to their notice, is it not reasonable to expect that they will withdraw the mistaken statement, and reconsider the conclusion based upon it?

And then it is to be remembered that our fathers who framed the government under which we live -the men who made the Constitution-deIcided this same constitutional question in our favor long ago: decided it without division among themselves when making the decision; without division among themselves about the meaning of it after it was made, and, so far as any evidence is left, without basing it upon any mistaken statement of facts.

Under all these circumstances, do you really feel yourselves justified to break up this government unless such a court decision as yours is shall

be at once submitted to as a conclusive and final rule of political action? But you will not abide the election of a Republican President! In that supposed event, you say, you will destroy the Union; and then, you say, the great crime of having destroyed it will be upon us! That is cool. A highwayman holds a pistol to my ear, and mutters through his teeth, "Stand and deliver, or I shall kill you, and then you will be a murderer!"

To be sure, what the robber demanded of me-my money -was my own; and I had a clear right to keep it: but it was no more my own than my vote is my own; and the threat of death to me, to extort my money, and the threat of destruction to the Union, to extort my vote, can scarcely be distinguished in principle.

FAREWELL ADDRESS AT
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS,
FEBRUARY 11, 1861

My Friends: No one not in
my situation can appreciate my
feeling of sadness at this part-
ing. To this place, and the
kindness of these people, I owe
everything. Here I have lived
a quarter of a century, and
have passed from a young to
an old man.
have been born, and one is
buried. I now leave, not know-
ing when or whether ever I
may return, with a task before
me greater than that which
rested upon Washington.
Without the assistance of that

Here my

children

Divine Being who ever attended him I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in him, who can go with me and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To his care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

FROM

HIS REPLY ΤΟ THE

ADDRESS OF WELCOME AT INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, FEBRUARY 11, 1861

In all trying positions in which I shall be placed, and doubtless I shall be placed in many such, my reliance will be upon you and the people of the United States; and I wish you to remember, now and forever, that it is your business, and not mine; that if the union of these States and the liberties of this people shall be lost, it is but little to any one man of fiftytwo years of age, but a great deal to the thirty millions of people who inhabit these United