Harper’s Weekly
April 27
WE publish, herewith, from a photograph just taken expressly for this paper, a PORTRAIT OF THE PRESIDENT. It is the first accurate portrait that has been published of him since he began to grow his beard.
HON. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, of Illinois, was born on the 12th February, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family, although much respected, were not blessed with much of this world’s goods, and he was forced to fight his own way through the opening struggles of life’s campaign. In this way be became intimately acquainted with the industrial classes, and they now claim him as One of their number—”The Flatboatman.” It is also reported that he supported himself for a winter by splitting rails for a farmer whence his sobriquet, The Rail-splitter.
Whether he was engaged in rural pursuits, or in piloting down the Mississippi boats laden with produce, he permitted no opportunity to escape for the improvement of his mind. When he had thus, by his own exertions, been admitted to the bar, he settled in the pleasant town of Springfield Illinois; where he has since resided.
When the “Black Hawk War” broke out, in the spring of 1832, Mr. Lincoln was among the first to offer his services, and was elected captain of a company of Illinois volunteers, at the head of which he distinguished himself during the brief yet effective campaign. He was afterward elected to the State Legislature, taking decided ground as a Whig of the Henry Clay school. In 1846 he was elected a member of` the 30th Congress, where he acted with the Whig party; and at the National Convention which nominated General Scott for President, in June, 1852, he was elected to represent Illinois in the Central Whig Committee. Yeoman’s service did he render in that campaign.
In 1856 Mr. Lincoln entered actively into the Republican contest; and two years later a Convention of that party nominated him in opposition to Judge Douglas, as Republican Senator from the State of Illinois. He was defeated, as is known, but lost none of his reputation with the party.
In May, 1860 he was nominated for the Presidency by the Republican Convention at Chicago, and was duly elected in November. His Inaugural in March has already been laid before the readers of the Weekly.
Last week a Committee of the Virginia Convention waited upon him. to ascertain his views. He replied to them as follows: “To Hon. Messrs. Preston, Stuart, and Randolph:
“GENTLEMEN — As a Committee of the Virginia Convention, now in session, you present me a preamble and resolution in these words:
“‘Whereas, In the opinion of this Convention, the uncertainty which prevails in the public mind as to the policy which the Federal Executive intends to pursue toward the seceded States, is extremely injurious to the industrial and commercial interests of the country, tends to keep up an excitement which is unfavorable to the adjustment of the pending difficulties and threatens a disturbance of the public peace; therefore,
“‘Resolved, That a committee of three delegates be appointed to wait on the President of the United States, present to him this preamble, and respectfully ask him to communicate to this Convention the policy which the Federal Executive intends to pursue in regard to the Confederate States.’
“In answer I have to say that having, at the beginning of my official term, expressed my intended policy as plainly as I was able, it is with deep regret and mortification I now learn there is great and injurious uncertainty in the public mind as to what that policy is, and what course I intend to pursue. Not having as yet seen occasion to change, it is now my purpose to pursue the course marked out in the Inaugural Address. I commend a careful consideration of the whole document as the best expression I can give to my purposes. As I then and therein said, I now repeat, ‘The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what is necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people any where.’ By the words ‘property and places belonging to the Government,’ I chiefly allude to the military posts, and property which were in possession of the Government when it came into my hands. But if, as now appears to be true, in pursuit of a purpose to drive the United States authority from those places, an unprovoked assault has been made upon Fort Sumter, I shall hold myself at liberty to repossess it, if I can, like places which had been seized before the Government was devolved upon me; and in any event I shall, to the best of my ability, repel force by force. In case it proves true that Fort Sumter has been assaulted, as is reported, I shall, perhaps, cause the United States mails to be withdrawn from all the States which claim to have seceded, believing that the commencement of actual war against the Government justifies and possibly demands it. I scarcely need to say that I consider the military posts and property situated within the States which claim to have seceded as yet belonging to the Government of the United States as much as they did before the supposed secession. Whatever else I may do for the purpose, I shall not attempt to collect the duties and imposts by any armed invasion of any part of the country; not meaning by this, however, that I may not land a force deemed necessary to relieve a fort upon the border of the country. From the fact that I have quoted a part of the Inaugural Address, it must not be inferred that I repudiate any other part, the whole of which I reaffirm, except so far as what I now say of the mails may be regarded as a modification.”