Certainly，astoindividuals，classes，communitieseven，adoctrinethatmighteasilybecomedestructive。ButitformedthebasisofallLincoln’sthoughtaboutthe“majority“inAmerica。Uponitwouldhaverestedhisreply，hadheevermadeareply，totheVirginiacontentionthatwhilehistheorymightapplytoeachindividualState，itcouldnotapplytothegroupofStates。Hewouldhavetreatedsuchareply，whetherfairlyorunfairly，asalegaltechnicality。Hewouldhavesaidinsubstance：hereisacongregationtobebenefited，thisgreatmassofalltheinhabitantsofalltheStatesoftheUnion；
accident，ordestiny，orwhatyouwill，hasbroughtthemtogether，butheretheyare；theyaremovingforward，haltingly，irregularly，butsteadily，towardfullerandfullerdemocracy；theyarepartoftheuniversaldemocraticmovement；
theirvastexperimenthasaninternationalsignificance；itisthehopeofthe“Liberalpartythroughouttheworld“；tocheckthatexperiment，tobreakitintoSeparateminorexperiments；
toreducetheimposingpromiseofitsexamplebymakingitseemunsuccessful，wouldbetreasontomankind。Therefore，bothonSouthandNorth，bothontheSecedershemeanttofightandonthoseNorthernersofwhomhewasnotentirelysure，heaimedtoimposethesupremeimmediatedutyofprovingtotheworldthatdemocracyonagreatscalecouldhavesufficientvitalitytomaintainitselfagainstanysortofattack。AnticipatingfaintlytheGettysburgoration，thefirstmessagecontainedthesewords：“AndthisissueembracesmorethanthefateoftheseUnitedStates。Itpresentstothewholefamilyofmanthequestionwhetheraconstitutionalrepublic，ordemocracy——agovernmentofthepeoplebythesamepeople——canorcannotmaintainitsintegrityagainstitsowndomesticfoes……
Mustagovernmentofnecessitybetoostrongforthelibertiesofitspeopleortooweaktomaintainitsownexistence？“[7]HetoldHaythat“thecrucialideapervadingthisstruggleisthenecessitythatisuponustoprovethatpopulargovernmentisnotanabsurdity“；“thatthebasalissuewaswhetherornothepeoplecouldgovernthemselves。“[8]
Butallthiselaboratereasoning，ifitwentnofurther，lackedauthority。Itwaspoliticalspeculation。Toclotheitselfwithauthorityithadtodiscoverafoundationinhistoricfact。TherealdifficultywasnotwhatoughttohavebeenestablishedinAmericainthepast，butwhatactuallyhadbeen。
Wherewasthewarrantforthoseboldproposition——who“we，thepeople，“reallywere；inwhattheirsovereignpowerreallyconsisted；whatwashistory’svoiceinthematter？Tostateanhistoricfoundationwasthefinalaimofthemessage。TohititsmarkithadtosilencethoseNorthernerswhodeniedtheobligationtofightfortheUnion；ithadtoopposetheir“freelove“ideasofpoliticalunitywiththeconceptionofanestablishedhistoricgovernment，onewhichcouldnotbeoverthrownexceptthroughthenihilisticprocessofrevolution。
SomuchhasbeenwrittenupontheexactlocationofsovereigntyintheAmericanfederalStatethatitisdifficulttoescapethelegalisticattitude，andtotreatthematterpurelyashistory。Sovarious，soconflicting，andattimessotenuous，arethetheories，thataflippantpersonmightbeforgivendidheturnfromthewholediscussionsayingimpatientlyitwasblindman’sbuff。Butononething，atleast，wemustallagree。Oncetherewasakingoverthiscountry，andnowthereisnoking。OncetheBritishCrownwasthesovereign，andnowtheCrownhasrecededintothedistancebeyondthedeepbluesea。WhentheCrownrenounceditssovereigntyinAmerica，whatbecameofit？Diditbreakintofragmentsandpasspeacemealtothevariousrevoltedcolonies？Wasittransferredsomehowtothegroupcollectively？Thesearetheobvioustheories；butthereareothers。Andtheothersgiverisetosubtlerspeculations。WhowasitthatdidtheactualrevoltingagainsttheCrown——colonies，parties，individuals，thewholeAmericanpeople，who？
Troublesomequestionsthese，withwhichLincolnandthemenofhistimedidnotdealinthespiritofhistoricalscience。
Theirwishesfatheredtheirthoughts。Southerners，practicallywithoutexception，heldthetheoryofthedisintegrationoftheCrown’sprerogative，itsdistributionamongtheStates。ThegreatleadersofNorthernthoughtrepudiatedtheidea。
