24 - To Erastus Corning and Others

Summary

On May 1, 1863 former Ohio congressman Clement L. Vallandigham defied General Ambrose Burnside’s decree that anyone speaking publicly and sympathetically in defense of the Confederate cause would be summarily arrested and jailed and denied habeas corpus (see selection 20). The jailing of Vallandigham, a prominent Peace Democrat or “Copperhead,” produced public outcries at protest meetings throughout the Union. Lincoln neither knew of nor approved Burnside’s arrest of Vallandigham, but felt forced to defend it. Here he replies to resolutions passed at a meeting of loyal Democrats in Albany, New York, led by businessman and former congressman Erastus Corning.

1. Hon. Erastus Corningand others:

2. Executive Mansion,

3. Washington.

4. June 12, 1863

Gentlemen:

Your letter of May 19, inclosing the resolutions of a public meeting held at Albany, NY, on the 16th of the same month, was received several days ago.

The resolutions, as I understand them, are resolvable into two propositions – first, 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.

. . .