood that the Presidency
conferred upon me an unrestricted right to act
officially upon this Judgment and feeling. 1t
was in the oath took that would, to the best
Of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States. could not
take the office without taking the oath. Nor
was it in my view that might take the oath
to get power, and break the oath in using the
power. understood, too, that in ordinary civil
administration, this oath even forbade me to
practically indulge my primary abstract judg-
ment on the moral question Of slavery have
publicly declared this many times and in many
ways, and | aver that to this day, have done
no official act in mere Difference to my abstract
judgment and feeling on slavery. did under
stand, however, that my oath TO preserve the


Constitution to the best Of my ability, imposed


upon me the duty of preserving, by every in


dispensab means, that government, that ma


tion, of which that Constitution was the or.
ganic law. Was it possible to lose the nation.


and yet preserve the Constitution By general


law, life and limb must be protected; yet often


limb must be amputated to save a life, but o
life is never wisely given to save limb. / felt
that measures otherwise unconstitutional, might
become lawful by'becoming Indispensable to the
preservation of the Constitution through the
preservation of the nation. Right or wrong,


assumed this ground, and now it. could
not feel that to the best Of my ability l had
even tried to preserve the Constitution, if to
save slavery, or any minor matter, l should
permin the wreck of Government, Country and
Constitution altogether"


With such confidence in the people,
with such love of human rights, such
regard for the legal sanctions with which
this great national sin had surrounded
and shielded itself, embracing all the
people in his great, honest, loving heart,
how nobly, how magnanimously. yet how
effectively. ho has conducted this great
contest for national existence. Giving
way to no vindictlveness. estranging
many good men by refusing to retaliate
the barbarities perpetrated In the inter-
ests Of treason, with an eye constantly
fixed upon a restored Union, great,
free and united people, with that en-
larged charity which trusteth all things,
he strove to regain the affections while
he bound up the wounds of the conquer.
ed foe, no longer regarded as an enemy,
but misguided fellow-citizen.


In his last inaugural, when the triumph
of order and the Constitution was well
assured, he INDUCES in no exultation,
but reverently says: "Fondly do we
hope, fervently do we pray. that this
mighty scourge Of war may speedily pass
away" " We are to bind up the nations
wounds, and care for him who shall have
borne the battle, and for his widow and
for his orphans, to- do all which may
achieve and cherish just and lasting
peace among ourselves, and with all ma
tions." And Notwithstanding the ami
mosities kindled by this bloody civil wal,
conducted on one side with the ba, barity
characteristic Of its origin and melting
cause, and in its results carrying mourn
ing and bereavement to every hamlet
and neighborhood throughout the land,
the great Christian example of Abraham
Lincoln, his consistent acts and utter
ances more eloquent than hundred pull
pits, were exerting wide spread and
triumphant influence in favor Of concili'
alton, unity and forgiveness.


Such are few of the thoughts which
crowd upon us, few Of the topics sug.
gested by this solemn occasion. an i'm,
perfect and hasty delineation of the man
whom the nation mourns.


A few months ago one Of our first lite
'ary men ventured prediction, the full,
illment Of which is. alas too soon at
land. In review Of the administration
md policy Of the President, he wrote as
ollows:


"The verdict ofthe future is not to be fore
hown. But there can be little doubt that his
ory will record the name of Abraham Lincoln
IS that Of q pure and disinterested patriot. She
nay find in his course many errors; she may
oint out in his character many defects; she
rill speak him as man who had to contend
gainst the Disadvantages ofimperfect culture,
self education, and of little intercourse with
nen of high breeding. But she will speak also
{ the virtues which the hard experience Of
arly life had strengthened in him; of his home
= sincerity and simplioity;of his manly frank.
ess and self respect; of his large, humane and