Hundred Fifty-five Years and Still Crucial

Lincoln’s Courage in Choosing the Union

Principle and Priority over Tribe or Partisan

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States (March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865); member of the US House of Representatives (Illinois’s 7th district March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849); member of the Illinois House of Representatives (December 1, 1834 – December 4, 1842); lifetime February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865.

Horace Greeley

newspaper editor and publisher, founder of New York Tribune; briefly a member of the US House of Representatives (New York’s 6th district December 4, 1848 – March 3, 1849); lifetime February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872

American Civil War 1861-1865

Shortly after Lincoln’s inauguration, the American Civil War began with an attack on South Carolina’s Fort Sumter. Union loyalists proclaimed support for the Constitution of the United States. Confederate States secessionists proclaimed support for States’ Rights.

P

owerful Exchange amidst America’s Civil War

“The Prayer of Twenty Millions” was an editorial penned by the influential New York Tribune founder and editor, Horace Greeley, making demands of Lincoln and suggesting that Lincoln’s administration lacked direction and resolve.

Lincoln’s replied

An excerpt, paragraphing breaks for emphasis

“I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free.…

“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery.

“If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that.

“What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union.

“I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.

“I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views [as] fast as they shall appear to be true views.” [Emphasis added]

Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Greeley

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln online Speeches and Writings Letter to Horace Greeley

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/greeley.htm

Executive Mansion

Washington, August 22, 1862.

Hon. Horace Greeley:

Dear Sir.

I have just read yours of the 19th. addressed to myself through the New-York Tribune. If there be in it any statements, or assumptions of fact, which I may know to be erroneous, I do not, now and here, controvert them. If there be in it any inferences which I may believe to be falsely drawn, I do not now and here, argue against them. If there be perceptable in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always supposed to be right.

As to the policy I ‘seem to be pursuing’ as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.

I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.

I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free.

Yours,

A. Lincoln.

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