Speeches of Abraham Lincoln 1856 - Republican Campaign Speech
by Abraham Lincoln
FRAGMENT OF SPEECH AT GALENA, ILLINOIS, IN THE FREMONT CAMPAIGN, AUGUST
1, 1856.
You further charge us with being disunionists. If you mean that it is our
aim to dissolve the Union, I for myself answer that it is untrue; for
those who act with me I answer that it is untrue. Have you heard us
assert that as our aim? Do you really believe that such is our aim? Do
you find it in our platform, our speeches, our conventions, or anywhere?
If not, withdraw the charge.
But you may say that, though it is not our aim, it will be the result if
we succeed, and that we are therefore disunionists in fact. This is a
grave charge you make against us, and we certainly have a right to demand
that you specify in what way we are to dissolve the Union. How are we to
effect this?
The only specification offered is volunteered by Mr. Fillmore in his
Albany speech. His charge is that if we elect a President and
Vice-President both from the free States, it will dissolve the Union.
This is open folly. The Constitution provides that the President and
Vice-President of the United States shall be of different States, but
says nothing as to the latitude and longitude of those States. In 1828
Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, and John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina,
were elected President and Vice-President, both from slave States; but no
one thought of dissolving the Union then on that account. In 1840
Harrison, of Ohio, and Tyler, of Virginia, were elected. In 1841 Harrison
died and John Tyler succeeded to the Presidency, and William R. King, of
Alabama, was elected acting Vice-President by the Senate; but no one
supposed that the Union was in danger. In fact, at the very time Mr.
Fillmore uttered this idle charge, the state of things in the United
States disproved it. Mr. Pierce, of New Hampshire, and Mr. Bright, of
Indiana, both from free States, are President and Vice-President, and the
Union stands and will stand. You do not pretend that it ought to dissolve
the Union, and the facts show that it won't; therefore the charge may be
dismissed without further consideration.
No other specification is made, and the only one that could be made is
that the restoration of the restriction of 1820, making the United States
territory free territory, would dissolve the Union. Gentlemen, it will
require a decided majority to pass such an act. We, the majority, being
able constitutionally to do all that we purpose, would have no desire to
dissolve the Union. Do you say that such restriction of slavery would be
unconstitutional, and that some of the States would not submit to its
enforcement? I grant you that an unconstitutional act is not a law; but I
do not ask and will not take your construction of the Constitution. The
Supreme Court of the United States is the tribunal to decide such a
question, and we will submit to its decisions; and if you do also, there
will be an end of the matter. Will you? If not, who are the
disunionists--you or we? We, the majority, would not strive to dissolve
the Union; and if any attempt is made, it must be by you, who so loudly
stigmatize us as disunionists. But the Union, in any event, will not be
dissolved. We don't want to dissolve it, and if you attempt it we won't
let you. With the purse and sword, the army and navy and treasury, in our
hands and at our command, you could not do it. This government would be
very weak indeed if a majority with a disciplined army and navy and a
well-filled treasury could not preserve itself when attacked by an
unarmed, undisciplined, unorganized minority. All this talk about the
dissolution of the Union is humbug, nothing but folly. We do not want to
dissolve the Union; you shall not.