Year: 1862

alike to you and to ourselves TO seek 10
hide the fact that this rebellion, by rea,
son Of the numbers and resources which
it commands, the end at which it aims
and the interests which it imperils, is
without parallel in the history of the
world.


A large majority Of the peo le of elev,
en- States, embracing an area OF 100000
square miles of fertile land and popula,
ton of 100000, are this day in the
support of the Rebellion. This cruel and
unnatural war is waged by the conspira
tors against the People neither for the
redress of wrong nor the vindication OF
right. The People whom they assail
and seek to destroy have done them nc
wrong the Government Of the country
which they seek to overturn has neither
denied nor violated any right of theirs
The chiefs in this reasonable conspiracy
openly declare their purpose to be to
overturn by force the fabric of Ameri-
can Empire, and build upon its ruins a
despotism which would withhold from
honest toll its just reward, which would
proclaim 10 the laboring classes of our
countrymen the maxim of tyrants-that
the great law Of liberty and human pro-
gress is not for them and which would
open and perpetuate new markets in
which "men are to be bought and sold
as merchandise" 1t cannot be matter
Of surprise that reasonable war levied
for such purposes should be prosecuted
by those who wage it with ga cruelty
and perfdity scarcely paralleled in the
most barbarous ages" These armed
conspirators, in prosecuting their work ol
treason, have robbed, imprisoned, ban
ished and murdered, peaceable citizens
solely because of their fedlity TO their
country aud lis laws.


They have deliberately assassinated
your mangled and defenseless soldiers on
the field Of battle, and have violated the
sacred graves of your buried dead. And
that their acts OF cruelty might be mark
ed by every atrocity, they have even
compelled four millions of slaves TO sup
port them by their unpaid labor, and thus
to contribute 10 the perpetuation of the
tyranny which forges fettars for them
selves and their children.


Men moved by such purposes, and ca
pable Of employing such seems for their
accomplishment must be deaf alike 10
the demands of justice and humanity,
and can only be restrained by the strong
arm of power. As neither the ties OF q
common kindred, nor the obligations O
a common humanity, nor the claims of 4
common country are regarded by these
assailants Of your free institutions, it on
ly remains for the loyal people to "hold
them as they hold the rest of mankind
enemies in war in peace, friends"


We cannot, il we would, shut out from
our minds the conviction that upon the
tissue Of this conflict Of army thus forced
upon you, depends not merely the sue
cess, but the existence of your great ex
pertinent of representative government.
In the light of our past history, Judged
by the rapid growth and development oI
the Republic under cur free Constitution,
1t Is not an open question whether that
Constitution Is worth preserving. Every



ton that the unity of government which
constitutes US one people can be destroy
ed. The words of Washington, always
significant, seem to be invested to-day
with a new force "This Government,
the offspring of our own choice, unintlu
enced and unawed, adopted upon full in.
vesugation and mutual deliberation. AND
COMPLETELY FREE IN IT'S PRINCIPLES, \
has just claim 10 your confidence and
your support. Respect for its authority,
compliance, with its laws, aequiescence
in its measures, are duties enjoined by
the fundamental maxims Of true liberty"
We cannot doubt that you duly appre-
ciate these great utterances of the Father
of your County that it is with you a
conviction that your Government Z" free
in its principles, has just claim TO your
support, and must at every hazard be
maintained. Acting upon this belief,
and in perfect accord, as we believe, with
your will and with the Constitution, Con-
gress, AS your agent, have, in order to
provide for the common defense, for the
suppression Of tho Rebellion, and for the
payment Of the public debts. enacted a
law for the assessment and collection Of a
Federal tax, and also for the imposition
Of additional duties on imports. That
these necessary burdens may fall as ght-
y as possible upon the loyal people OF
the country, and that the enemy in arms
against you may be weakened and strip
ped of support, and made, as far as may
be. to indemnify the Government against
the expenses of suppressing tins unjust
Rebellion, the Congress have further pro
vided by law for the seizure and con.
demnation to the public use Of all the
property of these Rebels in arms. and oi
their aiders and ahettors and also ior
the liberation and employment by the
government Of their slaves. A u fur
ther means of defense. Congress has pro
vided by law that the President may
summon TO the support of the Govern
ment such additional forces as he NAV
necessary TO insure the prompt suppress
ion of tie Rebellion, and the restoration
Of peace and the national authority.


The President, faithful TO the higl
trust committed TO him by your unpur.
chased and unpurchasable sutfrages. in