October 27, 1860: Lincoln writes to George T.M. Davis

Abraham Lincoln in 1860

On October 27, 1860, Abraham Lincoln wrote to answer still another request that he make some additional statement guaranteeing that he would not interfere with slaves or slavery within the states:

Private & confidential.
Geo. T. M. Davis, Esq Springfield, Ills.

My dear Sir: Oct. 27. 1860

Mr. Dubois has shown me your letter of the 20th.; and I promised him to write you. What is it I could say which would quiet alarm? Is it that no interference by the government, with slaves or slavery within the states, is intended? I have said this so often already, that a repetition of it is but mockery, bearing an appearance of weakness, and cowardice, which perhaps should be avoided. Why do not uneasy men read what I have already said? and what our platform says? If they will not read, or heed, then [these?], would they read, or heed, a repetition of them? Of course the declaration that there is no intention to interfere with slaves or slavery, in the states, with all that is fairly implied in such declaration, is true; and I should have no objection to make, and repeat the declaration a thousand times, if there were no danger of encouraging bold bad men to believe they are dealing with one who can be scared into anything.

I have some reason to believe the Sub-National committee, at the Astor House, may be considering this question; and if their judgment should be different from mine, mine might be modified by theirs.

Yours very truly A. LINCOLN.

The concern on everyone's mind, North and South, is Slavery. There is no mention of States' Rights or the Tariff or any other possible reason for disunion--only Slavery.