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gone； and you will have nothing valuable in lieu of it。 Much of its
value is gone already。 How much better for you and for your people
to take the step which at once shortens the war and secures
substantial compensation for that which is sure to be wholly lost in
any other event！ How much better to thus save the money which else we
sink forever in war！ How much better to do it while we can； lest the
war ere long render us pecuniarily unable to do it！ How much better
for you as seller； and the nation as buyer； to sell out and buy out
that without which the war could never have been； than to sink both
the thing to be sold and the price of it in cutting one another's
throats！ I do not speak of emancipation at once； but of a decision at
once to emancipate gradually。 Room in South America for colonization
can be obtained cheaply and in abundance； and when numbers shall be
large enough to be company and encouragement for one another； the
freed people will not be so reluctant to go。
I am pressed with a difficulty not yet mentionedone which threatens
division among those who； united； are none too strong。 An instance
of it is known to you。 General Hunter is an honest man。 He was； and
I hope still is； my friend。 I valued him none the less for his
agreeing with me in the general wish that all men everywhere could be
free。 He proclaimed all men free within certain States； and I
repudiated the proclamation。 He expected more good and less harm
from the measure than I could believe would follow。 Yet； in
repudiating it； I gave dissatisfaction； if not offence； to many whose
support the country cannot afford to lose。 And this is not the end
of it。 The pressure in this direction is still upon me； and is
increasing。 By conceding what I now ask you can relieve me； and；
much more； can relieve the country in this important point。
Upon these considerations； I have again begged your attention to the
message of March last。 Before leaving the Capital； consider and
discuss it among yourselves。 You are patriots and statesmen； and as
such I pray you consider this proposition； and； at the least； commend
it to the consideration of your States and people。 As you would
perpetuate popular government for the best people in the world； I
beseech you that you do in nowise omit this。 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。 To you； more than to any others； the privilege
is given to assure that happiness and swell that grandeur； and to
link your own names therewith forever。
TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； July 13； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
MY DEAR SIR：I am told that over 160；000 men have gone into your
army on the Peninsula。 When I was with you the other day we made out
86；500 remaining； leaving 73；500 to be accounted for。 I believe
23；500 will cover all the killed； wounded； and missing in all your
battles and skirmishes； leaving 50；000 who have left otherwise。 No
more than 5000 of these have died； leaving 45；000 of your army still
alive and not with it。 I believe half or two…thirds of them are fit
for duty to…day。 Have you any more perfect knowledge of this than I
have？ If I am right； and you had these men with you； you could go
into Richmond in the next three days。 How can they be got to you；
and how can they be prevented from getting away in such numbers for
the future？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
WAR DEPARTMENT； July 13； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Corinth； Mississippi：
They are having a stampede in Kentucky。 Please look to it。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL J。 T。 BOYLE。
WASHINGTON； July 13； 1862。
GENERAL J。 T。 BOYLE； Louisville； Kentucky：
Your several despatches received。 You should call on General
Halleck。 Telegraph him at once。 I have telegraphed him that you are
in trouble。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL J。 T。 BOYLE。
WAR DEPARTMENT； July 13； 1862。
GENERAL J。 T。 BOYLE； Louisville； Kentucky：
We cannot venture to order troops from General Buell。 We know not
what condition he is in。 He maybe attacked himself。 You must call
on General Halleck； who commands； and whose business it is to
understand and care for the whole field If you cannot telegraph to
him； send a messenger to him。 A dispatch has this moment come from
Halleck at Tuscombia； Alabama。
A。 LINCOLN。
ACT OF COMPENSATED EMANCIPATION
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS。
July 4； 1862。
FELLOW…CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES：
Herewith is the draft of the bill to compensate any State which may
abolish slavery within its limits； the passage of which；
substantially as presented； I respectfully and earnestly recommend。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled：That whenever the
President of the United States shall be satisfied that any State
shall have lawfully abolished slavery within and through…out such
State； either immediately or gradually； it shall be the duty of the
President； assisted by the Secretary of the Treasury； to prepare and
deliver to each State an amount of six per cent。 interest…bearing
bonds of the United States equal to the aggregate value at ______
dollars per head of all the slaves within such State； as reported by
the census of 1860； the whole amount for any one State to be
delivered at once if the abolishment be immediate； or in equal annual
instalments if it be gradual； interest to begin running on each bond
at the time of delivery； and not before。
And be it further enacted； That if any State； having so received any
such bonds； shall at any time afterwards by law reintroduce or
tolerate slavery within its limits； contrary to the act of
abolishment upon which such bonds shall have been received； said
bonds so received by said State shall at once be null and void； in
whosesoever hands they may be； and such State shall refund to the
United States all interest which may have been paid on such bonds。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
WAR DEPARTMENT； July 14； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Corinth； Mississippi：
I am very anxiousalmost impatientto have you here。 Have due
regard to what you leave behind。 When can you reach here？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON CITY； July 14； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
General Burnside's force is at Newport News； ready to move； on short
notice； one way or the other； when ordered。
A。 LINCOLN。