The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-13
Interesting Document Read
at Missouri Historical
SocietylM eeting.

COLUMBIA, Mo-, Dec. 1s.-New
material ON the life OF Abraham Lin.
coin was brought out Friday In an
address beforetthe State Historical
Society OF Missouri by Walter B.
Stevens OF st. Louis, former Wash.
ington correspondent Of the st. Louis
Globe Democrat, and later secretary
Of the Louisiana Purchase. Exposition.
Mr.. Stevens theme was "Lincoln
and Missouri" and he made public;
possibly. for the first time, a letter
which President Lincoln sent to Cen
eral Steele, whose military district
included the State OF Arkansas. The
letter Is dated January 20, 1864, and,
said Mr.. Stevens in his address. sis
an answer to the historical contro.
yersy as to the course Mr.. Lincoln
would have pursued had he lived out
his second term 8
The original Of the letter Is now in
the collection Of w. D. Bixby Of st.
Louis. b q -,
"In his letter.. said Mr.. Stevens,
"the president authorized the organi.
cation of "a State government by an
election on the condition that 1t be
assumed at said election, and thence
forward, that the constitution ard
laws Of the State, as before the rebel.
lion, are In full force. excepting that
there shall be neither slavery nor in
voluntary servitude, except in the
punishment Of crime whereof the
party shall have been duly convicted;
but the General Assembly may make
such provision for the freed people
as shall recognize and declare their
permanent freedom, provide for their
education, and which may yet be con.
ststent. as a temporary arrangement
with their present condition as a la,
boring, landless and homeless class.
THE language as to freedom
said Mr.. Stevens, sis the same as was
incorporated in the thirteenth amend,
ment to the constitution of the Unit.
ed States nearly two years after this
letter was written by Mr.. Lincoln,
General Steele was ordered to pro.
coed with the election, allowing all
to vote who would take the oath Of
allegiance prescribed in the presi.
dents proclamation Of December s,
1868. Polls were to be opened and the
election on this change in the, consti.
tuition and for governor was to be
conducted In accordance with the laws
of Arkansas. General Steele was In.
structed to have the votes counted
and to recognize the new governor and
to declare the constitution as amend
ed in full effect.
I'm his own words. written by him.
self, the president expressed his pur.
pose to make the way for the Con.
federate States to get back into the
Union simple and expeditions. Moth.
Ing was said about negro suffrage. Mr..
Lincoln pledged himself to accept
any provisions which may be adopted
by such state government in relation
to the freed people of such state
which shall recognize and declare
their permanent freedom, provide for
their education, and which may yet
be consistent as temporary arrange.
ment with their present condition as
q laboring, landless and homeless
class"
The address Of Mr.. Stevens tonight
began the conference between Lin,
coin and Francis P. Blair of st. Louis
at Springfield, ILL.,, in April, 1857, and
closed with the message Lincoln sent
through Blair to General Joseph c.
Shelby and the Missouri Confeder.
ates, a few weeks before the surren.
der Of Lee. In the letter to General
Shelby, said Mr.. Stevens Lincoln of.
fered the aid Of the Federal Govern.
ment to the Confederates west OF the
Mississippi river to march to Mexico
and Join Juarez who was fighting the
French under Macmillan.
1.-THE relationship between Lincoln
and Missouri! was continuous from the
conference with Blair in 1857 to the
message Shelby in 1865" said Mr..
Stevens. 1T was intimate. 1t had
a deciding influence upon national pol.
itics. It had no small part in the for.
tunes Of the Civil War.
I'm the spring Of 1860 came fruition
Of the Lincoln and Missouri relation.
ship. Following at once upon.the de.
feat of Lincoln in 1858 for the sena.
torship, the organization to control
the presidential nomination was
started. Into the movement entered
q personality not publicly conspicu.
Gus at the time but Of great force un-
der cover. ~
Blair and the young men were in
the forefront carrying the banners Of
free soil, free democracy, gradual
emancipation, white labor, COLOMBIA.
ton and the like.
I'm the background was Edward
Bates, counseling and encouraging.
He had seen the Wing party go to
pieces. He was in sympathy with the
work, of new party construction which
Lincoln was doing in Illinois. He was
not openly active in the Lincoln
movement. He was the wise adyis.
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