GodknowsthatIdeplorethisfratricidalwarasmuchasanymanliving，butitisuponus，aphysicalfact;andthereisonlyonehonorableissuefromit。Wemustfightitout，armyagainstarmy，andmanagainstman;andIknow，andyouknow，andciviliansbegintorealizethefact，thatreconciliationandreconstructionwillbeeasierthroughandbymeansofstrong，well—equipped，andorganizedarmiesthanthroughanyspeciesofconventionsthatcanbeframed。
Theissuesaremade，andalldiscussionisoutofplaceandridiculous。Thesectionofthirty—pounderParrottriflesnowdrillingbeforemytentisamoreconvincingargumentthanthelargestDemocraticmeetingtheStateofNewYorkcanpossiblyassembleatAlbany;andasimpleorderoftheWarDepartmenttodraftenoughmentofillourskeletonregimentswouldbemoreconvincingastoournationalperpetuitythananhumblepardontoJeff。Davisandallhismisledhost。
TheonlygovernmentneededordeservedbytheStatesofLouisiana，Arkansas，andMississippi，nowexistsinGrant’sarmy。Thisneeds，simply，enoughprivatestofillitsranks;allelsewillfollowindueseason。Thisarmyhasitswell—definedcodeoflawsandpractice，andcanadaptitselftothewantsandnecessitiesofacity，thecountry，therivers，thesea，indeedtoallpartsofthisland。ItbettersubservestheinterestandpolicyoftheGeneralGovernment，andthepeopleherepreferittoanyweakorservilecombinationthatwouldatonce，fromforceofhabit，revivesadperpetuatelocalprejudicesandpassions。Thepeopleofthiscountryhaveforfeitedallrighttoavoiceinthecouncilsofthenation。Theyknowitandfeelit，andinafter—yearstheywillbethebettercitizensfromthedearboughtexperienceofthepresentcrisis。Letthemlearnnow，andlearnitwell，thatgoodcitizensmustobeyaswellascommand。Obediencetolaw，absolute——yea，evenabject——isthelessonthatthiswar，underProvidence，willteachthefreeandenlightenedAmericancitizen。Aaanation，weshallbethebetterforit。
Ineverhaveapprehendedforeigninterferenceinourfamilyquarrel。Ofcoarse，governmentsfoundedonadifferentanditmaybeanantagonisticprinciplewithoursnaturallyfeelapleasureatourcomplications，and，itmaybe，wishourdownfall;butintheendEnglandandFrancewilljoinwithusinjubilationatthetriumphofconstitutionalgovernmentoverfaction。EvennowtheEnglishmanifestthis。IdonotprofesstounderstandNapoleon’sdesigninMexico，andIdonot，seethathistakingmilitarypossessionofMexicoconcernsus。Wehaveasmuchterritorynowaswewant。TheMexicanshavefailedinself—government，anditwasaquestionastowhatnationsheshouldfallaprey。Thatisnowsolved，andIdon’tseethatwearedamaged。WehavethefinestpartoftheNorthAmericanContinent，allwecanpeopleandcantakecareof;and，ifwecansuppressrebellioninourownland，andcomposethestrifegeneratedbyit，weshallhaveenoughpeople，resources，andwealth，ifwellcombined，todefyinterferencefromanyandeveryquarter。
IthereforehopetheGovernmentoftheUnitedStateswillcontinue，asheretofore，tocollect，inwell—organizedarmies，thephysicalstrengthofthenation;applyingit，asheretofore，inassertingthenationalauthority;andinpersevering，withoutrelaxation，totheend。This，whethernearorfaroff，isnotforustosay;but，fortunately，wehavenochoice。Wemustsucceed——nootherchoiceisleftusexceptdegradation。TheSouthmustberuledbyus，orshewillruleus。Wemustconquerthem，orourselvesbeconquered。