vania? Meade's army can keep Lee's
out of Pennsylvania, and, I think, can ultimately drive it out of
existence. But no paper compromise, to which the controllers of Lee's
army are not agreed, can at all affect that army. In an effort at such
compromise we should waste time which the enemy would improve to our
disadvantage; and that would be all. A compromise, to be effective, must
be made either with those who control the rebel army, or with the people
first liberated from the domination of that army by the success of our
own army. Now, allow me to assure you that no word or intimation from
that rebel army, or from any of the men controlling it, in relation to
any peace compromise, has ever come to my knowledge or belief. All
charges and insinuations to the contrary are deceptive and groundless.
And I promise you that if any such proposition shall hereafter come, it
shall not be rejected and kept a secret from you. I freely acknowledge
myself the servant of the people, according to the bond of service,--the
United States Constitution,--and that, as such, I am responsible to
them.

But to be plain. You are dissatisfied with me about the negro. Quite
likely there is a difference of opinion between you and myself upon that
subject. I certainly wish that all men could be free, while I suppose
you do not. Yet I have neither adopted nor proposed any measure which is
not consistent with even your views, provided you are for the Union. I
suggested compensated emancipation, to which you replied, you wished
not to be taxed to buy negroes. But I had not asked you to be taxed to
buy negroes, except in such way as to save you from greater taxation to
save the Union exclusively by other means.

You dislike the Emancipation Proclamation, and perhaps would have it
retracted. You say it is unconstitutional. I think differently. I think
the Constitution invests its commander-in-chief with the law of war in
time of war. The most that can be said--if so much--is that slaves are
property. Is there, has there ever been, any question that, by the law
of war, property, both of enemies and friends, may be taken when needed?
And is it not needed whenever taking it helps us or hurts the enemy?
Armies the world over destroy enemies' property when they cannot use it,
and even destroy their own to keep it from the enemy. Civilized
belligerents do all in their power to help themselves or hurt the enemy,
except a few things regarded as barbarous or c