re was serious danger of a division of popular
sentiment in the North growing out of the Slavery question; there
was grave apprehension of foreign intervention from the arrest of
Mason and Slidell. The war was in its eighth month; and, strong
and energetic as the Northern people felt, it cannot be denied that
a confidence in ultimate triumph had become dangerously developed
throughout the South.

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, 1861.

The message of Mr. Lincoln dealt with the situation in perfect
candor. He did not attempt to withhold any thing or to color any
thing. He frankly acknowledged that "our intercourse with foreign
nations had been attended with profound solicitude." He recognized
that "a nation which endured factious domestic division is exposed
to disrespect abroad; and one party, if not both, is sure, sooner
or later, to invoke foreign intervention." With his peculiar power
of condensing a severe expression, he said that "the disloyal
citizens of the United States have offered the ruin of our country
in return for the aid and comfort which they have invoked abroad."
This offer was made on the presumption that some commercial or
substantial gain would accrue to other nations from the destruction
of the Republic; but Mr. Lincoln believed with confidence that
"foreign governments would not in the end fail to perceive that
one strong nation promises more durable peace, and a more extensive,
valuable, and reliable commerce, than can the same nation broken
into hostile fragments," and for this reason he believed that the
rebel leaders had received from abroad "less patronage and
encouragement than they probably expected."

The President dwelt with satisfaction upon the condition of the
Border States, concerning whose course he had constantly exhibited
the profoundest solicitude. He now informed Congress that "noble
little Delaware led off right, from the first," and that Maryland,
which had been "made to seem against the Union," had given "seven
regiments to the loyal cause, and none to the enemy, and her people,
at a regular election, have sustained the Union by a larger majority
and a larger aggregate vote than they ever before gave to any
candidate on any question." Kentucky, concerning which his anxiety
had been deepest, was now decidedly, and, as he thought, "unchangeably,
ranged on the side of the Union." Missouri he announced as
comparatively quiet, and he