Abraham Lincoln, Slavery, and the Civil War: Selected Writings and Speeches

by Lincoln, Abraham; Johnson, Michael P.

• ISBN13: 9780312227630
• ISBN10: 0312227639
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

Comprising an impressive array of more than 200 of Abraham Lincoln's writings and speeches, this volume offers a fascinating window onto one of history's most remarkable figures. Letting Lincoln's own eloquent voice tell the story, the author has organized the documentary material topically in ten chapters that follow Lincoln from his youth, to his entry into Republican politics, and through the main events of his presidency. Great public speeches like the Lincoln-Douglas Debates and the Gettysburg Address are here, together with many less familiar writing poignantly personal letters to voters and colleagues, notes on military strategy -- to show the character and evolution of Lincoln's thought on the crucial issues of free labor, slavery, secession, Civil War, and emancipation. Johnson provides ample historical context through the skillful weaving of narrative and documents and the judicious use of footnotes.

Author Biography

Michael P. Johnson is professor of history at Johns Hopkins University

Table of Contents

Foreword	v
Preface	vii
List of Maps and Illustrations	x
Introduction: Abraham Lincoln, Wordsmith	1	(10)
A Note about the Text	11	(2)
Lessons of Life	13	(24)
Autobiographies	13	(9)
Letter to Jesse W. Fell, December 20, 1859	14	(2)
Autobiography Written for the 1860 Presidential Campaign, circa June 1860	16	(6)
Ambition	22	(8)
To the People of Sangamo County, March 9, 1832	22	(1)
Address to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1838	23	(7)
Work	30	(6)
Letter to John D. Johnston, December 24, 1848	30	(2)
Letter to John D. Johnston, November 4, 1851	32	(1)
Address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee, Wisconson, September 30, 1859	33	(3)
Religion	36	(1)
Handbill on Religion: To the Voters of the Seventh Congressional District, July 31, 1846	36	(1)
Becoming a Republican	37	(23)
Henry Clay, Whig Statesman	38	(4)
Eulogy on Henry Clay, July 6, 1852	39	(3)
The Kansas-Nebraska Act	42	(7)
Speech on the Kansas-Nebraska Act at Peoria, Illinois, October 16, 1854	45	(4)
Justifications of Slavery	49	(1)
Fragment on Slavery, possibly 1854	49	(1)
``Where I Now Stand''	50	(4)
Letter to Joshua F. Speed, August 24, 1855	51	(3)
The Dred Scott Decision	54	(6)
Speech on the Dred Scott Decision, June 26, 1857	55	(5)
Leading the Republican Party	60	(36)
A House Divided	62	(7)
``A House Divided'' Speech at Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858	63	(6)
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates	69	(11)
First Lincoln-Douglas Debate, August 21, 1858	72	(1)
Fourth Lincoln-Douglas Debate, September 18, 1858	73	(1)
Fifth Lincoln-Douglas Debate, October 7, 1858	74	(2)
Sixth Lincoln-Douglas Debate, October 13, 1858	76	(2)
Seventh Lincoln-Douglas Debate, October 15, 1858	78	(2)
Partisan Tactics	80	(1)
Letter to Norman B. Judd, October 20, 1858	80	(1)
The 1860 Campaign for President	81	(15)
Address at Cooper Institute, February 27, 1860	82	(9)
Remarks at a Republican Rally during the Presidential Campaign, August 8, 1860	91	(1)
Letter to Grace Bedell, October 19, 1860	92	(1)
Letter to George T. M. Davis, October 27, 1860	93	(2)
Remarks after Victory in the Presidential Election, Springfield, Illinois, November 20, 1860	95	(1)
The Secession Crisis	96	(20)
The Limits of Compromise	96	(6)
Letter to Lyman Trumbull, December 10, 1860	97	(1)
Letter to John A. Gilmer, December 15, 1860	97	(2)
Letter to Alexander H. Stephens, December 22, 1860	99	(1)
Letter to Duff Green, December 28, 1860	99	(1)
Letter to James W. Webb, December 29, 1860	100	(1)
Letter to James T. Hale, January 11, 1861	101	(1)
Letter to William H. Seward, February 1, 1861	101	(1)
Rallying the Union	102	(6)
Farewell Address at Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861	103	(1)
Speech from the Balcony of the Bates House at Indianapolis, Indiana, February 11, 1861	103	(2)
Speech to Germans at Cincinnati, Ohio, February 12, 1861	105	(1)
Speech at Cleveland, Ohio, February 15, 1861	106	(1)
Speech in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1861	107	(1)
First Inaugural Address	108	(8)
First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861	108	(8)
A War to Save the Union	116	(31)
The Fort Sumter Crisis	117	(5)
Letter to Winfield Scott, March 9, 1861	119	(1)
Letter to William H. Seward, April 1, 1861	120	(1)
Letter to Robert Anderson, April 4, 1861	121	(1)
