It is especially gratifying that our prize courts, by the impartiality of their adjudications, have commanded the respect and confidence of maritime powers.

so far as it relates to State governments, has no reference to States wherein loyal State governments have all the while been maintained.

Questions of great intricacy and importance have arisen out of the blockade and other belligerent operations between the Government and several of the maritime powers, but they have been discussed and, as far as was possible, accommodated in a spirit of frankness, justice, and mutual good will.

the United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a republican form of government and shall protect each of them against invasion

To now abandon them would be not only to relinquish a lever of power, but would also be a cruel and an astounding breach of faith.

I shall not attempt to retract or modify the emancipation proclamation, nor shall I return to slavery any person who is free by the terms of that proclamation or by any of the acts of Congress.

I do therefore, in conformity to the seventh section of the act approved 16th July, 1862, nominate Commander D. D. Porter to be a rear-admiral in the Navy on the active list from the 4th July, 1863, to fill an existing vacancy.

I most cordially recommend that Captain John Rodgers, United States Navy, receive a vote of thanks from Congress for the eminent skill and gallantry exhibited by him

For these, and especially for the improved condition of our national affairs, our renewed and profoundest gratitude to God is due.

I recommend that all loyal people do, on receipt of this information, assemble at their places of worship and render special homage and gratitude to Almighty God for this great advancement of the national cause.

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

You may fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.