1answer.
Ask question
Login Signup
Ask question
All categories
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Social Studies
  • Business
  • History
  • Health
  • Geography
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Computers and Technology
  • Arts
  • World Languages
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • SAT
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Engineering
Ymorist [56]
3 years ago
10

My Dear Sir: You ask me to put in writing the substance of what I verbally stated the other day, in your presence, to Governor B

ramlette and Senator Dixon. It was about as follows: I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong. I cannot remember when I did not so think and feel; and yet I have never understood that the Presidency conferred upon me an unrestricted right to act officially in this judgment and feeling. It was in the oath I took that I would to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. I could not take the office without taking the oath. Nor was it in my view that I might take the oath to get power, and break the oath in using the power. I understood, too, that in ordinary civil administration this oath even forbade me to practically indulge my primary abstract judgment on the moral question of slavery. I had publicly declared this many times and in many ways; and I aver that, to this day I have done no official act in mere deference to my abstract judgment and feeling on slavery. I did understand, however, that my oath to preserve the Constitution to the best of my ability imposed upon me the duty of preserving, by every indispensable means, that government, that nation, of which that Constitution was the organic law. Was it possible to lose the nation, and yet preserve the Constitution? By general law, life and limb must be protected; yet often a limb must be amputated to save a life, but a life is never wisely given to save a limb. I felt that measures, otherwise unconstitutional, might become lawful by becoming indispensable to the preservation of the Constitution through the preservation of the nation. Right or wrong, I assumed this ground, and now avow it. I could not feel that to the best of my ability I had even tried to preserve the Constitution, if, to save slavery, or any minor matter, I should permit the wreck of government, country, and Constitution altogether. When, early in the war, General Fremont attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not then think it an indispensable necessity. When, a little later, General Cameron, then Secretary of War, suggested the arming of the blacks, I objected, because I did not yet think it an indispensable necessity. When, still later, General Hunter attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not yet think the indispensable necessity had come. When, in March and May and July, 1862, I made earnest and successive appeals to the Border States to favor compensated emancipation, I believed the indispensable necessity for military emancipation and arming the blacks would come, unless averted by that measure. They declined the proposition; and I was, in my best judgment, driven to the alternative of either surrendering the Union, and with it the Constitution, or of laying strong hand upon the colored element. I chose the latter. In choosing it, I hoped for greater gain than loss; but of this I was not entirely confident... Yours truly, A. Lincoln Use context to determine the meaning of the words in bold. I thought this was true, and now I know I was wrong. I made this decision, and now I acknowledge it. I created this situation for others, and now I regret it. I said these words, and now I want to take them back.
English
1 answer:
galina1969 [7]3 years ago
3 0
What is your question?

You might be interested in
Which artifact would best symbolize innocence
Natali [406]
According to my calculations a book would be the most significant in the world because it hold the most power its very powerful
8 0
3 years ago
During WWII the German Leader Adolf Hitler ordered his Nazi followers to round up people they considered to be
AnnZ [28]
Answer is true if u have any doubt ask me
5 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Rewrite the sentence using correct capitalization,
Elis [28]

Answer:

I will sleep at my friend's house on Saturday

5 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Two differences between "a teenage baker feeds the homeless and candle making brothers"
Tatiana [17]

Answer:

one feeds the homeless and the other sells candles

Explanation:

8 0
3 years ago
Which character from the book could best be described as the antithesis of Hal?
olga_2 [115]

Answer:

Francois

Explanation:

In "The Call of the Wild", a group of people comes together to search for adventure and riches in Canada. To this end, they hire a sled-team with dogs to guide them through the jungle.

Hal is described as an inexperienced and bad man who just wants to find treasure, without caring for the people around him, or the dogs.

Francois is the direct opposite of Hal because he is described as a fair and experienced man who knows the ways of the wild and cares about the people and dogs around him

3 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Other questions:
  • Which is correctly written? A) My little sister loved the 'No Clowning Around' episode of Power Rangers. B) My little sister lov
    12·1 answer
  • What two factors most strongly influence Macbeth's descent into moral corruption?
    7·1 answer
  • Which of the following can enhance your writing? A. Varying sentence length B. Making punctuation errors C. Ignoring the reader
    8·2 answers
  • Please help me with ALL the questions ASAP!!!!!!!<br> Questions 1-5<br> Dont just answer 1 question
    7·2 answers
  • 33 pts
    9·2 answers
  • Anyone can add me btw i need help with questions
    10·2 answers
  • Read the paragraph.
    15·2 answers
  • Read the excerpt from Into the Unknown by Stewart Ross, and then look at the illustration below.
    5·2 answers
  • Who can be my tutor for English I need serious help? Please
    11·2 answers
  • HELPPP!!! identify one of the puns that poe uses in the cask of amontillado
    13·1 answer
Add answer
Login
Not registered? Fast signup
Signup
Login Signup
Ask question!