To His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, President Of The United States

Sik: " That the King can do no wrong " is ihe theory ot' a ïnnuareby. It is the tbeory of a constitatiunal republío that tg clii;f magistrale inay do wrong. In the for m er t.lie minrSfry ure Wsponiible fur the K'tng's aets. In the latter the President is rosprinsible for the ïots of his ministers. Our Cnnstitution admits that tlio Pi-cpidcnt nmy eri til prnviding for a jiidn5cnt unon liis dotngs, by 'ho peoplc, iti regular olections. In providiug tbr iiis iii)pa::c'imeiit, it admits that he Miay bc gui Itj of crimes. In n.governnient of lnws uid not of men, the mos', obscuro aitizefl ns:iy without indecorum address bimself 10 the Chief Mugi.strutc, when to the Constitution wtience you derivo yoúr tfeTriporary power nnd he tlie guaraiitj of his perpeftial rigliip, he Ikis eonstantly p;rd his uuquesiiiiTiiiig loyaltv, nul when to the law.s, whieh your duty is to care for a faithful eX'eWitidfi of, he bas ren'drrod en ti ro obódíencé. If tlio mat'.er of lus nd'jrcss be that, in his j ci-smi, property nu J righ'8, the OonsUtution lias been dnregardetl aod tlie lnws disobeyed ; if its anpeal to tlie pripciples cf justice be do more carnest, tlian tlie solicitude of ts regard for truth, and if the marnier of bis address be rio less températe llian firin, lio does not need COHEfly plirnses to propitiate an Bttentive hearing from fi mngistnate whn lo6s hi country, her instiiutions, I and lier laws. In the World nf tast Wcdriefd y morning was published a proelaination, purpoiling lo bu signed by your cxci-ilenoy ard füuntfisiiiticd by the Seere tary of State, appointing n day nt fastiüfr and prayer, and eallirg into military ffervice by volunleering arid diafl fpur bundred thousand citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-five 'J'fiat pi'(ielam;Uion was a forgery, written by a person who, ever pince yoiir depnrture frort Springflctd for VTashingtón in 1861, lias öTijoyed private b well as pubüe opportunities for learnirp to cunterfeit. the peeuliaritics of your speeeh and stvle, and whosc service for yeara ng a city editor 'of tbe New York Times and upon the New York Tribune acqualtrted hiin wit li the entirj ntwspaptr waehinery of the city, and cnabled him to ins-ert his cltiver fnroery into the regulnr channels by whiuh we reeeive news, at a time when competent inspection of i ts genuineness was impossible, and suspicion of its authenticity was improbable. The inaniMd poper, resen.bling in all respects that upön which we tiiglitly reeeivo from our ngerits news, and fiotn ihe government itself orders, announcetnentp, and proelamation, vrnn lef', with n night c'erk about 3 or 4 o'clock in tbc morning, alter the departuro of every respoujsible editor, and was at onee passed iiitn the barda of the printere, put. in type, aud published. No he'WSpaper in tlie coun try but would have been deeeived as we were ! Our tniförtune was complete. At an enrlj liour, however, before the business of tlie #itv liad fairly begun, it was discovered that we had been imposed upon, and were being made. to appear the Instruments of a deceptíon of the public. Thcre was no delay in vindica! ing our c!iaactcr. üur wiiolo fflachiner'y Por uprpadina ncws U"us gat in lotion instantly to atmou'.ice tliat we had been deceived by i forgcry - tliat yonr exceilency bad issued no prociuination. 