The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-06
LINCOLN AND SLAVERY.
A Correspondent on ROoscNclt's Rcfcrcnc,
10 the Martyr President.

To THE Enron or THg SuN Sir. AsTua
Sun shines for all. want To intervene In Ia.
case OF Roosevelt against Lincoln, Tho ssus
seems TO be whether Lincoln fought IA
abolish slavery" as Mr. Roosevelt says ho
did. in one OF the speeches he made Ia Nc,
York on Iincoln's Birthday
Your correspondent, John f. Baxter. 4,
correct in quoting Incoln's letter to Horace
Greeley. in which Mr.. Lincoln said NV
paramount object Is to save the Union. and
not either TO save or destroy slavery II
could save the Union without freeing any
slave would do II. and II could save II by
freeing all the slaves / would do it.
Now, az 10 the date, the time when Lincoln
first decided TO issue the Proclamation. AMI
when he FIRST began to think OF il.
Pope was defeated In the second battle ~ iluu
Run.Aug 2s. 20 and 30 1862 Mcclellan was mads
Commander of the Potomac army and. In thu
battles OF South Mountain and Antictam.
defeated Lee. The Confedcrates were vhfpcd
and recrosscA the Potomac. broken and dis.
spirited. Tho battle Of South Mountain wa,
fought on Sept H. 1902 the battle of Ante-
tam on Sept. Il, 1892
When did Lincoln decide TO issue the proc.
lamation freeing slaves IL wa. IN nid.uw.
mer. 1862. when, things having gone from hai
to worse and cCclHn having fallen baok from
Richmond. Lincoln felt he must "chaueo hs
tactics or lose his game" SO. without consult.
ing his Cabinet or giving trefn .tiIut Of So Pat
he was doing. he prepared the r' .I driu
OF the Proclamation of Fmannis-. Ius
was before the date OF his lct'.r 90 .l,r,c,
Greeley. in which he give uo -ur..' t..u ~
his intention Some time Gurn.tt. u
July or the first part OF AuN'.' ttl- uird
n Cabinet meeting. None OF 'un .aucrs
OF his Cabinet knew why they were called
After some delay he told them whv h. Ind
called them. that he had written a procana-
ton OF emancipation and lad determined
TO issue It. lie said he had not called thrm
20 ask their advice on the general question
because he had determined that for himself
lie wished 20 inform them OF h- pur.o..
and TO receive suggestions on minor points
such as they, might make Seward s4L-
won victory in the field not thcn, when the
North was 80 depressed over the defeat az
Pope's army and the invasion OF lennsy lyan9
the last resort OF an exhausted Government
cry for help our last shrek on the retreat
Lincoln admitted the force OF the suggestion.
The matter was suspended for time
A. last came the victory OF Mcclellan over
Ice at Antietain That battle was fought
of that week Mr. Lincoln called n Cahiupt
meeting and told them i was time 20 issue
the Ema1 bHI oCcrr pTgoc Ia nay Ro &
pressive scene OF Iincoln's whole lfe Mr.
Lincoln said in low and impressive tone.
rectly. Mr. Presidcnt?- Mr. Lincoln replied.
i made a solemn VOW before God that II
Gen Lee should be driven back from Penn.
sylyania | would crown the result bv tho
declaration OF freedom 10 the slaves" on
Monday the 22d day OF September 1892 the
Proclamation was issued.
Even then he left the South an opportunity
to escape IL declared FREQ ONLY the slaves
OF those StateS and sections OF States which
should be in rebellion on tho LIST oi January
1868. thus leaving u every rebel state chance
10 save slavery By becoming loyal his
was the FIRST proclamation. the final one s1tt
issued Jan. /. 1868 lid Lincoln Ncht -
like 20 hear men talk OF history. but | Ike
to have the facts stated correctly You Will
find all this in hollands LIE Of Lincoln
GIlENs FA1Ls. n \ =. March .. s.M. MEsr.
The battle OF Antictau. described ~
Mr.. West as victory Of Mcclellan over
Lee" was rather an inconcusive engage
ment, except so far as, for the time being,
it checked Lees invasion Of Maryland. 1t
was not till July of the next year, after
the disasters for the Union forces at Fred
ericksburg and Charlottesville. that Lee
by Meade at Gettysburg WIS
TO withdraw from Pennsylvania.
The period between the battles Of Antetam
and Gettysburg was one Of the gloomiest
of tho war as concerns the Union cause.