Today, 160 years ago on August 22, 1862 President Abraham Lincoln wrote his famous letter to Horace Greeley, which included his iconic words; my paramount object is to save the Union.
To see the original draft letter in Lincoln’s hand, with his underlined words for emphasis and the crossed-out sentence still visible, all of these revisions on the 3 page draft were omitted from the final text published publicly the next day in the newspaper.
The original letter, written Friday, August 22, 1862 by Abraham Lincoln addressed to New York Tribune editor, Horace Greeley — but delivered and published by rival National Intelligencer editor, James Clarke Welling.
To see this letter – we are witnesses of the first draft — of history. Only viewed by few, yet I believe it is and always will be an American masterpiece. The editor, who is ultimately responsible for allowing us to view the Greeley Letter was my great- grandfather, James Clarke Welling.
These are the last paragraphs from his 1880 article; Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: its Origin, Motive, and Legal Effects
Touched the Spring that Moved the Dial of History
The Emancipation Proclamation did not draw its breath in the serene atmosphere of law. It was born in the smoke of battle, and its swaddling bands were rolled in blood. President Lincoln worked to save, they to destroy the Union.
These were fateful times, larger than any of the men who lived in them and the events then moving over the dial of history were grander than the statesmen or soldiers who touched the springs that made them move. JAMES CLARKE WELLING
LOST + FOUND HISTORY 