legal status. If they break from this they can only do so against law and by revolution. The Union, and not themselves separately, procured their independence and their liberty. By conquest or purchase, the Union gave each of them whatever of independence or liberty it. has. The Union is older than any of the States, and, in fact, it created them as States. Originally some dependent colonies made the Union, and, in turn, the Union threw off their old dependence for them and made them States, such as they are. Not one of them ever had a state constitution independent of the Union." MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1861. "And this issue embraces more than the fate of these United States. It presents to the whole family of man the question whether a consti tutional republic or democracy-a government of the people by the same people-can or cannot maintain its integrity against its domestic foes. It forces us to ask, 'Is there in all republics this inherent and fatal weakness? Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its own people or too weak to maintain its own existence ?'" MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, DECEMBER, 1862. "A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory is the only part which is of certain duration. 'One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth forever. That portion of the earth's surface which is owned and inhabited by the people of the United States, is well adapted to be the home of one national family, and it is not well adapted for two or more. There is no line, straight or crooked, suitable for a national boundary upon which to divide." SECOND ANNUAL MESSAGE, DEC. 1, 1862. "Fellow Citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. We say we are for the Union. The world will not forget that we say this. We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it. We, even we, here-hold the power and bear the responsibility. In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free-honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose the last, best hope of earth." LETTER TO CUTHBERT BULLITT, "I shall not do more than I can, but I shall do all I can to save the government, which is my sworn duty as well as my personal inclination. I shall do nothing in malice. What I deal with is too vast for malicious dealing." IN AN ADDRESS TO SENATORS AND "Our common country is in great peril, demanding the loftiest views and boldest action to bring a speedy relief. Once relieved, its form of government is saved to the world; its beloved history and cherished memories are vindicated! and its happy future fully assured and rendered inconceivably grand." "I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. "I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors, and I shall adopt new views so fast as they are shown to be true views." RELATING TO THE UNION MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA, DEC. 31, 1862. "It is said, the devil takes care of his own. Much more should a good spirit-the spirit of the Constitution and the Union-take care of its own. I think it cannot do less and live." |