Meanwhile，despiteallthissemblanceofindecision，offeebleness，thereweresignsthattherealinnerLincoln，howeverclouded，wasstillalive。Bywayofoffsettohisfatuousutterances，theremighthavebeenset，hadtheCountrybeeninamoodtoweighwithcare，severalstrongandclearpronouncements。Andthesewerenotmerelytellingphraseslikethatcharacteristiconeaboutthebookkeepingofthefrontdoor。Hismindwasstrugglingoutofitsshadow。Andthemodeofitsreappearancewassignificant。Hisreasoninguponthetruemeaningofthestrugglehewasabouttoenter，reachedasignificantstageinthespeechhemadeatHarrisburg。[8]
“Ihaveofteninquiredofmyself，“hesaid，“whatgreatprincipleorideaitwasthatkeptthisConfederacy[theUnitedStates]solongtogether。Itwasnotthemerematteroftheseparationofthecoloniesfromthemotherland，butthatsentimentintheDeclarationofIndependencewhichgavelibertynotalonetothepeopleofthecountrybuthopetoalltheworldforallfuturetime。Itwasthatwhichgavepromisethatinduetimetheweightswouldbeliftedfromtheshouldersofallmenandthatallshouldhaveanequalchance。ThisisthesentimentembodiedintheDeclarationofIndependence。Now，myfriends，canthiscountrybesavedonthatbasis？Ifitcan，I
willconsidermyselfoneofthehappiestmenintheworld，ifI
canhelptosaveit。Ifitcannotbesaveduponthatprinciple，itwillbetrulyawful。Butifthiscountrycannotbesavedwithoutgivingupthatprinciple，IwasabouttosayI
wouldratherbeassassinatedonthisspotthansurrenderit。