Organizing for War	122	(15)
Proclamation Calling Militia and Convening Congress, April 15, 1861	122	(2)
Reply to a Baltimore Committee, April 22, 1861	124	(1)
Letter to Reverdy Johnson, April 24, 1861	125	(1)
Message to Congress in Special Session, July 4, 1861	126	(11)
The Aftermath of Defeat at Bull Run	137	(10)
Memoranda of Military Policy Suggested by the Bull Run Defeat, July 23, 1861, and July 27, 1861	138	(1)
Letter to John A. McClernand, November 10, 1861	139	(1)
Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1861	140	(7)
Marching South	147	(32)
``Delay Is Ruining Us''	148	(6)
Letter to Ambrose E. Burnside, December 26, 1861	149	(1)
Letter to Don C. Buell, January 4, 1862	150	(1)
Letter to Don C. Buell, January 6, 1862	150	(1)
Letter to Don C. Buell, January 7, 1862	151	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, January 9, 1862	151	(1)
Letter to Don C. Buell, January 13, 1862	152	(2)
President's General War Order No. 1, January 27, 1862	154	(1)
The Peninsula Campaign	154	(13)
Letter to George B. McClellan, February 3, 1862	156	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, February 8, 1862	157	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, March 13, 1862	158	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, April 9, 1862	158	(3)
Letter to George B. McClellan, May 25, 1862	161	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, June 26, 1862	161	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, June 28, 1862	162	(1)
Letter to William H. Seward, June 28, 1862	163	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, July 1, 1862	164	(1)
Letter to Agenor-Etienne de Gasparin, August 4, 1862	165	(2)
The Second Battle of Bull Run and Antietam	167	(7)
Meditation on Divine Will, September 2, 1862?	168	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, September 8, 1862	168	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, September 10, 1862	169	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, September 12, 1862	169	(1)
Letter to George B. McClellan, September 15, 1862	169	(2)
Letter to George B. McClellan, October 13, 1862	171	(2)
Letter to George B. McClellan, October 24 [25], 1862	173	(1)
Memorandum on Furloughs, November 1862	173	(1)
Home-Front Politics	174	(5)
Proclamation Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus, September 24, 1862	175	(1)
Letter to Carl Schurz, November 24, 1862	176	(1)
Congratulations to the Army of the Potomac, December 22, 1862	177	(1)
Letter to Fanny McCullough, December 23, 1862	178	(1)
Toward Emancipation	179	(41)
Reassuring Loyal Southerners	180	(25)
Letter to John C. Fremont, September 2, 1861	182	(1)
Letter to John C. Fremont, September 11, 1861	183	(1)
Letter to Orville H. Browning, September 22, 1861	184	(2)
Message to Congress, March 6, 1862	186	(1)
Letter to Henry J. Raymond, March 9, 1862	187	(2)
Letter to Horace Greeley, March 24, 1862	189	(1)
Proclamation Revoking General Hunter's Order of Military Emancipation, May 19, 1862	190	(2)
Appeal to Border State Representatives to Favor Compensated Emancipation, July 12, 1862	192	(3)
Message to the Senate and House of Representatives, July 17, 1862	195	(1)
Letter to Cuthbert Bullitt, July 28, 1862	196	(2)
Letter to August Belmont, July 31, 1862	198	(2)
Address on Colonization to a Delegation of Black Americans, August 14, 1862	200	(4)
Letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862	204	(1)
Announcing Emancipation	205	(15)
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, September 22, 1862	206	(2)
Letter to Hannibal Hamlin, September 28, 1862	208	(1)
Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862	209	(9)
Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863	218	(2)
A War for Freedom and Union	220	(44)
Emancipation and Black Soldiers	221	(10)
Letter to John A. McClernand, January 8, 1863	221	(2)
Letter to John A. Dix, January 14, 1863	223	(1)
Letter to Andrew Johnson, March 26, 1863	223	(1)
Letter to David Hunter, April 1, 1863	224	(1)
Letter to Edwin M. Stanton, July 21, 1863	225	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, August 9, 1863	225	(1)
Order of Retaliation, July 30, 1863	226	(1)
Draft of a Communication to Stephen A. Hurlbut, circa August 15, 1863	227	(1)
Letter to John M. Schofield, June 22, 1863	228	(1)
Letter to Stephen A. Hurlbut, July 31, 1863	229	(2)
Letter to Salmon P. Chase, September 2, 1863	231	(1)
The Decisive Summer of 1863	231	(13)
Letter to Joseph Hooker, January 26, 1863	232	(1)
Memorandum on Joseph Hooker's Plan of Campaign against Richmond, circa April 6--10, 1863	233	(1)
