e said of the Colonies: "I have often enquired of myself what
great principle or idea it was that kept this confederacy so long
together. It was not the mere matter of the separation of the
Colonies from the mother land, but the sentiment in the Declaration
of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this
country, but I hope to the world for all future time. It was that
which gave promise that in due time the weight should be lifted from
the shoulders of all men." He held that instrument to teach that
"nothing stamped with the Divine image and likeness was sent into the
world to be trodden on, degraded and imbruted by its fellows."

We search vainly for a clearer and terser statement of the true
theory of equality than he gave last autumn in an address to a
Western regiment. "We have, as all will agree, a free government,
where _every man has a right to be equal with every other man_." Has
a _right to be!_ Take the fetters from his limbs, take the load of
disability from his shoulders, give him room in the arena, and then
if he cannot succeed with others, the failure is his. _But he has the
right_ TO TRY. You have no right to forbid the trial. If he will try
for wealth, fame, political position, he has the right. Let him
exercise it and enjoy what he lawfully wins.

With such views he came to the presidency. Here he was an executive
officer, bound by the Constitution, and charged with its maintenance
and defense. He was to take the nation as the people placed it in his
hands, rule it under the Constitution and surrender it unbroken to
his successor. Accordingly he made to the Southern States all
conceivable propositions for peace. Slavery should be left without
federal interference. They madly rejected all. War came. He saw at
the outset that slavery was our bane. It confronted each regiment,
perplexed each commander. It was the Southern commisariat, dug
Southern trenches and piled Southern breastworks.

But certain Border States maintained a quasi loyalty and clung to
slavery. They were in sympathy with rebellion, but wore the semblance
of allegiance and with consequential airs assumed to dictate the
policy of the President. He was greatly embarrassed. He made them
every kind and conciliatory offer, but all was refused. Slavery on
the gulf and on the border, in Charleston and in Louisville, was the
same intolerant, incurable enemy of the Union. He struck it at last.
The Proclamation of Emancipatio