Download Lincoln in His Own Words

Lincoln – In His Own Words
Letter to Horace Greeley
Written during the heart of the Civil War, this is one of Abraham Lincoln's most famous letters. Greeley, editor of the
influential New York Tribune, had just addressed an editorial to Lincoln called "The Prayer of Twenty Millions," making
demands and implying that Lincoln's administration lacked direction and resolve.
President Lincoln made his reply when a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation already lay in his desk drawer. His
response revealed his concentration on preserving the Union. The letter, which received acclaim in the North, stands
as a classic statement of Lincoln's constitutional responsibilities. A few years after the president's death, Greeley wrote
an assessment of Lincoln. He stated that Lincoln did not actually respond to his editorial but used it instead as a
platform to prepare the public for his "altered position" on emancipation.
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 perceptible 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 oftexpressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free.
Yours,
A. Lincoln.
Lincoln – In His Own Words
Letter to Major General Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker, called "Fighting Joe," was the third in a succession of commanding Union generals President Lincoln
appointed in his search for victories during the Civil War. When he gave Hooker command of the Army of the Potomac,
Lincoln handed him this letter, which candidly discusses Hooker's strengths and weaknesses. Although Hooker failed
to deliver the results Lincoln expected he was touched by the letter's tone. He told reporter Noah Brooks "That is just
such a letter as a father might write to his son. It is a beautiful letter, and, although I think he was harder on me than I
deserved, I will say that I love the man who wrote it."
Five months after he wrote this letter and just before the pivotal battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln replaced Hooker with
George Meade. After Lincoln's assassination, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton placed Hooker in charge of some of the
President's funerals, ending with a procession in Lincoln's hometown of Springfield, Illinois.
Executive Mansion
Washington, January 26, 1863
Major General Hooker:
General.
I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I have done this upon what appear to
me to be sufficient reasons. And yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to
which, I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a brave and a skillful soldier, which, of course, I
like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have confidence
in yourself, which is a valuable, if not an indispensable quality. You are ambitious, which, within reasonable
bounds, does good rather than harm. But I think that during Gen. Burnside's command of the Army, you
have taken counsel of your ambition, and thwarted him as much as you could, in which you did a great
wrong to the country, and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. I have heard, in such way as
to believe it, of your recently saying that both the Army and the Government needed a Dictator. Of course it
was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command. Only those generals who gain
successes, can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship.
The government will support you to the utmost of its ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done
and will do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the Army, of
criticizing their Commander, and withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall assist
you as far as I can, to put it down. Neither you, nor Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out
of an army, while such a spirit prevails in it.
And now, beware of rashness. Beware of rashness, but with energy, and sleepless vigilance, go forward, and
give us victories.
Yours very truly,
A. Lincoln