On the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

I have been in correspondence with President Lincoln for a long time now. Although we were not strictly speaking 'friends,' Mr. Lincoln always respected my opinions. We had our differences, especially into his second term as president. I simply did not feel like our country was being led in the right direction. Initially, I did not even support his re-election campaign, but in the end he was still better than the other contenders. Although I may not have been rather ambivalent towards Mr. Lincoln at the time of his death, it is still a great loss, especially now in our time of greatest need as we attempt to piece our country back together.

"Greater men our country has produced; but not another humanly speaking she could so ill spare, when she lost him, as the victim of Wilkes Booth's murderous aim."

""There have been ten thousand attempts at the life of Abraham Lincoln, whereof that of Wilkes Booth was perhaps the most atrocious; yet it stands by no means alone. Orators have harangued, preachers have sermonized, editors have canted and descanted; forty or fifty full-fledged biographies have been inflicted upon a much-enduring public; yet the man, Abraham Lincoln, as I saw and thought I knew him, is not clearly depicted in any of these so far as I have seen. I do not say that most or all of these are not better than my Lincoln — I only say they are not mine."

http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/inside.asp?pageID=54&subjectID=4
http://www.mrlincolnandnewyork.org/inside.asp?ID=36&subjectID=3

The Battle at Appomattox Results in Surrender!

Finally, the war is over! I have been advocating an early end to this war for a long time now, and at last it is over. Now that the Confederacy is defeated, we can abolish the abomination of slavery and then begin to reunite the country. But we must not punish the South now that the war is over. The right thing to do is to offer amnesty and begin to rebuild our country. Although there is still work to be done, this is a moment of great triumph. "We are a nation no longer divided against itself, but one, indivisible, united, free."


Horace Greeley: Champion of American Freedom by Robert C. Williams.

Victory at Vicksburg

Another win for our forces! Our luck has truly turned in this battle. Not only did we push the Confederate forces back, but we forced them to surrender. General Grant's leadership proved to be exactly what this army needs. This victory at Vicksburg combined with our recent victory at Gettysburg surely leads the way to a winning campaign for the Union army. Once we have defeated the Confederates, we can hopefully begin to clear the air of this shameful separation in United States history and begin to piece our country back together and put the humiliating practice of slavery behind us.


A Representative Life of Horace Greeley by L. U. Reavis

The Battle of Gettysburg

Finally, a real victory for our Union army! The victory is due at least in part to mistakes made by the Confederate army. It would seem that their successful tactics for defending do not work when they are the ones attacking. This battle could very well end up being the turning point of the war. As I predicted, the change in leadership proved to drastically change our luck in battle. However, the true victory of this battle came four months later when President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. This speech formally declared what I have been advising Lincoln to do for quite sometime: it promises not just to maintain the Union, but also true equality for all citizens. At last, we can uphold the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence. "I doubt that our national literature contains a finer gem than that little speech at the Gettysburg celebration, November 19, 1863."


http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/gettysburg/ideas_more/reactions_p3.htm#horace_greeley
Horace Greeley: Founder and Editor of the New York Tribune by William Alexander Linn

The Battle of Chancellorsville

The Battle of Chacellorsville was a crushing defeat for our Union forces. "My God! It is horrible--horrible; and to think of it, 130,000 magnificent soldiers
cut to pieces by less than 60,000 half-starved ragamuffins." Our soldiers were so much better equipped and well-rested than the Confederates! This should not have happened. I am thankful that Lincoln is replacing Major General Hooker with Major General Meade. Hooker allowed General Lee's tactics to get the best of his significantly larger and supposedly more prepared army. Hopefully, in the future, mistakes like this will not be made.



http://www.scps.virginia.edu/travelandlearn/CivilWar/war2003.html
The American Conflict by Horace Greeley

The Emancipation Proclamation

Finally, the President has heeded my advice! During my long history of correspondence with President Lincoln, I have always made my views on slavery clear. Only a month ago I published "The Prayer of the Twenty Millions," addressed to the President demanding the emancipation of slaves and a harder stance on the Confederates. The President's reply to my Prayer was printed only three days later, in which he stated that his main goal was to save the Union. "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that," was his now famous reply.
I believe that the battle at Antietam has pushed the President to present the Emancipation Proclamation, but whatever the reason I could not be happier. "Henceforth and forever, we shall be a free people. It is the beginning of the end of the Rebellion, the beginning of the new life of the nation. God bless Abraham Lincoln!"

Horace Greeley: Champion of American Freedom by Robert C. Williams
http://www.civilwarhome.com/lincolngreeley.htm

The Bloodiest Day in American History

The battle at Antietam Creek shows this war to be even more violent than expected. That those who were once fellow countrymen could pit themselves against each other in such a truly brutal manner is a tragedy. I may have been seen as a warmonger before, but my opinion is changing. It is a shame that we had to resort to war. I am not by any means suggesting that we give up and end the war. I am merely re-evaluating my views.

Horace Greeley, the Editor by Francis Nicoll Zabriskie

Battle at Bull Run

The events at Manassas, Virginia on the 21st of July represent the beginning of land battles to come between our Union and the Confederacy. Both sides were untested until now, and their level of preparation for the battle showed in the military blunders made by both sides. Some are even saying I have a responsibility in this matter, due to the editorial published in my paper urging us to rush on towards Richmond. This editorial was not written by me, and I do not advocate its impatience; however, I am willing to take the blame if that is what this Union needs. “If I am needed as a military scapegoat for all the military blunders of the last month, so be it! Individuals must die that the Nation may live. If I can serve her best in that capacity, I do not shrink from the ordeal.”

The Life of Horace Greeley by James Parton

The Fight at Fort Sumter

It would seem that President Lincoln did not achieve his goal of keeping the Union together. The first shots of the war were fired today, April 12, 1861, at Fort Sumter by the Confederates. This open war now provides an opportunity for us to rid the country of slavery. The war against the South must be won! We cannot allow them to spread the immoral institution of slavery. This is not a war that can be settled with compromise; there must be only one victor, and for the sake of our country's future it must be us.

http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/inside.asp?pageID=54&subjectID=4

United States Presidential Election, 1860

Although I was originally in support of Edward Bates of the Whig party, I am certainly glad I turned my support to Abraham Lincoln in time to vote for him. An original supporter of the Whig party, I joined the Republican party because they share my views on slavery. As a strong supporter of free-soil, I do not believe that slavery should be spread any further. I have high hopes that President-elect Lincoln will be able to restrict the atrocity that is slavery, while still preserving the Union as is his goal.

http://www.tulane.edu/~latner/Greeley.html

Thursday, January 8, 2009

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