'J'Iiü ga!e of papers over our counters uas stupped. - Our bundies to the Sóotïa', bonnd for liuiopn tb at day, were stopped. Tlip ownera' and puiser's filos were stopped News room bundlos and files wcre stop ped, and the agent of the line was ipformed that the proclamation was a forgery. Our printers ind presstnon werc were brought from their homes and heds to put in type aud pubünh tlie ntnvs of' our misfortune. Our hulletin-boards were placarded with the ofler of rcward for the discovery of the foiger ; and to thé r,;;ent oí the Agsocintcd 1'i-pks t_ sent a telegram reciting all llie fact.s, for him to transQiit at once to nearly everv daily paper in the Nortli, from .r,ie to California. Thus b'efo're the cotia sailed, bAföre your Scoretary o!' Stu'o had offl ciaHy bramicd the f'irgerv, ilie wingí wliieh we had gi ven tu Trytli jyid enabfed hor to ontstrip eyeryvthere the PáíseudOa we had Unwitfiriöly set on f'.iot, iiiid in lïfSny (!] Trntli nr ■' rivcd beiül'U ÜlO torcer i;;ii fsetÜO to teil ! his ta'.e. For apy niiw-y Jong to ou-stil."les, tp Av'eniii)CTI, ■'■' to the ]n! lic, tliis publii.'ity w.-is iimplo an?iaíítí'. It iü defd made injnry irnpnpsiblc. ]!ut the insult to your uxeclVncy vran tl'ie greater in proporl.ion to ihe eiuincm'c of your sliUion. iOai-ly in (luïaUeruon cf Vcihi"ii!:v, thercf-irr-, ! went witll Mr. W.M, C PniME, the cliicf ecffifirr i t' the Journal of Conmterct', v]i:cli h;sd hi'iii íicecivüii ]iii"MMy 'is wc W01O, of tlli' lieadquartaiH of the l"p;ir!;nri!t nf t i : ; Jvist, nd wc fálfl oefiire thü couimiinuing general every clue in nur wl,ic!i alulB li'Jid to Wie ,ii.--i''ivry (,f tin' guilty persona Al the JVcJl nhovc roeited wcre iel"i!iphed at oix-' to ymi, tlirnugh t lio Sccvetary of y (icn l);x. I ásáert bÜr vi t f ■ r blainijlcsness. [ nspprt, lüoreover, thut I !i ve heffer known i iniüd ia iirrjmlii'od in which acquaintance witli these t'acts wouM not entorco the conviction of our uttcr üluun:l'egsness'. llore v:is the abseneo of on intent to do wi-on; ; hero was m antidote tor an injur}1 unw!tii!g!y usii.ted, mure winplete and effectual than the injury itsoli'; lierc was alaorlty in seavli ui' the wfong]oer, and ansistaneo rsniÜerëd trt your subordínate to difcovcr the autlior of the insult done to you. Witli these faets pet ful!y before you 'Vy the General coiïiHwiif'ing this (ippartment, you roiterntod an order for my arrest anrl irDprisonraent in Fort Lafayette, for i lie Reiznre and nccu] ation of the World office by a military guard, and the supprcssion of ifs pnblioationg, Tl-e Journal of Commerce, its editora nnd pnblishers, vvere Qcludcd ti ihe ?ame order. I believe, though I cannot state of my own kiiowledge, tliat tn tbe comrrianding general's ft88erlion of our en tire blamelessness it, wsis owing that the order for ouramstmid inoacrotron was rescindcd. But, the order for the supprepsioo. of tlio World was not rrseinded. Under your orders (ion Dix pent n etrong military lVce to iís publication office and editorial monis, who ejnctcd their occup:ri-s, and fop two days nnd tliree nights luid possession iliere, injuring and'abstracting some of their contents, and perniitting 110 one to cross the threshold. Not utitil Satiirday morning did thia oeciipation enase. Not until to day ban tlie World been frre to speak. But th tli ose wbo bive ears to hear its absence ha-; liecn iiHin; eloquent than its columDS could ever be. To chsracterize tbege proceedings as unprecedented, would be to forget the p:ist history of ymir uimiiiistratiou ; and to cliaructerize thcm ss shocking to every miiid, would bo to disregard tliat principie of human nature frorn which it nrisea tliat men snbmitting once ;md ngain to lawless encroachnients of power, witli every inïcnnirciou of a vigilance which should be eotitin unl, losesomething of tlio old, free, koen aense of their true nature oud real dangc. C liarles was donbtlees ndvised to, and applaudcd for, the crimes by whicli he lost bis crown nnd life. Nor can you do a;iy supIi outrai.'pous, oppressive, and unjust a tliing tliat il will