August 6, 1862
FELLOW-CITIZENS: I believe there is no precedent for my
appearing before you on this occasion, [applause] but it is also true that
there is no precedent for your being here yourselves, [applause and laughter;]
and I offer, in justification of myself and of you, that, upon examination, I
have found nothing in the Constitution against. [Renewed applause.] I, however,
have an impression that there are younger gentlemen who will entertain you
better, [voices – “No, no; none can do better than yourself. Go on!”] and
better address your understanding, than I will or could, and therefore, I
propose but to detain you a moment longer. [Cries – “Go on! Tar and feather the
rebels!'']
I am very little inclined on any occasion to say anything
unless I hope to produce some good by it. [A voice – “You do that; go on.] The
only thing I think of just now not likely to be better said by some one else,
is a matter in which we have heard some other persons blamed for what I did
myself. [Voices – “What is it?] There has been a very wide-spread attempt
to have a quarrel between Gen. McClellan and the Secretary of War. Now, I
occupy a position that enables me to observe, at least, these two gentlemen are
not nearly so deep in the quarrel as some pretending to be their friends.
[Cries of “Good.”] Gen. McClellan's attitude is such that, in the very
selfishness of his nature, he cannot but wish to be successful, and I hope he
will – and the Secretary of War is in precisely the same situation. If the
military commanders in the field cannot be successful, not only the Secretary
of War, but myself for the time being the master of them both, cannot be but
failures. [Laughter and applause.] I know Gen. McClellan wishes to be
successful, and I know he does not wish it any more than the Secretary of War
for him, and both of them together no more than I wish it. [Applause and cries
of “Good.”] Sometimes we have a dispute about how many men Gen. McClellan has
had, and those who would disparage him say that he has had a very large number,
and those who would disparage the Secretary of War insist that Gen. McClellan
has had a very small number. The basis for this is, there is always a wide
difference, and on this occasion, perhaps, a wider one between the grand total
on McClellan's rolls and the men actually fit for duty; and those who would
disparage him talk of the grand total on paper, and those who would disparage
the Secretary of War talk of those at present fit for duty. Gen. McClellan has
sometimes asked for things that the Secretary of War did not give him. Gen.
McClellan is not to blame for asking what he wanted and needed, and the
Secretary of War is not to blame for not giving when he had none to give.
[Applause, laughter, and cries of “Good, good.”] And I say here, as far as I
know, the Secretary of War has withheld no one thing at any time in my power
to give him. [Wild applause, and a voice – “Give him enough now!”] I have
no accusation against him. I believe he is a brave and able man,
[applause,] and I stand here, as justice requires me to do, to take upon myself
what has been charged on the Secretary of War, as withholding from him.
I have talked longer than I expected to do, [cries of “No,
no – go on,”] and now I avail myself of my privilege of saying no more.
SOURCES: The New York
Times, Thursday, August 7, 1862, p. 1; Roy P. Basler, editor, Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln,
Volume 5, p. 358-9.
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