of expression and soundness of opinion, he gave his construction of the Constitution:

HON. S. P. Chase,18

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., June 20, 1859.

MY DEAR SIR: Yours of the 13th inst. is received. You say you would be glad to have my views. Although I think Congress has constitutional authority to enact a Fugitive Slave law, I have never elaborated an opinion upon the subject. My view has been, and is, simply this: The U. S. Constitution says the fugitive slave "shall be delivered up," but it does not expressly say who shall deliver him up. Whatever the Constitution says "shall be done" and has omitted saying who shall do it, the government established by that Constitution, ex vi termini, is vested with the power of doing; and Congress is, by the Constitution expressly empowered to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution all powers vested by the Constitution in the government of the United States. This would be my view, on a simple reading of the Constitution; and it is greatly strengthened by the historical fact that the Constitution was adopted, in great part in order to get a government which could execute its own behests, in contradiction to that under the Articles of Confederation, which depended in many respects, upon the States, for its execution; and the other fact that one of the earliest Congresses under the Constitution, did enact a Fugitive Slave law.

But I did not write you on this subject, with any view of discussing the Constitutional question. My only object was to impress you with what I believe is true, that the introduction of a proposition for repeal of the Fugitive Slave law, into the next Republican National Convention, will explode the Convention and the party. Having turned your attention to the point, I wish to do no more.

Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.

This was the calm judgment of a man who hated the principles of this law, and who, in his debates with

18 Salmon P. Chase, born in Cornish, New Hampshire, January 13, 1808; admitted to the bar and established himself in Cincinnati in 1830; elected United States Senator in 1849, and Governor in 1855 and 1857; Secretary of the Treasury under Lincoln from 1861 to June 30, 1864; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from December 6, 1864, until his death in New York City, May 7, 1873.

Springfield, Ills. Jum 20.1859

How S. P. Chasi

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ceiveo_ Your day you would be glad to haw my views. Although I think Congren ha, Cow pututional authouts to mast a law, I have never elaboration

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on apow the onlect_ My new has been, aner is, semply this. The to S. Constitution says the fugitive slave "shall be dele but it does not expressly pay who share deliver him. Whatever the Constitution says "shall be dow" and has onethrow paya ing who phale do it, the govenment estab. lished by that constitution, ex vi temeni, is vertice with the power of doing; and con grenn, by the Constitution, exprent empowere to maho ale laws which phase his necessar my enew proper for carrying into execution ale powers vestew by the constitution in the gov=

LETTER FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO SALMON P. CHASE

my view, on a simple reading of the Consti tution; and it is greath strengthenew by th histoneal fast that the constitution was an order to get a

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Douglas declared it bore all the marks of a design to maintain and perpetuate slavery, yet who favored its enforcement, and so declared even after he was elected President.

The campaign opened immediately after the convention, and waxed in tensity as the summer passed; in every section of the state great interest was aroused by the joint debates of the candidates for governor. The leaders of their respective parties were appealing day and night to the people. For the Republicans there were Governor Chase, Senator Wade, John Sherman,' "Tom" Corwin, Joshua R. Giddings and a hundred lesser lights, while the Democrats in equal force were led by Senator Pugh,20 Judge Thurman, S. S. Cox," George H. Pendleton" and William Allen.23 At first

19

19

21

John Sherman was born at Lancaster, Ohio, May 10, 1823; admitted to the bar, 1844; elected to Congress, 1854; served until he entered the Senate March 4, 1861; re-elected in 1867 and 1873; resigned to become Secretary of the Treasury under President Hayes in 1877; returned to the Senate, 1881; served until March, 1897, when he resigned to become Secretary of State under President McKinley; resigned that position in 1898; died in Washington, D. C., October 22, 1900.

20 George E. Pugh was born in Cincinnati November 28, 1822; served in the Mexican War; served in the Ohio Legislature, 1848-49; was Attorney General of Ohio, 1852-54; United States Senator from December, 1855, to March, 1861; defended Clement L. Vallandigham in habeas corpus proceedings in 1863; died in Cincinnati July 19, 1876.

21 Samuel S. Cox was born in Zanesville, Ohio, September 30, 1824; member of Congress from Ohio, 1857-65, and from New York, 1869-1885, and 1886-89; served for a short time as Minister to Turkey; Author: Eight Years in Congress; Why We Laugh; Diversion of a Diplomat in Turkey; A Buckeye Abroad; Arctic Sunbeams; Orient Sunbeams; Search for Winter Sunbeams; etc.; died in New York September 10, 1889.

22

George H. Pendleton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 25, 1825; served in State Senate, 1854-55; member of Congress, 1856-65; opposed the Lincoln Administration during the war; candidate for Vice President on the Democratic ticket in 1864; elected United States Senator 1878; in 1882 introduced the Civil Service bill which was passed in 1883; appointed Minister to Germany, 1885; died at Brussels, Belgium, November 24, 1889.

23

William Allen was born in Edenton, North Carolina, December 1803; walked in winter from Lynchburg, Virginia to Chillicothe, Ohio, where his half-sister, mother of Allen G. Thurman was living; in 1832 elected member of Congress, and served 1833-35; served in United States Senate, 1837-49; Governor of Ohio, 1874-76; died, July 11, 1879.

Vol. XXXII-3.

24

the sacrificing of Judge Swan and the Fugitive Slave Law were sought by the Democrats to be made the paramount issues; in the Western Reserve the challenge was accepted. But it was not long until it became apparent that the overwhelming one of slave extension was the question in the minds of the people. This was emphasized when Senator Douglas entered the campaign. in September, which at once gave it a national character.

The newspapers of the time plainly indicate that the campaign had reached the passionate and unreasoning stage. The excited people were further inflamed by a press that seemed to have no other purpose than to abuse the opposite party, ridicule their political opponents and misrepresent the occurrences of the canvass. For this reason the contemporary journals furnish little real information to one seeking the facts of this period. The actual condition as to public meetings, their size, conduct and a fair report of the speeches find no place in their columns. In sharp contrast is the fair and newsbearing journalism of today; even in party organs opposing principles and men are discussed with a spirit of fair play. Illustrative of this comparison is the reception of Douglas on the occasion of his speech at Columbus on September 7. news concerning him; both party organs from the opposite view-points treat him with unfair ridicule on one side, and lavish laudation on the other. The opposition paper writes him down as a "great knave", "trickster", "gigantic dwarf", "compound of cunning and impudence", "charlatan", "famous hypocrite"; his own party organ so extravagantly records everything concerning

P. 26.

24

There is a dearth of real

George H. Porter: Ohio Politics During the Civil War Period.