not be applauded by these whose proeperity and power you h-ive created and may destroy. To charactcrize these proeeedings as arbitrary, illegal, and urieonstitutional, wtuld seem, if such weighty words have not been einptied of all gignificance, to beiit bet ter an hour ai whiuh you have not arrjretd, and a place where not public opinión but the authority of law speaks, alter impeachment, trial, convictiou, and jüdgmcct. But. sir, the suppression of two daily journals in this metropolis - one the orgtra of its great eoinmereial public, the other a recognized exponent of the Democratie nrincÍDle8 whicb are shared bv half' or nearly half jour fellow-citizeng - did sliook the public mind, did amaze every honest and patriotic eitizen, did fill with indigiiation aud alarm every pure and loyal breast. There were no indignation meetings, tbere were no riots, there was no official protest. Uut do not imagine, sir, that the governor of this state has forgotten to do bis duty; do not imagine that the people of tliis c:ty or tate, or country have ceased to !ove iheir liberties, or do not know how to proteet tbeir righta. It would be fatal (o a tyiant to coimrit that error here and now. A frce people can at need devise meaos to teich thcir chief magistrate the samo lesson. To jou, sir, who Lave by lieart the Constitution which you swore to " preseTve, protert, and dtfend,'' it may be an Imp'erfinence to cite those natural and chartercd Higtits thereiti enumerated, among which are these : That the people shnll be secure in their" persons, houses, piipers and effects, against unreasonable Btíizarcs, and that no warrant even sball issue, except upon probable ciiuse, upported by oatli, and particularlv describing the place to be searchéd and the perhoüs or things to be eeized ; tint no person shall be deprived of lifö, liberty or property without aue procesa of law ; vet these are the most priceless possessions of fieÉjmcn, - and these you took away friim me. líven a eapiured and guilty criminal who Ijdpw that his crime would be proved, and that the lnwwould assuredly visit upon bjm coiidian punishment, miglit with propriety plead these right and (Jétnañd of the chief magistrate to throw over Iiim these shielda. Assaul.ed by tho baronets of a military corainanOer, li" raiglit protest and assert his inalieiiable right to the ordorly processes, tbo proofs, and the punishiuent of the lavv. Uu' hns tlie Saxon tongue any tenns lelt f.r liim to use who, being tba victiiii of crime, u:s been made also the vj.-ii;;! of lawless power? It is the thfory of the law tbat after the coüiuiissiuri ol'as.y crime, all proceeduiga taken befpro trial shtill bc merely prevetive ; bn.t the proceedinga taken agïlnst tbe World wero of he nature of a si raarv exe.cution of judgment. - WmiM tr.ia] by !Yw have been denied, wnuld t Ij e l;uv tseiif have been set asido f ir Üic bajonet, wóuld :i pri ces's as sumniaiy : s n fír'Nnvhead eourt-inarthtl have baèn vos'irt.'si to by you in a pcaceful cily, fir r'rj m tlic ouhdaries of military óci-nrWitijm', I ín d tljè presses which consisienfTy appliiud your courso been, as we werc. i':io v.ictlfiis of tLia forger? Had t!ii H'fc á'ñá 7Víí piililislied the f'orgerv (and Trffume eandidty adtnits th.ir it mij-!it Ikivc (j'ubHshcd it and was piwoiii .! .i ,!y by mere ch:nce) would vnu, s;;'. linvi Rnpn'rtti'seVI tbc Trümne :ind as V 11 s-ij-l r.-ssed JVorld and Jtikritíil of tèÏÏmWèe ? Yon know you WbiiM 'i"t. If nut, wliy not ? b tlirro S ditlenü.t luw for your opponent s ai:d fir yur supporters ? Osh you, wIimpo eyes dfsfcerri cquality , év'èVy nouif.lexion, he blinded by the litio of partisniship? Th. World had sustnined the gorernment m its sWttggte to preserve our Mperiled nationaliiy. It liad helped in,spii-.' libe martini spirit of thopcople, and oucüu:':ie them to the sacritices they have sa nobly made. It had advocated thüse maasarea af tiuancial policy which c u!