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army； would be ruined。 I think Lee's army； and not Richmond； is your
true objective point。 If he comes towards the upper Potomac； follow
on his flank； and on the inside track； shortening your lines while he
lengthens his。 Fight him； too； when opportunity offers。 If he stay
where he is； fret him and fret him。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO MRS。 LINCOLN。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； June 11；1863。
MRS。 LINCOLN； Philadelphia：
Your three despatches received。 I am very well and am glad to know
that you and 〃Tad〃 are so。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL HOOKER。
＇Cipher。＇
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； JUNE 12； 1863。
MAJOR…GENERAL HOOKER：
If you can show me a trial of the incendiary shells on Saturday
night； I will try to join you at 5 P。M。 that day Answer。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO ERASTUS CORNING AND OTHERS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
June 12； 1863。
HON。 ERASTUS CORNING AND OTHERS。
GENTLEMEN：Your letter of May 19； inclosing the resolutions of a
public meeting held at Albany； New York； on the 16th of the same
month； was received several days ago。
The resolutions； as I understand them； are resolvable into two
propositionsfirst； the expression of a purpose to sustain the cause
of the Union； to secure peace through victory； and to support the
administration in every constitutional and lawful measure to suppress
the rebellion； and； secondly； a declaration of censure upon the
administration for supposed unconstitutional action； such as the
making of military arrests。 And from the two propositions a third is
deduced； which is that the gentlemen composing the meeting are
resolved on doing their part to maintain our common government and
country； despite the folly or wickedness； as they may conceive； of
any administration。 This position is eminently patriotic； and as
such I thank the meeting； and congratulate the nation for it。 My own
purpose is the same； so that the meeting and myself have a common
object； and can have no difference； except in the choice of means or
measures for effecting that object。
And here I ought to close this paper； and would close it； if there
were no apprehension that more injurious consequences than any merely
personal to myself might follow the censures systematically cast upon
me for doing what； in my view of duty； I could not forbear。 The
resolutions promise to support me in every constitutional and lawful
measure to suppress the rebellion； and I have not knowingly employed；
nor shall knowingly employ； any other。 But the meeting； by their
resolutions； assert and argue that certain military arrests； and
proceedings following them； for which I am ultimately responsible；
are unconstitutional。 I think they are not。 The resolutions quote
from the Constitution the definition of treason； and also the
limiting safeguards and guarantees therein provided for the citizen
on trial for treason； and on his being held to answer for capital or
otherwise infamous crimes； and in criminal prosecutions his right to
a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury。 They proceed to
resolve 〃that these safeguards of the rights of the citizen against
the pretensions of arbitrary power were intended more especially for
his protection in times of civil commotion。〃 And； apparently to
demonstrate the proposition； the resolutions proceed： 〃They were
secured substantially to the English people after years of protracted
civil war； and were adopted into our Constitution at the close of the
Revolution。〃 Would not the demonstration have been better if it could
have been truly said that these safeguards had been adopted and
applied during the civil wars and during our Revolution； instead of
after the one and at the close of the other？ I too am devotedly for
them after civil war； and before Civil war； and at all times； 〃except
when； in cases of rebellion or invasion； the public safety may
require〃 their suspension。 The resolutions proceed to tell us that
these safeguards 〃have stood the test of seventy…six years of trial
under our republican system； under circumstances which show that；
while they constitute the foundation of all free government； they are
the elements of the enduring stability of the republic。〃 No one
denies that they have so stood the test up to the beginning of the
present rebellion； if we except a certain occurrence at New Orleans
hereafter to be mentioned； nor does any one question that they will
stand the same test much longer after the rebellion closes。 But
these provisions of the Constitution have no application to the case
we have in hand； because the arrests complained of were not made for
treasonthat is； not for the treason defined in the Constitution；
and upon the conviction of which the punishment is deathnor yet
were they made to hold persons to answer for any capital or otherwise
infamous crimes； nor were the proceedings following； in any
constitutional or legal sense； 〃criminal prosecutions。〃 The arrests
were made on totally different grounds； and the proceedings following
accorded with the grounds of the arrests。 Let us consider the real
case with which we are dealing； and apply to it the parts of the
Constitution plainly made for such cases。
Prior to my installation here it had been inculcated that any State
had a lawful right to secede from the national Union； and that it
would be expedient to exercise the right whenever the devotees of the
doctrine should fail to elect a president to their own liking。 I was
elected contrary to their liking； and accordingly； so far as it was
legally possible； they had taken seven States out of the Union； had
seized many of the United States forts； and had fired upon the United
States flag； all before I was inaugurated； and； of course； before I
had done any official act whatever。 The rebellion thus begun soon
ran into the present civil war； and； in certain respects； it began on
very unequal terms between the parties。 The insurgents had been
preparing for it more than thirty years； while the government had
taken no steps to resist them。 The former had carefully considered
all the means which could be turned to their account。 It undoubtedly
was a well…pondered reliance with them that in their own unrestricted
effort to destroy Union； Constitution and law； all together； the
government would； in great degree； be restrained by the same
Constitution and law from arresting their progress。 Their
sympathizers invaded all departments of the government and nearly all
communities of the people。 From this material； under cover of
〃liberty of speech；〃 〃liberty of the press；〃 and 〃habeas corpus；〃
they hoped to keep on foot amongst us a most efficient corps of
spies； informers； suppliers； and aiders and abettors of their cause
in a thousand ways。 They knew that in times such as they were
inaugurating； by the Constitution itself the 〃habeas corpus〃 might b