The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

STATE PAPERS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

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There may be some inequalities in the practical application of our
Bystemn. It is fair that each man shall pay taxes in exact proportion to
the value of his property; but if we should wait, before collecting a tax,
to adjust the taxes upon each man in exact proportion with every other
man, we should never collect any tax at all. There may be mistakes
made sometimes; things imay be done wrong, while the.officers of the
Government do all they can to prevent mistakes. But I beg of you, as
citizens of this great Republic, not to let your minds be carried off from
the great work we have before us. This struggle is too large for you to
be diverted from it by any small matter. When you return to your
homes, rise up to the height of a generation of men worthy of a free
government, and we will carry out the great work we have commenced.
I return to you my sincere thanks, soldiers, for the honor you have done
me this afternoon.
To another Ohio regiment he spoke as follows:SOLDIERS:-I suppose you are going home to see your families and
friends. For the services you have done in this great struggle in which
we are engaged, I present you sincere thanks for myself and the country.
I almost always feel inclined, when I say any thing to soldiers, to impress
upon them, in a few brief remarks, the importance of success in this contest.
It is not merely for the day, but for all time to come, that we should perpetuate for our children's children that great and free government which
we have enjoyed all our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely
for my sake, but for yours.. I happen, temporarily, to occupy this big
White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may
look to come here as my father's child has. It is in order that each one
of you may have, through this free government which we have enjoyed,
an open field, and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise, and intelligence; that you may all have equal privileges in the race of life, with
all its desirable human aspirations-it is for this that the struggle should
be maintained, that we may not lose our birthrights-not only for one,
but for two or three years, if necessary. The nation is worth fighting
for, to secure such an inestimable jewel.
The premonitory symptoms of the result of the Presidential contest were seen in the State elections by which
it was preceded.
In September Vermont led off with a largely increased
Union majorty, and Maine followed her a week after,
showing also a proportionate increase in the majority
with which that State had sustained the Administration.
But the October elections in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania indicated vet more clearly what was to be the