Page images
PDF
EPUB

HUGH J. HASTINGS.-O. W. HOLMES.

243

AB

BRAHAM LINCOLN was the greatest President that ever occupied the Executive chair, and the best story-teller ever known to a free people.

Augh & Hasting

NEW YORK, 1881.

I

COULD wish that fitting words would offer themselves to me to add to the multitude of tributes to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, but I fear that I should hardly find a phrase that eulogy has not applied or a sentiment to which patriotism has not given expression.

[ocr errors][merged small]

PROCLAMATION

RELATIVE TO GENERAL HUNTER'S ORDER DECLARING SLAVES WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT FREE.

I FURTHER make known, that whether it be competent for me, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, to declare the slaves of any State or States free; and whether, at any time or in any case, it shall have become a necessity indispensable to the maintenance of the gov. ernment to exercise such supposed powers, are questions which, under my responsibility, I reserve to myself, and which I cannot feel justified in leaving to the decision of commanders in the field.

The United States ought to co-operate with any State which may adopt a gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to such State earnest expression to compensate for its inconveniences, public and private, produced by such change of system.

I beg of you a calm and enlarged consideration of them, ranging, if it may be, far above partisan and personal politics. This proposal makes common object, casting no reproaches upon any. It acts not the Pharisee. The change it contemplates would come gently as the dews of Heaven, not rending or wrecking anything. Will you not embrace it? So much good has not been done, by one effort, in all past time, as, in the providence of God, it is now your high privilege to do. May the vast future not have a lament that you have neglected it! MAY 19th, 1862.

ANDREW SHUMAN.

245

I

KNEW him as a citizen, a lawyer and a politician, and I knew him afterwards as the President of the United States. His most striking characteristic was his simplicity, next to that was his independence of thought and self-reliance of reason. He had the heart of a child and the intellect of a philosopher. A patriot without guile, a politician without cunning or selfishness, a statesman of practical sense rather than finespun theory. The more I contemplate the history of his public life and services, the more I study his words, his works and the peculiarities of his character, the more I am inclined to believe that Abraham Lincoln was specially inspired, called and led by Providence to be the savior of

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

LINCOLN READING THE

EMANCIPATION

PROCLAMATION TO HIS CABINET,

SEPTEMBER 22.

GENTLEMEN-I have, as you are aware, thought a great deal about the relation of this war to slavery, and you all remember that several weeks ago I read to you an order I had prepared upon the subject, which, on account of objections made by some of you, was not issued. Ever since then my mind has been much occupied with this subject, and I have thought all along that the time for acting on it might probably come. I think the time has come now; I wish it was a better time. I wish that we were in a better condition. The action of the army against the rebels has not been quite what I should have best liked, but they have been driven out of Maryland, and Pennsylvania is no longer in danger of invasion.

When the rebel army was at Frederick, I determined, as soon as it should be driven out of Maryland, to issue a proclamation of emar.cipation, such as I thought most likely to be useful. I said nothing to any one, but I made a promise to myself and (hesitating a little), to my Maker. The rebel army is now driven out, and am going to fulfill that promise. I have got you together to hear what I have written down. I do not wish your advice about the main matter, for that I have determined for myself. This I say without intending anything but respect for you. any one of But I already

LINCOLN READING THE PROCLAMATION. 247

know the views of each on this question. They have been heretofore expressed, and I have considered them as thoroughly and carefully as I can. What I have written is that which my reflections have determined me to say. If there is anything in the expressions I use, or in any minor matter which any one of you think had best be changed, I shall be glad to receive your suggestions. One other observation I will make. I know very well that many others might, in this matter as in others, do better than I can ; and if I was satisfied that the public confidence was more fully possessed by any one of them than by me, and knew of any constitutional way in which he could be put in my place, he should have it. I would gladly yield to him. But though I believe I have not so much of the confidence of the people as I had some time since, I do not know that, all things considered, any other person has more; and, however this may be, there is no way in which I can have any other man put where I am. I am here; I must do the best I can and bear the responsibility of taking the course which I feel I ought

to take.

« PreviousContinue »