to leave any one in doubt. I would save the Union. I would
save it in the shortest way under the Constitution.

"The sooner the national authority can be restored, the nearer
the Union will be the Union as it was.

"If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could
at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them.

"If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could
at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them.

"_My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to
save or destroy slavery._

"If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do
it; if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it;
and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I
would also do that.

"What I do about slavery and the Colored race, I do because I
believe it helps to save this Union; and what I forbear, I
forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the
Union.

"I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts
the cause; and I shall do more whenever I believe doing more will
help the cause.

"I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I
shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true
views.

"I have here stated my purpose according to my views of official
duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal
wish that all men everywhere could be free.

"Yours,
"A. LINCOLN."[84]

But there were few men among the general officers of the army who
either reached the conclusion by their own judgment, or were aided by
the action of General Butler, that it was their duty to confiscate
_all the property_ of the enemy. Acting upon the plainest principle of
military law, Major-General John C. Fremont, commanding the Department
of the Missouri, or the Union forces in that State, issued the
following proclamation:

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE WESTERN DEP'T,}
"ST. LOUIS, August 31st. }

"Circumstances, in my judgment, of sufficient urgency, render it
necessary that the Commanding General of this Department should
assume the administrative power of the State. Its disorganized
condition, the helple