Question/Problem 5: What did Abraham Lincoln do to preserve the Union?

Hon. Horace Greely:			Executive Mansion
Dear Sir				Washington, August 22, 1862.

	I have just read yours of the 19th addressed to myself through the
New-York Tribune.  If there be in it any statements, or assumptions of
fact, which I may know to be erroneous, I do not, now and here, controvert
them.  If there be in it any inferences which I may believe to be falsely
drawn, I do not now and here, argue against them.  If there be perceptible
in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I waive it in deference to an old
friend, whose heart I have always supposed to be right. 

	As to the policy I 'seem to be pursuing' as You say, I have not
meant to leave any one in doubt. 

	I would save the Union.  I would save it the shortest way under
the Constitution.  The sooner the national authority can be restored; the
nearer the Union will be the 'Union as it was.' 1 If there be those who
would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery,
I do not agree with them.  If there be those who would not save the Union
unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with
them.  My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is
not either to save or to destroy slavery.  If I could save the Union
without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing
all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and
leaving others alone I would also do that.  What I do about slavery, and
the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and
what I forebear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save
the Union.  I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts
the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will
help the cause.  I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors;
and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. 

	I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official
duty, and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that
all men every where could be free.  Yours,

		A. Lincoln

From Foundations of Freedom: Citizenship Education (Albany, NY: Law, Youth and Citizenship Program, New York State Bar Association, 1989).

1 At this point Lincoln crossed out the following sentence: "Broken eggs can never be mended, and the longer the breaking proceeds the more will be broken."