Rare Lincoln Letter Found in Allentown

AP ^ | July 19, 2006 | AP

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - July 19, 2006 - A University of Illinois researcher had discovered a fourth copy of a rare letter Abraham Lincoln had written by to the nation's governors in 1861.

The letter John Lupton found Tuesday in the Lehigh County Historical Society's holdings was one Lincoln wrote as part of an unsuccessful ratification process for a constitutional amendment Congress adopted during the term of his predecessor, President James Buchanan, that would have made slavery the law of the land.

The president remembered for abolishing slavery had been willing to push the amendment as "kind of a carrot to the Southern states" if that would preserve the union, said Lupton, associate director of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln Project of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

"But even by that point, it was too late. By that time, the Southern states felt Lincoln's election was an affront," Lupton said. In fact, the letter discovered in Allentown was addressed to "His Excellency the Governor of the State of Florida," which had seceded from the union two months earlier.

Until Tuesday, only three of the letters were known to have survived. "It's a very cool document," Lupton said.

Joseph Garrera, the historical society director, said he will consult with the society's board to determine the best way to display the document and try to figure out exactly who donated the letter.

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This 1861 letter from President Abraham Lincoln contains a request of support from the governor of Florida for a constitutional amendment on slavery.

John A. Lupton, associate director/editor of "The Papers of Abraham Lincoln", a project of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, looks over an 1861 letter from President Lincoln in the archives of the Lehigh County Historical Society Tuesday.

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'Ol Dixie ping

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This would have been addressed to Gov. Perry.
Gov. Milton took office in office on October 7, 1861.

Lincoln's letter is dated March 16, 1861.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Thanks for the Ping

[Leatherneck_MT]

another thing you might like to see.

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Interesting Lincoln refused to meet with Gov. Pickens (SC) delegation, but wrote a letter to Gov. Perry (FL).

Was Lincoln trying to negotiate or appear to make concessions?

Any statesman of the day would consider Florida a minor player to negotiate with, due to its smaller population.

[usmcobra]

The existance of these letters is well known as is their content, it only proves one thing, the deceit of the southern democrats. When they were offered all that they wanted, they still choose to rebel against the country.

[Leatherneck_MT]

"Any statesman of the day would consider Florida a minor player to negotiate with, due to its smaller population."

Unless you consider the fact that that would give the Army a 2 pronged approach into the Confederacy if and when his negotiations succeeded.

The South was already stretched thin to defend what they had across one border. Open another and you've got the makings of a quick disaster.

Especially being outnumbered what? 3 to 1?

[usmcobra]

The fact these lettters were sent to ALL the nation's governors ruins any baseless theory or opinions you hold.

[derllak]

Very interesting!

[stainlessbanner]

Good point, but were Union military planners on the ball that much in March 1861. I'm not that familiar with Cameron, but I know McDowell wasn't forward thinking, as he showed at 1st Manassas.

[groanup]

When they were offered all that they wanted, they still choose to rebel against the country.

Could it be that once a party breaks the terms of a contract, as Washington did, it behooves the other party to remove himself from the transaction. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

[groanup]

What was the exact date in 1861?

[groanup]

Ah, just saw it.

[usmcobra]

If the south was a company perhaps but not without legal recourse or attempting to reach some sort of solution in the court system.

Here Lincoln made an offer, the South's reaction, pull out, shoot first and hope that no one shoots back.

The Southern Democrats refused to act as adults.

[stand watie]

what it actually illustrates, SCALAWAG, is that your "sainted lincoln", the TYRANT & WAR CRIMINAL, was a LIAR.

free dixie,sw

[groanup]

Here Lincoln made an offer, the South's reaction, pull out, shoot first and hope that no one shoots back.

First of all, according to the dates, the South had already pulled out. Secondly, the South shot first justifiably. Thirdly, why would the South hope that no one shoots back? Of course they shoot back. Or don't they in your world? PC world?

[usmcobra]

The South wanted a war, and these letters prove that Lincoln would have done anything even legalize slavery to prevent war.

somebody mumble something about Lincoln that they can't prove?

[azhenfud]

"The letter John Lupton found Tuesday in the Lehigh County Historical Society's holdings was one Lincoln wrote as part of an unsuccessful ratification process for a constitutional amendment Congress adopted during the term of his predecessor, President James Buchanan, that would have made slavery the law of the land.

The president remembered for abolishing slavery had been willing to push the amendment as "kind of a carrot to the Southern states" if that would preserve the union, said Lupton, associate director of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln Project of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency."

Debunks the claim slavery was the root cause of the war.

[Non-Sequitur]

Debunks the claim slavery was the root cause of the war.

Lincon's own words time and again have debunked that claim, so far as the Union was concerned. For the South, what was there in the Corwin amndment to attract them? The amendment only protected where it existed, it did nothing to protect slavery being introduced into the territories. By the time it was introduced the southern states had already seceded and adopted a constitution that not only protected slavery where it existed but ensured that any future territories acquired would be slave and also protected slave imports to boot. So why in earth would they rejoin the Union and accept half a loaf?