Annotation
[1] Thirty-seventh Congress, Third Session, Senate Executive Document No. 49. Although Lincoln's letter as printed in Executive Document No. 49 is dated January 19, Seward's letter to Charles F. Adams transmitting it is dated January 16, in the same source. On January 2, Minister Charles F. Adams transmitted to Seward a letter from Mayor Abel Haywood of Manchester, January 1, forwarding ``an address to the President . . . agreed upon at a public meeting of the working men and others of this city . . . last night'' which reads in part as follows:
``As citizens of Manchester . . . we beg to express our fraternal sentiments. . . .
``We rejoice in your greatness. . . . We honor your free States, as a singular, happy abode for the working millions. . . . One thing alone has, in the past, lessened our sympathy with your country and our confidence in it; we mean the ascendency of politicians who not merely maintained negro slavery, but desired to extend and root it more firmly. Since we have discerned, however, that the victory of the free north, in the war which has so sorely distressed us as well as afflicted you, will strike off the fetters of the slave, you have attracted our warm and earnest sympathy.
``We joyfully honor you, as the President, and the Congress with you, for the many decisive steps towards practically exemplifying your belief in the words of your great founders, `All men are created free and equal.' . . .
``Accept our high admiration of your firmness in upholding the proclamation of freedom.'' (Ibid.).