The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-23
TAFT EUlOeIzts
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Comment Called Forth by An
niversary of Emancipation
Proclamation.
DEPARTS FROM BEVERLY
Next Few Days Will Be
Busy Ones for the
President.

Beverly, Mass, September a.
President Taft left Beverly tonight
by motor for Boston on a three-daG
trip to Washington, New York ana
Altoona, Pa. In Washington to-mor-
row the President will address the
opening meeting Of the Internationai
Congress on hygiene and demograpny'
receive delegates to the National Con-
ference of Charities and attend
night meeting under the auspices OF
the National Emancipation Society.
In New York Tuesday he excerpts to
see Chairman Hilles, Of the Repub-
lican National Committee; George X
sheldon, its treasurer. and probably
state leaders. In Altoona Wednss-
day he will be the guest Of the Loyal
War Governors Conference. Leaving
there Wednesday night, he Will reach
Beverly again Thursday morning.
A letter written by the President
to John w. Thompson, president OF
the Western New York League OF Re-
publican Clubs. giving his comenss
on emancipation day and the courage
of President Lincoln was made pub
lie tonight. 1t read as foiiows'
Il am very sorry not to be able 20
celebrate with you the anniversary
of the emancipation proclamation u
sued by President Lincoln on sep
TENDER %, 1862. fifty years ago.
expect to attend another celebration
Of the event in Washington on the
a3d of this month. The issuance OF
the emancipation proclamation was
the initial and the most important
step in the freeing Of ave millions
OF slaves who with their descendants
have now grown into ten millions ana
constitute more than 10 per cent OF
our total population. 1t 10. OF
course, an event In which every lover
of his country takes an intense m
terest- Until the emancipation OF the
negroes the assertion that ours was
the country OF liberty was untrue
The Constitution and the Declaration
of Independence were utterly At va
rance with each other In the recosns-
ton that tho former gave to properly
in human kind The excis1on OF tno
cancer represented In the SOCIAL IN
stitution Of slavery enabled all Amer
icans to look the world In the face
and saw that our pretensions to abb
.olute freedom were founded on fact
ana did not need the saving Of ex-
ceptions in order to make them truth
full.
MFR. Lincoln suffered greatly Dy
the criticism and abuse Of those who
thought he did not act quickly enough
in issuing the emancipation proacima-
ton and later from the attack OF
those who thought the act was
great mistake. Now. as We look oacA
upon II we realize that his selection
| of the time was most fortunate. He
| delayed action until he could take y
al a war measure under the Consri-
tuition and could defend what he did
as within his lawful power as COM
mander-in-chief Of the army ana navy
in the prosecution Of the war. :.
"The emanci-ation did not free an
the slaves. II could not free those
who were In territory not within the
area of war. but when he had issued
this proclamation the completion OF
the step needed to secure the abolition
OF slavery through a constitutions.
amendment was only = matter OF
time. It Is right. then, that Lincoln
should be held up In history as the
man chiefly responsible for the free
do moi the negro.
II sincerely hope that your ceie-
bratiou will be as successful a. tne
Greatness of the subject matter Oh
vour gathering merits"