416 



LINCOLN, ABRAHAM. 



abandoned, unless it fails the possibility of its 

 preservation, and shall cease to exist, except at 

 the risk of throwing overboard both freight 

 and passengers. So long then, as it is possible 

 that the prosperity and the liberties of the peo- 

 ple be preserved in this Union, it shall be my 

 purpose at all times to use all my powers to aid 

 in its perpetuation. Again thanking you for 

 the reception given me, allow me to come to a 

 close." 



On the next day he proceeded to Phila- 

 delphia. At Trenton, on the route, he re- 

 mained a few hours, and visited both Houses 

 of the Legislature, then in session. On being 

 received in the Senate, he thus addressed that 

 body : 



" Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Sen- 

 ate of the State of New Jersey : I am very 

 grateful to you for the honorable reception of 

 which I have been the object. I cannot but 

 remember the place that New Jersey holds in 

 our early history. In the early Revolutionary 

 struggle, few of the States among the old Thir- 

 teen had more of the battle-fields of the coun- 

 try within its limits than old New Jersey. 

 May I be pardoned, if, upon this occasion, I 

 mention, that away back in my childhood, the 

 earliest days of my being able to read, I got 

 hold of a small book, such a one as few of the 

 younger members have ever seen, ' Weems' 

 Life of Washington.' I remember all the ac- 

 counts there given of the battle-fields and 

 struggles for the liberties of the country, and 

 none fixed themselves upon my imagination so 

 deeply as the struggle here at Trenton, New 

 Jersey. The crossing of the river the contest 

 with the Hessians the great hardships endured 

 at that time all fixed themselves on my memory 

 more than any single revolutionary event ; and 

 you all know, for you have all been boys, how 

 these early impressions last longer than any 

 others. I recollect thinking then, boy even 

 though I was, that there must have been some- 

 thing more than common that those men strug- 

 gled for. I am exceedingly anxious that that 

 thing which they struggled for that something 

 even more than National Independence that 

 something that held out a great promise to all 

 the people of the world to all time to come 

 I am exceedingly anxious that this Union, the 

 Constitution, and the liberties of the people, 

 shall be perpetuated in accordance with the 

 original idea for which that struggle was made, 

 and I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be 

 an humble instrument in the hands of the Al- 

 mighty, and of this, His almost chosen people, 

 for perpetuating the object of that great strug- 

 gle. You give me this reception, as I under- 

 stand, without distinction of party. I learn 

 that this body is composed of a majority of 

 gentlemen who, in the exercise of their best 

 judgment in the choice of a Chief Magistrate, 

 did not think I was the man. I understand, 

 nevertheless, that they came forward here to 

 greet me as the constitutional President of the 

 United States as citizens of the United States, 



to meet the man who, for the time being, is 

 the representative man of the nation, united by 

 a purpose to perpetuate the Union and liber- 

 ties of the people. As such, I accept this re- 

 ception more gratefully than I could do did I 

 believe it was tendered to me as an indi- 

 vidual." 



He then passed into the Chamber of the As- 

 sembly, and upon being introduced by the 

 Speaker, addressed that body as follows : 



" Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen : I have just 

 enjoyed the honor of a reception by the other 

 branch of this Legislature, and I return to you 

 and them my thanks for the reception which 

 the people of New Jersey have given, through 

 their chosen representatives, to me, as the rep- 

 resentative, for the time being, of the majesty 

 of the people of the United States. I appro- 

 priate to myself very little of the demonstrations 

 of respect with which I have been greeted. I 

 think little should be given to any man, but 

 that it should be a manifestation of adherence 

 to the Union and the Constitution. I under- 

 stand myself to be received here by the repre- 

 sentatives of the people of New Jersey, a major- 

 ity of whom differ in opinion from those with 

 whom I have acted. This manifestation is 

 therefore to be regarded by me as expressing 

 their devotion to the Union, the Constitution, and 

 the liberties of the people. You, Mr. Speaker, 

 have weU said, that this is the time when the 

 bravest and wisest look with doubt and awe 

 upon the aspect presented by our national af- 

 fairs. Under these circumstances, you will 

 readily see wlty I should not speak in detail of 

 the course I shall deem it best to pursue. It is 

 proper that I should avail myself of all the in- 

 formation and all the time at my command, in 

 order that when the time arrives in which I 

 must speak officially, I shall be able to take the 

 ground which I deem the best and safest, and 

 from which I may have no occasion to swerve. 

 I shall endeavor to take the ground I deem 

 most just to the North, the East, the West, the 

 South, and the whole country. I take it, I hope, 

 in good temper certainly with no malice tow- 

 ards any section. I shall do all that may be 

 in my power to promote a peaceful settlement 

 of all our difficulties. The man does not live 

 who is more devoted to peace than I am none 

 who would do more to preserve it. But it may 

 be necessary to put the foot down firmly. And 

 if I do my duty, and do right, you will sustain 

 me, will you not ? Received, as I am, by the 

 members of a Legislature, the majority of whom 

 do not agree with me in political sentiments, I 

 trust that I may have their assistance in pilot- 

 ing the Ship of State through this voyage, sur- 

 rounded by perils as it is ; for if it should suffer 

 shipwreck now, there will be no pilot ever 

 needed for another voyage." 



On his arrival in Philadelphia a few hours 

 afterwards, he was received with great enthu- 

 siasm. The mayor of the city greetexl bun 

 with an address designed to draw forth, if pos- 

 sible, some expression or sentiment indicative 



