In acknowledging the receipt of your favor of the 3rd instant, I avail
myself of the occasion it offers of tendering to yourself, to Mr.
Lincoln, and to your State, my sincere congratulations on the late happy
event of the election of a republican executive to preside over its
councils. The harmony it has introduced between the legislative and
executive branches, between the people and both of them, and between
all and the General Government, are so many steps towards securing that
union of action and effort in all its parts, without which no nation can
be happy or safe. The just respect, with which all the States have ever
looked to Massachusetts, could leave none of them without anxiety while
she was in a state of alienation from her family and friends. Your
opinion of the propriety and advantage of a more intimate correspondence
between the executives of the several States, and that of the Union, as
a central point, is precisely that which I have ever entertained; and
on coming into office I felt the advantages which would result from that
harmony. I had it even in contemplation, after the annual recommendation
to Congress of those measures called for by the times, which the
constitution had placed under their power, to make communications in
like manner to the executives of the States, as to any parts of them
to which their legislatures might be alone competent. For many are the
exercises of power reserved to the States, wherein an uniformity of
proceeding would be advantageous to all. Such are quarantines, health
laws, regulations of the press, banking institutions, training militia,
&c. &c. But you know what was the state of the several governments when
I came into office. That a great proportion of them were federal, and
would have been delighted with such opportunities of proclaiming their
contempt, and of opposing republican men and measures. Opportunities so
furnished and used by some of the State governments, would have produced
an ill effect, and would have insured the failure of the object of
uniform proceeding. If it could be ventured even now (Connecticut and