I Hold It The Duty Of The

Outside Of The Constitution We Have No Legal Authority More Than Private Citizens, And Within It We Have Only So Much As That Instrument Gives Us. This Broad Principle Limits All Our Functions And Applies To All Subjects.

If You Could Extend The Elective Franchise To All Persons Of Color Who Can Read The Constitution Of The United States In English And Write Their Names And To All Persons Of Color Who Own Real Estate Valued At Not Less Than Two Hundred And Fifty Dollars And Pay Taxes Thereon, And Would Completely Disarm The Adversary. This You Can Do With Perfect Safety. And As A Consequence, The Radicals, Who Are Wild Upon Negro Franchise, Will Be Completely Foiled In Their Attempts To Keep The Southern States From Renewing Their Relations To The Union.

Washington, Dc Is 12 Square Miles Bordered By Reality.

I Have Been Almost Overwhelmed By The Announcement Of The Sad Event [lincoln's Assassination] Which Has So Recently Occurred. I Feel Incompetent To Perform Duties So Important And Responsible As Those Which Have Been So Unexpectedly Thrown Upon Me.

There Are Some Who Lack Confidence In The Integrity And Capacity Of The People To Govern Themselves. To All Who Entertain Such Fears I Will Most Respectfully Say That I Entertain None. If Man Is Not Capable, And Is Not To Be Trusted With The Government Of Himself, Is He To Be Trusted With The Government Of Others? Who, Then, Will Govern? The Answer Must Be, Man - For We Have No Angels In The Shape Of Men, As Yet, Who Are Willing To Take Charge Of Our Political Affairs.