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upon my best convictions; without selfishness or malice; and that by

the help of God I shall continue to do so。



Please be assured of my highest respect and esteem。



A。 LINCOLN。









SPEECH AT A WAR MEETING;



WASHINGTON; AUGUST 6; 1862



FELLOW CITIZENS: I believe there is no precedent for my appearing

before you on this occasion; but it is also true that there is no

precedent for your being here yourselves; and I offer in

justification of myself and of you that; upon examination; I have

found nothing in the Constitution against it。  I; however; have an

impression that; there are younger gentlemen who will entertain you

better and better address your understanding than I will or could;

and therefore I propose but to detain you a moment longer。  I am very

little inclined on any occasion to say anything unless I hope to

produce some good by it。  The only thing I think of just now not

likely to be better said by some one else is a matter in which we

have heard some other persons blamed for what I did myself There has

been a very widespread attempt to have a quarrel between General

McClellan and the Secretary of War  Now; I occupy a position that

enables me to believe that these two gentlemen are not nearly so deep

in the quarrel as some presuming to be their friends。  General

McClellan's attitude is such that in the very selfishness of his

nature he cannot but wish to be successfuland I hope he willand

the Secretary of War is precisely in the same situation。  If the

military commanders in the field cannot be successful; not only the

Secretary of War; but myself; for the time being the master of both;

cannot but be failures。  I know General McClellan wishes to be

successful; and I know he does not wish it any more than the

Secretary of War for him; and both of them together no more than I

wish it。  Sometimes we have a dispute about how many men General

McClellan has had; and those who would disparage him say he has had a

very large number; and those who would disparage the Secretary of War

insist that General McClellan has had a very small number。  The basis

for this is; there is always a wide difference; and on this occasion

perhaps a wider one; between the grand total on McClellan's rolls and

the men actually fit for duty; and those who would disparage him talk

of the grand total on paper; and those who would disparage the

Secretary of War talk of those at present fit for duty。  General

McClellan has sometimes asked for things that the Secretary of War

did not give him。  General McClellan is not to blame for asking for

what he wanted and needed; and the Secretary of War is not to blame

for not giving when he had none to give。  And I say here; so far as I

know; the Secretary of War has withheld no one thing at any time in

my power to give him。  I have no accusation against him。  I believe

he is a brave and able man; and I stand here; as justice requires me

to do; to take upon myself what has been charged on the Secretary of

War as withholding from him。  I have talked longer than I expected to

do; and now I avail myself of my privilege of saying no more。









TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR ANDREW。



WAR DEPARTMENT; WASHINGTON CITY; D。C。; August 12; 1862。



GOVERNOR ANDREW; Boston; Mass。:



Your despatch saying 〃I can't get those regiments off because I can't

get quick work out of the V。 S。 disbursing officer and the paymaster〃

is received。  Please say to these gentlemen that if they do not work

quickly I will make quick work with them。  In the name of all that is

reasonable; how long does it take to pay a couple of regiments?  We

were never more in need of the arrival of regiments than noweven

to…day。



A。 LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR CURTIN。



WAR DEPARTMENT; WASHINGTON; D。C。; August 12; 1862。



GOVERNOR CURTIN; Harrisburg; Penn。:



It is very important for some regiments to arrive here at once。  What

lack you from us?  What can we do to expedite matters?  Answer。



A。 LINCOLN。









TELEGRAM TO GENERAL S。 R。 CURTIS。



WASHINGTON; D。 C。; August 12; 1862。



MAJOR…GENERAL CURTIS; St。  Louis; Missouri:



Would the completion of the railroad some distance farther in the

direction of Springfield; Mo。; be of any military advantage to you?

Please answer。



A。 LINCOLN。









ADDRESS ON COLONIZATION TO A DEPUTATION OF COLORED MEN。



WASHINGTON;  Thursday; August 14; 1862。



This afternoon the President of the United States gave an audience to

a committee of colored men at the White House。  They were introduced

by Rev。  J。 Mitchell; Commissioner of Emigration;  E。 M。 Thomas; the

chairman; remarked that they were there by invitation to hear what

the Executive had to say to them。



Having all been seated; the President; after a few preliminary

observations; informed them that a sum of money had been appropriated

by Congress; and placed at his disposition; for the purpose of aiding

the colonization; in some country; of the people; or a portion of

them; of African descent; thereby making it his duty; as it had for a

long time been his inclination; to favor that cause。  And why; he

asked; should the people of your race be colonized; and where?  Why

should they leave this country?  This is; perhaps; the first question

for proper consideration。  You and we are different races。  We have

between us a broader difference than exists between almost any other

two races。  Whether it is right or wrong I need not discuss; but this

physical difference is a great disadvantage to us both; as I think。

Your race suffer very greatly; many of them; by living among us;

while ours suffer from your presence。  In a word; we suffer on each

side。  If this is admitted; it affords a reason; at least; why we

should be separated。  You here are free men; I suppose。



'A voice …〃Yes; sir!〃'



Perhaps you have long been free; or all your lives。  Your race are

suffering; in my judgment; the greatest wrong inflicted on any

people。  But even when you cease to be slaves; you are yet far

removed from being placed on an equality with the white race。  You

are cut off from many of the advantages which the other race enjoys。

The aspiration of men is to enjoy equality with the best when free;

but on this broad continent not a single man of your race is made the

equal of a single man of ours。  Go where you are treated the best;

and the ban is still upon you。  I do not propose to discuss this; but

to present it as a fact; with which we have to deal。  I cannot alter

it if I would。  It is a fact about which we all think and feel alike;

I and you。  We look to our condition。  Owing to the existence of the

two races on this continent; I need not recount to you the effects

upon white men; growing out of the institution of slavery。



I believe in its general evil effects on the white race。  See our

present conditionthe country engaged in warwhite men cutting one

another's throatsnone knowing how far it will extendand then

consider what we know to be the truth: But for your race among us

there could not be war; although many men engaged on either side do

not care for you one way or the other。  Nevertheless I repeat;

without the institution of slavery and the colored race as a basis;

the war could not have an existence。   It is better for us both;

therefore; to be separated。  I know that there are free men among

you; who; even if they could better their condition; are not as much

inclined to go out of the country as those who; being slaves; could

obtain their freedom on this condition。  I suppose one of the

principal difficulties in the way of colonization is that the free

colored man cannot see that his comfort would be advanced by it。  You

may believe that you can live in WASHINGTON; or elsewhere in the

United States; the remainder of your life; as easily; perhaps more

so; than you can in any foreign Country; and hence you may come to

the conclusion that you have nothing to do with the idea of going to

a foreign country。



This is (I speak in no unkind sense) an extremely selfish view of the

case。  You ought to do something to help those who are not so

fortunate as yourselves。  There is an unwillingness on the part of

our people; harsh as it may be; for you free colored people to remain

with us。  Now; if you could give a start to the white people; you

would open a wide door for many to be made free。  If we deal with

those who are not free at the beginning; and whose intellects are

clouded by slavery; we have very poor material to start with。  If

intelligent colored men; such as are before me; would move in this

matter; much might be accomplished。



It is exceedingly important that we have men at the beginning capable

of thinking as white men; and not those who have been systematically

oppressed。  There is much to encourage you。  For the sake of your

race you should sacrifice something

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