Year: 1861

l u
The power was questioned at FIRST by Air. Jeifrl
son, who, however, in the purchase Of Looisnni
j yielded his scruples Gu the pen of great expl
pedienoy. If it be said that the only cgitima
I object of acquiring territory is to furnish homt
, for white men, this measure effects that object
. for the emigration Of colored men leuyes add
tion room for white men remaining or comm


here. Mr. Jefferson, however, placed the in
, portanec Of procuring Lousiana more O.
political and commercial grounds, than o


providing room for population.


On this whole proposition, including the az
preparation Of money with the acquisition 1
territory, does not the expedienoy amount {
absolute necessity, that, without which, the Gov
, ernment itself cannot be perpetuated il the wa


continues?


In considering the policy to be adopted 70
surpressing the insurrection, | have bee


anxious aud careful that tue inevitable oonac
| for this purpose shall not degenerate into


violent and remorseless revolutionary struggle
l have, therefore, in every case, thought
proper to keep the integrity of the Unioi
prominent as the primary object of the coutes
on our part, leaving all questions which are no


Of vital military Importance to the more delibe
rate action of The Legislature.


In the exercise of my best discretion, | havi
adhered to the blockade Of the ports held by thu
insurgents, instead of putting in force, by
u
the late session, for closing those ports. So
also, obeying the dictates OF prudence, as vel
as the obligations of law, instead of transcend


ing, | have adhered to the act of Congress tt
contiscaie property used for insurrectonary pur
poses. Ii new law upon the same subjec
shall be proposed, its proprety will be duly
considered.


The Union must be preserved, and hence all
Indispensable means must be employed We
| hp in hoaf tn dat hat lfoa al
and extreme measures, which may reach the
loyal as well as the disoyal, are indispensable.


The inaugural address, at the beginning of the
Administration and the message to Congress- al
the late special session, were both mainly deVo-
ted 10 the domestic controversy out of which
the insurrection and consequent war have
sprung Nothing more occurs to add or subtract,
TO or from the principles or general purposes
stated and expressed in that document. The
last ray of hope for preserving the Union peace
ably expired at the assault upon Fort Sumter,
and general review of what has occurred since
may not be Improbable


What was painfully uncertain then is much
better defined and more distinct now, aud the
progress of events is plainly in the right direc-
tlon. The insurgents confidently cnimed o
strong support from north of Mason and Dixon's
line, aud the friends Of the Union were not free
from apprehensions on that point This, how
ever was soon settled definitely, and on the right
side. South of the line, noble little Delaware
led of right from the first. Maryland was made
to seem against the Union Our soldiers were
assaulted, bridges were burned, aud railroads
torn up within her limits, and we were many
days at one time without the ability to bring
single regiment over her soil to the capital
Now her bridges and railroads ore repaired and
open TO the Government. She already gives
seven regiments to the cause of the Union, and
none to the enemy, and her people, at regular
election, have sustained the Union by larger
majority, and larger aggregate vote than they
ever before gave to any candidate, on any ques-
tion. Kentucky, too, for some time in doubt,
is now decidedly, and / think unchaDgeably,
ranged on the side of the Union. Missouri is
comparatively quiet, and believe cannot again
be overrun by the insurrectionsts. These three
States of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri,
neither of which would promise single soldier
at first, have now an aggregate of not less than
forty thousand in the field for the Union, while
of their citizens certainly not more than n third
Of that number, and they of doubtful where
abouts and doubtful existence, are In arms
against it. After Il somewhat bloody struggle
Of months, winter closes on the Union people of
Western Virginiu, leaving them masters of their
own country.


An insurgent force of about fifteen hundred
for months dominating the narrow peninsular
region of the counties Of Accomao and North
| ampton, and known as the Eastern shore of
Virginia, together with some contiguous parts
of Maryland, have laid down their arms, and
the people there have renewed their allegiance
to aud accepted the protection Of the old flag.
This leaves no armed insurrectionists north of
the Potomac or east Of the Chesapeake.


Also we have obtained a footing at each of
the isolated points on the Southern coast of
Hatteras, Port Royal, Tybee Island, near SaSan-
nah, and Ship Island, and we likewise have
some general accounts of popular movements in
behalf of the Union in North Carolina and Teu-
nessee. These things demonstrate that the cause
Of the Union is advancing steadily Southwark
Since your last adjournment, Lieutenant
General Scott has retired from the head OF the
army. During his long life the nation has not
been unmindful Of his merit yet on calling TO
mind how faithfully, ably, and brilliantly he has
served the country from Il time far back in our
history, when few of the now living had been
born, and thence forward continually, cannot
but think we are still his debtors. | submit,
therefore, for your consideration, what further
mark of recognition is due to him and to our
selves as greatful people.


With the retirement of General Scott came the
Executive duty of appointing in his stead u
General-n-Chief of the.army tits fortunate
circumstance that neither in council or country
was there, so far as | know, any difference Of
opinion as to the proper person to be selected.
The retiring chief repeatedly expressed his
judgment in favor Of General Mcclellan for the
position, and in this the nation seemed to give q
unanimous concurrence. The designation of
General Mcclellan is, therefore, in consider
able degree, the selection of the country as we'll
as Of the Executive, aud hence there is better
reason TO hope that there will be given him the
confidence and cordial support, thus, by fair i'm.
plioation, promised, and without which he can
not, with so full efficiency, serve the country
| II has been said that one bad general is better
than two coed ones, and the saying is true, if
taken to mean no more than that our army 10
better directed by single mind, though inferior,
than by two superior ones at variance and cross
purposes with each other. And the same is true
in all joint operations wherein those engaged
| can haye none but q common end in view, and
can differ only as TO the choice Of means. In n
storm at sea no one on board eau wish the ship
to sink, and yet not unfrequently all 60 down
together, because too many will direct and no
single mind can be allowed TO control


1t continues to develop that the insurrecton is
largely, if not exclusively war upon the first
principles of popular government-tho rights of
the people. Conclusive evidence of this is found
g the most grave and matprely considered
public documents, MS we'll as in the general tone
of the insurgents. In those documents we
found the abridgement of the existing right of
suffrage, and the denial to the people Of all right
TO participate IN tno seleuuuh OF pupnc OMcefsi
except the legislative, boldly advocated with
labored arguments, to prove that large control
of the people in government is the source 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 were 10 omit rnisng warning voice
against this approach of returning despotsm.


1t is not needed nor fitting here that u general
argument should be made in favor of popular
institutions. But there is one point, with its
connections, not 80 hackneyed as most others, to
which Rsk brief attention ii is the effort to