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facts； then I shall be obliged for a reference to any law of
language； law of States； law of nations； law of morals； law of
religions； any law； human or divine； in which an authority can be
found for saying those facts constitute 〃no aggression。〃
Possibly you consider those acts too small for notice。 Would you
venture to so consider them had they been committed by any nation
on earth against the humblest of our people？ I know you would
not。 Then I ask； is the precept 〃Whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you； do ye even so to them〃 obsolete？ of no force？
of no application？
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
ON ZACHARY TAYLOR NOMINATION
TO ARCHIBALD WILLIAMS。
WASHINGTON； June 12； 1848。
DEAR WILLIAMS：On my return from Philadelphia； where I had been
attending the nomination of 〃Old Rough；〃 （Zachary Taylor） I found
your letter in a mass of others which had accumulated in my
absence。 By many； and often； it had been said they would not
abide the nomination of Taylor； but since the deed has been done；
they are fast falling in； and in my opinion we shall have a most
overwhelming； glorious triumph。 One unmistakable sign is that
all the odds and ends are with usBarnburners； Native Americans；
Tyler men； disappointed office…seeking Locofocos； and the Lord
knows what。 This is important； if in nothing else； in showing
which way the wind blows。 Some of the sanguine men have set down
all the States as certain for Taylor but Illinois； and it as
doubtful。 Cannot something be done even in Illinois？ Taylor's
nomination takes the Locos on the blind side。 It turns the war
thunder against them。 The war is now to them the gallows of
Haman； which they built for us； and on which they are doomed to
be hanged themselves。
Excuse this short letter。 I have so many to write that I cannot
devote much time to any one。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
SPEECH IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES；
JUNE 20； 1848。
In Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union； on the Civil
and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill：
Mr。 CHAIRMAN：I wish at all times in no way to practise any
fraud upon the House or the committee； and I also desire to do
nothing which may be very disagreeable to any of the members。 I
therefore state in advance that my object in taking the floor is
to make a speech on the general subject of internal improvements；
and if I am out of order in doing so； I give the chair an
opportunity of so deciding； and I will take my seat。
The Chair： I will not undertake to anticipate what the gentleman
may say on the subject of internal improvements。 He will；
therefore； proceed in his remarks； and if any question of order
shall be made； the chair will then decide it。
Mr。 Lincoln： At an early day of this session the President sent
us what may properly be called an internal improvement veto
message。 The late Democratic convention； which sat at Baltimore；
and which nominated General Cass for the Presidency； adopted a
set of resolutions； now called the Democratic platform； among
which is one in these words：
〃That the Constitution does not confer upon the General
Government the power to commence and carry on a general system of
internal improvements。〃
General Cass； in his letter accepting the nomination； holds this
language：
〃I have carefully read the resolutions of the Democratic national
convention； laying down the platform of our political faith； and
I adhere to them as firmly as I approve them cordially。〃
These things； taken together； show that the question of internal
improvements is now more distinctly madehas become more intense
than at any former period。 The veto message and the Baltimore
resolution I understand to be； in substance； the same thing； the
latter being the more general statement； of which the former is
the amplification the bill of particulars。 While I know there
are many Democrats； on this floor and elsewhere； who disapprove
that message； I understand that all who voted for General Cass
will thereafter be counted as having approved it； as having
indorsed all its doctrines。
I suppose all； or nearly all； the Democrats will vote for him。
Many of them will do so not because they like his position on
this question； but because they prefer him； being wrong on this；
to another whom they consider farther wrong on other questions。
In this way the internal improvement Democrats are to be； by a
sort of forced consent； carried over and arrayed against
themselves on this measure of policy。 General Cass； once
elected； will not trouble himself to make a constitutional
argument； or perhaps any argument at all； when he shall veto a
river or harbor bill； he will consider it a sufficient answer to
all Democratic murmurs to point to Mr。 Polk's message； and to the
Democratic platform。 This being the case； the question of
improvements is verging to a final crisis； and the friends of
this policy must now battle； and battle manfully； or surrender
all。 In this view； humble as I am； I wish to review； and contest
as well as I may； the general positions of this veto message。
When I say general positions； I mean to exclude from
consideration so much as relates to the present embarrassed state
of the treasury in consequence of the Mexican War。
Those general positions are： that internal improvements ought not
to be made by the General GovernmentFirst。 Because they would
overwhelm the treasury Second。 Because； while their burdens
would be general； their benefits would be local and partial；
involving an obnoxious inequality； and Third。 Because they would
be unconstitutional。 Fourth。 Because the States may do enough
by the levy and collection of tonnage duties； or if notFifth。
That the Constitution may be amended。 〃Do nothing at all； lest
you do something wrong；〃 is the sum of these positions is the sum
of this message。 And this； with the exception of what is said
about constitutionality； applying as forcibly to what is said
about making improvements by State authority as by the national
authority； so that we must abandon the improvements of the
country altogether； by any and every authority； or we must resist
and repudiate the doctrines of this message。 Let us attempt the
latter。
The first position is； that a system of internal improvements
would overwhelm the treasury。 That in such a system there is a
tendency to undue expansion； is not to be denied。 Such tendency
is founded in the nature of the subject。 A member of Congress
will prefer voting for a bill which contains an appropriation for
his district； to voting for one which does not； and when a bill
shall be expanded till every district shall be provided for； that
it will be too greatly expanded is obvious。 But is this any more
true in Congress than in a State Legislature？ If a member of
Congress must have an appropriation for his district； so a member