Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

80. Lincoln's to Congressional committee formally accepting second term as president

Title

80. Lincoln's to Congressional committee formally accepting second term as president

Description

Abraham Lincoln's message to a Notification Committee of the U.S. House and Senate accepting a second presidential term. Members of the joint committee delivering word of Lincon's re-election were Senator Lyman Trumbull (Illinois), Representative James Falconer Wilson (Iowa) and Representative John L. Dawson (Pennsylvania). After a copy was prepared for delivery to Congress, the original manuscript version of the acceptance speech was retained by Representative Wilson who provided the annotation below Lincoln's words. March 1, 1865. Autograph Document.

Date

1865-03-01

Contributor

Becki Plunkett and Stephen Vincent

Rights

Copyright State Historical Society of Iowa. Information at http://www.iowahistory.org/libraries/services-and-fees/conditions-for-image-reproductions.html

Digital Reproduction Information

Original scanned at 600 dpi w/ sRGB color space.

Repository

State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines

Repository Collection

Special Collections: Abraham Lincoln Collection

Digital item created

9/28/2008

Transcription

Having served four years in the depth of a great, and yet unended national peril, I can view this call to a second term, in no wise more flatteringly to myself, than as an expression of the public judgment, that I may better finish a difficult work, in which I have labored from the first, than could any one less severely schooled to the task. In that view, and assured reliance on that Almighty Ruler who has so graciously sustained us thus far; and with increased gratitude to the generous people for their continued confidence, I accept the renewed trust, with its yet onerous and perplexing duties and responsibilities. Please communicate this to the two House of Congress. [At bottom of page:] The above is the original manuscript of Abraham Lincoln's acceptance of his second presidential term in his own hand writing delivered to the joint committee of Congress appointed to inform him officially of his election. The committee consisted of Senator Lyman Trumbull of Ill.[,] Reprsentative J[ames] F. Wilson of Iowa and Rep. John L. Dawson of Penn[sylvani]a