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am when I speak in court。 I expect to make one within a week or
two； in which I hope to succeed well enough to wish you to see
it。
It is very pleasant to learn from you that there are some who
desire that I should be reelected。 I most heartily thank them
for their kind partiality； and I can say； as Mr。 Clay said of the
annexation of Texas； that 〃personally I would not object〃 to a
reelection； although I thought at the time； and still think； it
would be quite as well for me to return to the law at the end of
a single term。 I made the declaration that I would not be a
candidate again； more from a wish to deal fairly with others； to
keep peace among our friends； and to keep the district from going
to the enemy； than for any cause personal to myself； so that if
it should so happen that nobody else wishes to be elected； I
could not refuse the people the right of sending me again。 But
to enter myself as a competitor of others； or to authorize any
one so to enter me is what my word and honor forbid。
I got some letters intimating a probability of so much difficulty
amongst our friends as to lose us the district； but I remember
such letters were written to Baker when my own case was under
consideration； and I trust there is no more ground for such
apprehension now than there was then。 Remember I am always glad
to receive a letter from you。
Most truly your friend；
A。 LINCOLN。
SPEECH ON DECLARATION OF WAR ON MEXICO
SPEECH IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES；
JANUARY 12； 1848。
MR CHAIRMAN：Some if not all the gentlemen on the other side of
the House who have addressed the committee within the last two
days have spoken rather complainingly； if I have rightly
understood them； of the vote given a week or ten days ago
declaring that the war with Mexico was unnecessarily and
unconstitutionally commenced by the President。 I admit that such
a vote should not be given in mere party wantonness； and that the
one given is justly censurable if it have no other or better
foundation。 I am one of those who joined in that vote； and I did
so under my best impression of the truth of the case。 How I got
this impression； and how it may possibly be remedied； I will now
try to show。 When the war began； it was my opinion that all
those who because of knowing too little； or because of knowing
too much； could not conscientiously approve the conduct of the
President in the beginning of it should nevertheless； as good
citizens and patriots； remain silent on that point； at least till
the war should be ended。 Some leading Democrats； including ex…
President Van Buren； have taken this same view； as I understand
them； and I adhered to it and acted upon it； until since I took
my seat here； and I think I should still adhere to it were it not
that the President and his friends will not allow it to be so。
Besides the continual effort of the President to argue every
silent vote given for supplies into an indorsement of the justice
and wisdom of his conduct； besides that singularly candid
paragraph in his late message in which he tells us that Congress
with great unanimity had declared that 〃by the act of the
Republic of Mexico； a state of war exists between that government
and the United States；〃 when the same journals that informed him
of this also informed him that when that declaration stood
disconnected from the question of supplies sixty…seven in the
House； and not fourteen merely； voted against it； besides this
open attempt to prove by telling the truth what he could not
prove by telling the whole truth…demanding of all who will not
submit to be misrepresented； in justice to themselves； to speak
out； besides all this； one of my colleagues ＇Mr。 Richardson＇ at a
very early day in the session brought in a set of resolutions
expressly indorsing the original justice of the war on the part
of the President。 Upon these resolutions when they shall be put
on their passage I shall be compelled to vote； so that I cannot
be silent if I would。 Seeing this； I went about preparing myself
to give the vote understandingly when it should come。 I
carefully examined the President's message； to ascertain what he
himself had said and proved upon the point。 The result of this
examination was to make the impression that； taking for true all
the President states as facts； he falls far short of proving his
justification； and that the President would have gone further
with his proof if it had not been for the small matter that the
truth would not permit him。 Under the impression thus made I
gave the vote before mentioned。 I propose now to give concisely
the process of the examination I made； and how I reached the
conclusion I did。 The President； in his first war message of
May； 1846； declares that the soil was ours on which hostilities
were commenced by Mexico； and he repeats that declaration almost
in the same language in each successive annual message； thus
showing that he deems that point a highly essential one。 In the
importance of that point I entirely agree with the President。 To
my judgment it is the very point upon which he should be
justified； or condemned。 In his message of December； 1846； it
seems to have occurred to him； as is certainly true； that title…
ownership…to soil or anything else is not a simple fact； but is a
conclusion following on one or more simple facts； and that it was
incumbent upon him to present the facts from which he concluded
the soil was ours on which the first blood of the war was shed。
Accordingly； a little below the middle of page twelve in the
message last referred to he enters upon that task； forming an
issue and introducing testimony； extending the whole to a little
below the middle of page fourteen。 Now； I propose to try to show
that the whole of thisissue and evidenceis from beginning to
end the sheerest deception。 The issue； as he presents it； is in
these words： 〃But there are those who； conceding all this to be
true； assume the ground that the true western boundary of Texas
is the Nueces； instead of the Rio Grande； and that； therefore； in
marching our army to the east bank of the latter river； we passed
the Texas line and invaded the territory of Mexico。〃 Now this
issue is made up of two affirmatives and no negative。 The main
deception of it is that it assumes as true that one river or the
other is necessarily the boundary； and cheats the superficial
thinker entirely out of the idea that possibly the boundary is
somewhere between the two； and not actually at either。 A further
deception is that it will let in evidence which a true issue
would exclude。 A true issue made by the President would be about
as follows： 〃I say the soil was ours； on which the first blood
was shed； there are those who say it was not。〃
I now proceed to examine the President's evidence as applicable
to such an issue。 When that evidence is analyzed； it is all
include