What does Greeley Letter show us about Abraham Lincoln’s Intention to Abolish Slavery During the American Civil War?

Abstract

During the American Civil War, Horace Greeley, the celebrated founder of the biggest newspaper company New York Turbine, wrote a public letter to Abraham Lincoln to criticize his intentions in the American Civil War. Lincoln replied to Horace Greeley also through a public letter1 as well. Analyzing the two letters, we may notice that Lincoln did everything for his own political reputation and interests, not because these things were justified and morally correct. These two sources are crucial to interpret Lincoln’s intention in the American Civil War because these two letters are public letters seen by the entire nation, and it reflects what Lincoln wanted to present to the public about himself. We will look at the background information and analyze the two letters to illustrate this claim.