WebsterandClaywouldhavenoneofit。Buttheirowntheorieswerenotalwaysconsistent；andtheydifferedamongthemselves。
Lincolndidthenaturalthing。HefasteneduponthetendenciesinNorthernthoughtthatsupportedhisownfaith。Chiefamongthesewastheideathatsovereigntypassedtothegeneralcongregationoftheinhabitantsofthecolonies——“we，thepeople“——becausewe，thepeople，weretherealpowerthatsupportedtherevolt。HehadacceptedtheideathattheAmericanRevolutionwasanuprisingofthepeople，thatitsvictorywasinatransferofsovereignrightsfromanEnglishCrowntoanAmericannation；thatanewcollectivestate，theUnion，wascreatedbythisnationasthefirstactofthestruggle，andthatitwastotheUnionthattheCrownsuccumbed，totheUnionthatitsprerogativepassed。Toputthisideainitsboldestanditssimplesttermswasthecrowningeffortofthemessage。
“TheStateshavetheirstatusintheUnionandtheyhavenootherlegalstatus。Iftheybreakfromthis，theycanonlydosoagainstlawandbyrevolution。TheUnion，andnotthemselvesseparately，procuredtheirindependenceandtheirliberty。Byconquestorpurchase，theUniongaveeachofthemwhateverofindependenceandlibertyithas。TheUnionisolderthananyoftheStates，andinfact，itcreatedthemasStates。OriginallysomedependentcoloniesmadetheUnion，andinturn，theUnionthrewoffthisolddependenceforthemandmadethemStates，suchastheyare。“[9]
ThisfirstmessagecompletestheevolutionofLincolnasapoliticalthinker。Itishisthird，hislastgreatlandmark。
ThePeoriaspeech，whichdrewtoafocusalltheimplicationsofhisearlylife，laidthebasisofhispoliticalsignificance；theCooperUnionspeech，summinguphisconflictwithDouglas，appliedhisthinkingtothenewissueprecipitatedbyJohnBrown；butinboththesehewasstillpredominantlyanegativethinker，stillthevoiceofanopposition。Withthefirstmessage，hebecamecreative；hedrewtogetherwhatwaslatentinhisearlierthought；hediscardedthenegative；helaidthefoundationofallhissubsequentpolicy。Thebreadthanddepthofhisthinkingisrevealedbythefulnesswithwhichthemessagedevelopstheimplicationsofhistheory。Insodoing，heanticipatedthemainissuesthatweretofollow：hisdeterminationtokeepnationalismfrombeingnarrowedintomere“Northernism“；hisefforttocreateanall-partiesgovernment；hisstubborninsistencethathewassuppressinganinsurrection，notwagingexternalwar；hisdoctrinethattheExecutive，havingbeenchosenbytheentirepeople，wastheoneexpressionofthesovereigntyofthepeople，andtherefore，therepositoryofalltheseexceptional“warpowers“thataredormantintimeofpeace。UponeachofthoseissueshewasdestinedtowagefiercebattleswiththepoliticianswhocontrolledCongress，whosoughttomakeCongresshismaster，whothwarted，tormentedandalmostdefeatedhim。Inthelightofsubsequenthistorythefirstmessagehasanotheraspectbesidesitssignificanceaspoliticalscience。Initsclearunderstandingoftheimplicationsofhisattitude，itattainspoliticalsecondsight。AsLincoln，immovable，gazesfarintothefuture，hispowerofvisionmakeshim，yetagainthoughinawidelydifferentsense，the“seerinatrance，Seeingallhisownmischance。“
HistroubleswithCongressbeganatonce。ThemessagewasreceivedonJulyfourth，politely，butwithscantresponsetoitsideas。Duringtwoweeks，whileCongressinitsfatuousnessthoughtthatthebattleimpendinginVirginiawouldsettlethings，themajorityinCongresswouldnotgiveassenttoLincoln’sviewofwhatthewarwasabout。AndthencameBullRun。Inaflashthesituationchanged。Fatuousnesswaspuffedoutlikeacandleinawind。TherankestextremistsawthatCongressmustceasefromitsdebatesandshowitshand；mustsaywhatthewarwasabout；mustinformthenationwhetheritdidordidnotagreewiththePresident。
OnthedayfollowingBullRun，Crittendenintroducedthisresolution：“Thatthepresent，deplorablecivilwarhasbeenforceduponthecountrybytheDisunionistsoftheSouthernStates，nowinarmsagainsttheconstitutionalgovernment，andinarmsaroundthecapital；thatinthisnationalemergency，Congress，banishingallfeelingsofmerepassionandresentment，willrecollectonlyitsdutytothewholecountry；