í! best preserve the tone and vigor of the iriveniment in t li e ennt.-f-t. it hd detvrved we',1 of the republic, and of tiioso who mm-o it, JJut it nlfio exposcd and denonnced tbe corrnp'ions atteudunt, upon your Btration Tt had oppnaed a dehisive and eoervating sy tin of paper moui-y. It. liad vindicútcd the fame of n patriot general, vvhütn 30U hai] removed Front comniand on the ave of vi.-torv. It luid depreeated ymr rj-eleetion. Dh1 you not find in these faota the prnvooationa to jour wrong and ynur pers;s(oii3e in wrong? Had you not made up your niiiid against us beforo the ooderliug, your part.ian, Ii;id coneóctëd hia plot? When you miseer Lhepe iuterrogatories, I will produce the proof of threats made ugaiost us by those nearest you, and assuming tn exert your prornwative, be iore tliis trick of forgeFy ftiruiaüfed y(u with the spoeiotis pretenso of ao uceustation. Can it be possibie sir, tliat f.r a moment y.ou n ud tii.i1 oui'iialtf lfce ooul : . : il nd to by .'uilty of (bis forgi'ry '■ Lei tnf iitiauiiucma voiee of youi own pre B ausww. Stioh a triek would bardly have s .ccecili d m Sangaoanr) .coiinty, Illinois. For a party wh ch is about to go before the peopli, and ask them to coniinit to its h:nds the idininÍ8tration of affair.s, whieii lias been mort' generen and rorbearHij to your errors tlian you have been just to its guilles, permi' me to 8ay ibat it. was lew possible to be trut? of anj ooe of tln-ni tluin it .was of any roau liigli or Inw who suspeoted them And -o thti ived The confessin) oud i'is we- ynur own zealon. .- Joxepfa Huw rd, Jr., who . b ; ia prime, whs a Republicai: polilioián iiuil Loyat Leaguer, of Brookiyu Consider, sir, at wliose feet kti w;.s raaght his politionl educa tion, and n wliose causo lie spent his political brcath. Mr. Howard has been froin vi;ry cliildímod an intímate frit'ud ol Ík; Republioau olergyuian, Henry Wu ii BueoW, ina a me.: ber of his church. Hh has lisicned year m and year out to the droppiogg of the Ply njoulh saiietuary. TIn.' stump speeches which tlicru fnllow prayet and precede the benediution he for yc:irs reported in thc journals whioli is your devoted orgati in thia ctty. For years he w.is the city editor of that journal, the New York 'Times ; ior a long time he was the Wash ingtou correspondent of the cliief abolition newspaper of the country the New York Tribune; he has been a frequent coutributur to the columns of the pendent ; he jnurneyed with you from SpringSeld to Washington ; he represeiits liirnself a favored visitor at the White House sinoe your resideuco there. By a curious folicity the stylus with whioh liis aruaiiudiisi copied ou tissue paper the proclamation and sigüed your name was absracted from the editorial rooms of the Tribune The party principies upon whieh you were pledged to admiuister the gove-iniicnt have been (he daily mcat and drink of this forger. He has denouncod as faithfullv as you the party by whoso defeat you rose to power. lie lias been the noisy ohampion of ao exclusive loyalty ; he has preached in club houses and at street corners those politics whieh stigmiitize constilutional opposition to tlie administration as disloyalty to the governraent. The stock brokers who were bis confuderates will be found to be of the same kiduey. ïhey all advocated a paper-raoney legal tender; they have all countonauced the paper inrïitioti ; thcy have all been heed less of the misery to poor men whieh such inflations breed; hoy have all iejoiced at ihe speculation thus fostered, and by speen lat on thus fnsterud, and by