LINCOLN not only watched the war, but kept his hand on the political
pulse. In 1863 a tide set in against the administration. A Republican
meeting was to be held in Springfield, Illinois, and Lincoln wrote a
letter to be read at this convention. It was in his happiest vein. It
was a perfect defence of his administration, including the Proclamation
of Emancipation. Among other things he said:
"But the proclamation, as law, either is valid or it is not valid. If
it is not valid it needs no retraction, but if it is valid it cannot be
retracted, any more than the dead can be brought to life."
To the Northern Democrats who said they would not fight for negroes,
Lincoln replied:
"Some of them seem willing to fight for you--but no matter."
Of negro soldiers:
"But negroes, like other people, act upon motives. Why should they do
anything for us if we will do nothing for them? If they stake their
lives for us they must be prompted by the strongest motive--even the
promise of freedom. And the promise, being made, must be kept."
There is one line in this letter that will give it immortality:
"The Father of waters again goes unvexed to the sea."
This line is worthy of Shakespeare.
Another:
"Among free men there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the
bullet."
He draws a comparison between the white men against us and the black men
for us:
"And then there will be some black men who can remember that with silent
tongue and clenched teeth and steady eye and well-poised bayonet they
have helped mankind on to this great consummation; while I fear there
will be some white ones unable to forget that with malignant heart and
deceitful speech they strove to hinder it."
Under the influence of this letter, the love of country, of the Union,
and above all, the love of liberty, took possession of the heroic North.
There was the greatest moral exaltation ever known.
The spirit of liberty took possession of the people. The masses became
sublime.
To fight for yourself is natural--to fight for others is grand; to fight
for your country is noble--to fight for the human race--for the liberty
of hand and brain--is nobler still.
As a matter of fact, the defenders of slavery had sown the seeds of
their own defeat. They dug the pit in which they fell. Clay and Webster
and thousands of others had by their eloquence made the Union almost
sacred. The Union was the very tree of life, the source and stream and
sea of liberty and law.
For the sake of slavery millions stood by the Union, for the sake of
liberty millions knelt at the altar of the Union; and this love of the
Union is what, at last, overwhelmed the Confederate hosts.
It does not seem possible that only a few years ago our Constitution,
our laws, our Courts, the Pulpit and the Press defended and upheld the
institution of slavery--that it was a crime to feed the hungry--to give
water to the lips of thirst--shelter to a woman flying from the whip and
chain!
The old flag still flies--the stars are there--the stains have gone.