Original sentence: Fearing he might lose the election, Lincoln wrote out and signed the following pledge, but did not show it to his cabinet, asking them each to sign the sealed envelope
Edited sentence: Fearing he might lose the election, Lincoln pledged that if defeated for reelection he would use the remainder of his term to destroy the Confederacy ("save the Union").He wrote out the pledge but did not show it to his cabinet, asking them to sign the sealed envelope