Letter to Joseph Hooker, May 7, 1863	234	(1)
Letter to Joseph Hooker, June 5, 1863	235	(1)
Announcement of News from Gettysburg, July 4, 1863	236	(1)
Letter to Henry W. Halleck, July 6, 1863	236	(1)
Response to a Serenade, July 7, 1863	237	(3)
Letter to Henry W. Halleck, July 7, 1863	240	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, July 13, 1863	240	(1)
Letter to George G. Meade, July 14, 1863	241	(1)
Letter to Oliver O. Howard, July 21, 1863	242	(1)
Letter to Henry W. Halleck, September 19, 1863	243	(1)
Politics of War and Freedom	244	(20)
Letter to the Workingmen of Manchester, England, January 19, 1863	245	(2)
Letter to Erastus Corning and Others, June 12, 1863	247	(6)
Letter to Montgomery Blair, July 24, 1863	253	(1)
Letter to Horatio Seymour, August 7, 1863	254	(1)
Letter to James C. Conkling, August 26, 1863	255	(4)
Opinion on the Draft, September 14?, 1863	259	(4)
The Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863	263	(1)
Defending a New Birth of Freedom	264	(43)
War without End	264	(1)
Speech to Ulysses S. Grant, March 9, 1864	265	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, April 30, 1864	266	(2)
Planning Reconstruction	268	(13)
Letter to Nathaniel P. Banks, August 5, 1863	269	(1)
Letter to Andrew Johnson, September 11, 1863	270	(1)
Letter to Nathaniel P. Banks, November 5, 1863	271	(1)
Annual Message to Congress, December 8, 1863	272	(4)
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, December 8, 1863	276	(2)
Letter to Alpheus Lewis, January 23, 1864	278	(1)
Letter to Michael Hahn, March 13, 1864	279	(1)
Proclamation Concerning Reconstruction, July 8, 1864	280	(1)
The Political Campaign for Union, Freedom, and War	281	(16)
Remarks at Closing of Sanitary Fair, Washington, D.C., March 18, 1864	282	(1)
Reply to New York Workingmen's Democratic Republican Association, March 21, 1864	282	(2)
Letter to Edwin M. Stanton, July 27, 1864	284	(1)
Letter to Albert G. Hodges, April 4, 1864	285	(2)
Letter to Mrs. Horace Mann, April 5, 1864	287	(1)
Speech at Great Central Sanitary Fair, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1864	288	(2)
Letter to Horace Greeley, July 9, 1864	290	(1)
To Whom It May Concern, July 18, 1864	291	(1)
Letter to Charles D. Robinson, August 17, 1864	292	(2)
Interview with Alexander W. Randall and Joseph T. Mills, August 19, 1864	294	(1)
Speech to 166th Ohio Regiment, August 22, 1864	295	(1)
Memorandum Concerning Lincoln's Probable Failure of Re-election, August 23, 1864	296	(1)
Glorious Victories	297	(4)
Order of Thanks to David G. Farragut and Others, September 3, 1864	297	(1)
Order of Thanks to William T. Sherman and Others, September 3, 1864	298	(1)
Proclamation of Thanksgiving and Prayer, September 3, 1864	298	(1)
Letter to Eliza P. Gurney, September 4, 1864	299	(1)
Letter to Philip H. Sheridan, October 22, 1864	300	(1)
Speech to 189th New York Volunteers, October 24, 1864	301	(1)
A Vote for Union, Freedom, and War?	301	(6)
Letter to Isaac M. Schermerhorn, September 12, 1864	302	(2)
Letter to William T. Sherman, September 19, 1864	304	(1)
Response to a Serenade, November 10, 1864	305	(1)
Letter to Lydia Bixby, November 21, 1864	306	(1)
``To Finish the Work We Are In''	307	(40)
The War Continues	307	(7)
Annual Message to Congress, December 6, 1864	307	(4)
Letter to George H. Thomas, December 16, 1864	311	(1)
Letter to William T. Sherman, December 26, 1864	311	(1)
Letter to Edwin M. Stanton, January 5, 1865	312	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, January 19, 1865	313	(1)
Toward Peace and Freedom	314	(6)
Letter to William H. Seward, January 31, 1865	314	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, February 1, 1865	315	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, March 3, 1865	316	(1)
Resolution Submitting the Thirteenth Amendment to the States, February 1, 1865	317	(1)
Response to a Serenade, February 1, 1865	317	(2)
Message to the Senate and House of Representatives, February 5, 1865	319	(1)
``That This Mighty Scourge of War May Speedily Pass Away''	320	(14)
Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865	320	(2)
Letter to Thurlow Weed, March 15, 1865	322	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, March 9, 1865	323	(1)
Speech to 140th Indiana Regiment, March 17, 1865	324	(2)
Letter to John A. Campbell, April 5, 1865	326	(1)
Letter to Ulysses S. Grant, April 7, 1865	327	(2)
Response to a Serenade, April 10, 1865	329	(1)
Last Public Address, April 11, 1865	329	(5)
APPENDIXES
An Abraham Lincoln Chronology (1809-1865)	334	(6)
Questions for Consideration	340	(2)
Selected Bibliography	342	(5)
Index	347