The Nation's Success and Gratitude, Includes a very early Printing of Lincoln's "The Negroes and the War" Letter: "I believed...military emancipation, and arming the blacks would come"

Lincoln, Abraham

Pamphlet

The Nation's Success and Gratitude. Philadelphia: Henry B. Ashmead, 1864. 8.5" x 5.75" inches. Pink wrappers. An address given in Danville, Kentrucky on Thanksgiving, 1863. Scarce printing of an address thought to be given by famous Presbyterian minister and educator, Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. Delivered like a sermon but addresses earthly considerations such as the state of the war and politics. Includes a printing of Lincoln's letter, "The Negroes and the War", from April 4, 1864. In this letter, Lincoln is unapologetic about his measure to arm and enlist African-Americans in the border states into the Union Army. Lincoln writes, "When, in March, and May, and July , 1862, I made earnest and successive appeals to hte Border States, to favor compensated emancipation, I believed...military emancipation, and arming the blacks would come, unless averted by that measure. They declined the proposition, and I was, in my best judgment, driven to the alternative, of either surrendering the Union, an with it the Constitution, or of laying strong hand upon the colored element. I chose the latter." Wrappers are soiled at front, small closed tear near spine, but interior is clean. Overall in good condition.

Item #17541

Price: $240.00