Lincoln on Race and Slavery

396 Pages·2009·3.52 MB·english

by  Henry Louis Gates Jr.

LincoLn

on

Race SLaveRy
&
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), taken at Mathew Brady’s Studio, New York City, on
February 28, 1860, a day after the Cooper Institute address.
LincoLn

on

Race SLaveRy
&
Edited and introduced by
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Coedited by Donald Yacovone
Princeton University Press
Princeton and Oxford
Copyright 2009 by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to
Permissions, Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey
08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock,
Oxfordshire OX20 1TW

All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865.
Lincoln on race and slavery / edited and introduced by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. ;
coedited by Donald Yacovone.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-691-14234-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–
1865—Views on slavery. 2. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—Political and social views.
3. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—Relations with African Americans. 4. Slavery—
United States—History—19th century—Sources. 5. Slaves—Emancipation—United
States—Sources. 6. United States—Race relations—History—19th century—Sources.
I. Gates, Henry Louis. II. Yacovone, Donald. III. Title.
E457.2.L744 2009
973.7092—dc22
2008049960
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

This book has been composed in PUP Monticello and Gloucester MT Extracondensed
Printed on acid-free paper.
press.princeton.edu
Designed by Isabella D. Palowitch, Artisa, LLC
Printed in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
For
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
and
in Memory of
George M. Fredrickson

contentS
List of Illustrations xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Abraham Lincoln on Race and Slavery
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. xvii
1 Protest in illinois legislature on slavery
March 3, 1837 1
2 address Before the young Men’s lyceuM of
sPringfield, illinois
January 27, 1838 3
3 al to Mary sPeed
September 27, 1841 9
4 t eMPerance address
February 22, 1842 11
5 al to WilliaMson durley
October 3, 1845 16
6 al to JosePhus heWett
February 13, 1848 20
7 s Peech at Worcester, Massachusetts
September 12, 1848 23
8 reMarks and resolution introduced in united
states house of rePresentatives concerning
aBolition of slavery in the district of coluMBia
January 10, 1849 26
9 eulogy on henry clay
& January 4, 1855, outline for sPeech to the
colonization society
July 6, 1852 31
viii • Contents
10 hon. a. lincoln’s address, Before the sPringfield
scott cluB, in rePly to Judge douglas’ richMond sPeech
August 14 and 26, 1852 43
11 f ragMents on slavery
July 1, 1854 48
12 s Peech at BlooMington, illinois
September 12, 1854 51
13 s Peech at Peoria, illinois
October 16, 1854 56
14 al to ichaBod codding
November 27, 1854 69
15 al to oWen loveJoy
August 11, 1855 71
16 al to george roBertson
August 15, 1855 73
17 al to Joshua f. sPeed
August 24, 1855 77
18 s Peech at kalaMazoo, Michigan
August 27, 1856 84
19 al to neWton deMing and george P. strong
May 25, 1857 90
20 s Peech at sPringfield, illinois
June 26, 1857 92
21 a house divided, sPeech at sPringfield, illinois
June 16, 1858 103
22 al to John l. scriPPs
June 23, 1858 107
23 f ragMent on the struggle against slavery
July, 1858 109
Contents • ix
24 s Peech at chicago, illinois
July 10, 1858 111
25 s Peech at sPringfield, illinois
July 17, 1858 119
26 s Peech at leWistoWn, illinois
August 17, 1858 124
27 first deBate With stePhen a. douglas at
ottaWa, illinois
August 21, 1858 127
28 second deBate With stePhen a. douglas at
freePort, illinois
August 27, 1858 137
29 s Peech at carlinville, illinois
August 31, 1858 143
30 s Peech at clinton, illinois
September 2, 1858 149
31 s Peech at edWardsville, illinois
September 11, 1858 152
32 f ourth deBate With stePhen a. douglas
September 18, 1858 156
33 f ragMent on Pro-slavery theology
October 1, 1858? 160
34 seventh and last deBate With stePhen a. douglas
at alton, illinois, & octoBer 18, 1858, al to
JaMes n. BroWn
October 15, 1858 163
35 al to salMon P. chase
June 9, 1859 174
36 s Peech at coluMBus, ohio
September 16, 1859 177