thatthiswarisnotwagedontheirpartinanyspiritofoppressionorforanypurposeofconquestorsubjugation，orpurposeofoverthrowingorinterferingwiththerightsorestablishedinstitutionsoftheseStates，buttodefendandmaintainthesupremacyoftheConstitution，andtopreservetheUnion，withallthedignity，equality，andrightsoftheseveralStatesunimpaired；andthatassoonastheseobjectsareaccomplished，thewaroughttocease。“ThisCrittendenResolutionwaspassedinstantlybybothHouses，withoutdebateandalmostwithoutopposition。[10]
Paradoxically，BullRunhadsavedthedayforLincoln，hadenabledhimtowinhisfirstvictoryasastatesman。
ThekeenEnglishmanwhohadobservedthebeautyoftheVirginianwoodson“BullRunSunday，“said，afterthebattlewaslost，“IhopeSenatorWilsonissatisfied。“HewassneeringatthewholegroupofintemperateSenatorsnoneofwhomhadeversmelledpowder，butwhoknewitallwhenitcametowar；
whohaddonetheirgreatshareindrivingthePresidentandthegeneralsintoaprematureadvance。SenatorWilsonwasoneofthosewhowentouttoManassastoseetheConfederacyoverthrown，thatfatefulSunday。HewasoneofthemostprecipitateamongthosewhofledbacktoWashington。Ontheway，drivingfuriously，amidapressofmenandvehicles，hepassedacarriagecontainingfourCongressmenwhoweretakingtheirtime。Perhapsirritatedbytheircoolness，heshoutedtothemtomakehaste。“Ifwewereinasbigahurryasyouare，“repliedCongressmanRiddle，scornfully，“wewould。“
ThesefourCongressmenplayedacuriouslydramaticpartbeforetheygotbacktoWashington。SodidapartyofSenatorswithwhomtheyjoinedforce&Thisotherparty，atthestart，alsonumberedfour。Theyhadplannedajollypicnic——thisdaythatwastoprovethemrightinhurryingthegovernmentintobattle!——
andbeingwisemenwhoknewhowtotaketimebytheforelock，theyhadtakentheirluncheonwiththem。FromwhatisknownofWashingtonandSenators，thenasnow，onemayriskagooddealthattheluncheonwasworthwhile。Partofthetragedyofthatdaywastheaccidentalbreak-upofthispartywiththeresultamidtheconfusionofaroadcrowdedbypleasure-seekers，thattwoSenatorswentonewaycarryingofftheluncheon，whiletheothertwo，makingthebestofthedisaster，continuedsouthwardthroughthosebeautifulearlyhourswhenRussellwasadmiringthescenery，theirluncheonalltoseek。TheluckymenwiththeluncheonweretheSenatorsBenjaminWadeandZacharyChandler。SenatorTrumbullandSenatorGrimes，bothonhorseback，werelefttotheirowndevices。However，fortunewaswiththem。SeveralhourslatertheyhadsucceededingettingfoodbythewaysideandwererestinginagroveoftreessomedistancebeyondthevillageofCenterville。
Suddenly，theysufferedanappallingsurprise；happeningtolookup，theybeheldemergingoutofthedistance，astampedeofmenandhorseswhichcamethunderingdownthecountryroad，notahundredyardsfromwheretheysat。“Weimmediatelymountedourhorses，“asTrumbullwrotetohiswifethenextday，“andgallopedtotheroad，bywhichtimeitwascrowded，hundredsbeinginadvanceonthewaytoCentervilleandtwogunsofSherman’sbatteryhavingalreadypassedinfullretreat。
Wekeptonwiththecrowd，notknowingwhatelsetodo。WefedourhorsesatCentervilleandleftthereatsixo’clock……CameontoFairfaxCourtHousewherewegotsupperand，leavingthereatteno’clockreachedhomeathalfpasttwothismorning……Iamdreadfullydisappointedandmortified。“[1]
Meanwhile，whatofthoseothergaypicnickers，SenatorWadeandSenatorChandler？Theydroveinacarriage。ViewingtheobligationsofthehourmuchasdidC。C。ClayatthePresident’sreception，theywerearmed。Wadehad“hisfamousrifle“whichhehadbroughtwithhimtoCongress，whichattimesinthefuryofdebatehehadthreatenedtouse，whichhadbecomeabyword。TheseSenatorsseemtohaveventurednearertothefrontthandidTrumbullandGrimes，andwerealittlelaterintheretreatAta“choke-up，“stillonthefarsideofCenterville，theircarriagepassedthecarriageofthefourCongressmen——who，bytheway，werealsoarmed，havingamongthem“fourofthelargestnavyrevolvers。“
Allthesemen，whatevertheirfaultsorabsurdities，wereintrepid。TheCongressmen，atleast，wereinnogoodhumor，fortheyhaddriventhrougharegimentofthreemonthsmenwhosetimeexpiredthatdayandwhodespitethecannoninthedistancewerehurryinghome。