speculaiion they had hoped to thrive. For twenty-four hours something was pardoned to your p.esnined natural irepiaauon, sincu nur biamelessuegs having been alleged to you by those bere whom it was your duty to believe, it seerued only prudeut to await jour recovery For the next twenty-four hours, frora moment to moment, it was expeeted fcbat you would basten to confesa and repair your intake. Bat ike mistake tbus prolongad grew to the proportions of a crime; and till the discoverv o'" the forgur slripped its inisk ufl and discloscd the inspiriiijí cause of tbe aot, it grew wonstrous buurly in uien's oyêi. We were patiënt rflal rile imnip-isu' ;il)le infamy of the ant migln swell to its full proportions, air' i Coniplet&. By the recall of ■. ., irbitrary order, you have not made reparation for thé wrong yon have done The iijury and the insult yet remain Tbe violatrofl of the Constitution stands reciriled, and unless ftdequately itnned, beo 'nes a fa tal precedent. F p the purpose of grsti fyiug an ignoble parijsan resentment yon have struck down ihe riglits of the press, you have nolated pscsonai liberty, subjected property to unj.ist seiiura, otutatiousiy placed ! „ ,., 1V(. uw 8eitUo a dangenms i xaiupie to tbo.se wbo lo-e force more than thej respect taw; and thus, and by ïtrenipting to orugh the or gans of free diucuscion, bave made free eleotious irapossihle, :ind broken down all the ttfeguarda ..f representative government. It is you that, in tlus transactfon s ind acousJd befare the people. It is you who are eonspiououslv guilty It ia upon you that history, wlien record ing these evento, will affix Ihe criiue of 11 di-regard of your duty, obliviou of your oatb, nd a pitinble Bubservienoy to party prtjudice aud to persoual ambition, when the country deminded in the prcsidential otBce elevated diameter, devntiou to duty, and entire sclf abnegaliou. But you iro uot to be left to the judrrment of histoiy alone. Thank God, by tho provisions of our Constitution, not yet wholly abrogated, the people are soon to pass upon your claims to reeleetion, and tho right of iinpeaeliineut yet reinains to their represeutatives. The peo pie aad their repreaeoxativei have tho right tu speak uhen the pon is struck froiu tho hands of a freeinan by the liayODet; when the JWile, oupe brokeu dowu on tho uther side of tli Atlantio by the reverberation af our Kevolution, is reconstruoed Ucre, In stonny limes hku theso, uinid dan gers ki] whieh an unsuppivssed rebelliou enviiont us, big woü,i ,.1Vl3 been ft raah haud whieh had hastily set in mo tion far uuolher purpos.i thaii tho sup pressiou of etbttí on, the inaciiinery of justioo; who had iavofced igaintt the Ui.xloyaliy of rulere the retnbu'ion und redresses of Úw Iw, The danger ot PUrth k conflict of laws ia so far pa-sed, that uut even n prviideot could now pleud natioiml sníVtj ks ati excuso for refusiijg to do justiee or submit to judg UHÍllt Yct no citizen vrlio regarris bis duties should ever hesil ate al tlje last to oppose l.iwless deeds with legal remedies. The law may bieak dnwn. It will then disclcse to a watcliful people t lie point of greitest dangor. Cour's may fail ; jud fres may bu inliniidatod by tlireats or bribed by ihe allurementa of power, and til Ose wlio liave sworn lo ex"cute tlic lawa muy shrifib froni t!io fulfillmeot of tlioir oatlis. A crucen Conrress may sit silent and idly watofi the perwtTng liberlies of kbe people wliurt iliey represent, but ibis ciinnot dcti'r úm wlio, n defendinjr liis rij;bis. is Jittriuined to do his wholo du'y. and lo whom it is oooipetOBl tt last 'o eoiiimit tlie issue to th;it Powc-r. omiiipoteiit and insorutable, wlio presides in events and sways tlio dcstiniea of uatioiis and the hesrte of inen..