Letter from Abraham Lincoln to Nathan Sargent, 1859

THF118472 / Letter from Abraham Lincoln to Nathan Sargent, 1859 / page 1
01

Artifact Overview

This 1859 letter to Nathan Sargent, a fellow member of the emerging Republican Party, lays out Abraham Lincoln's rapidly crystallizing views on the question of extending slavery to new states. Lincoln foresees a proposed moderation in the Republican platform--allowing the spread of slavery unhindered--as working against the Party's chances in the North in the upcoming 1860 presidential election.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Letter (Correspondence)

Date Made

23 June 1859

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

53.45.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Ford Family

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Handwriting

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 9.75 in
Width: 7.75 in

02

Related Content

  • Engraving, "The First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation Before the Cabinet" 1866
    Set

    Abraham Lincoln: Preserving the Union

    • 10 Artifacts
    Following the American Civil War, this engraving commemorated a crucial event and became popular for classroom display across the country. On July 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln first read the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet officers. Publicly announced by Lincoln in September 1862 to become law on January 1, 1863, it was the essential first legal step in eliminating slavery.