The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

STATE PAPERS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

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of the soldiers and seamen in their hard spheres of duty, can scarcely
fail to be blessed. And whatever shall tend to turn our thoughts from
the unreasoning and uncharitable passions, prejudices, and jealousies
incident to a great national trouble such as ours, and to fix them on the
vast and long-enduring consequences, for weal or for woe, which are to
result from the struggle, and especially to strengthen our reliance on the
Supreme Being for the final triumph of the right, cannot but be well for
us all.
The birthday of Washington and the Christian Sabbath coinciding this
year, and suggesting together the highest interests of this life and of that
to come, is most propitious for the meeting proposed.
Your obedient servant, A. LINCOLN.
On the 16th of March, 1864, at the close of a fair in
Washington, given at the Patent Office, for the benefit of
the sick and wounded soldiers of the army, President
Lincoln, happening to be present, in response to loud and
continuous calls, made the following remarks:LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-I appear to say but a word. This extraordinary war in which we are engaged falls heavily upon all clases of people, but the most heavily upon the soldier. For it has been said, all that a
man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their
substance, the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his
country's cause. The highest merit, then, is due to the soldier.
In this extraordinary war, extraordinary developments have manifested
themselves, such as have not been seen in former wars; and among these
manifestations nothing has been more remarkable than these fairs for the
relief of suffering soldiers and their families. And the chief agents in
these fairs are the women of America.
I am not accustomed to the use of language of eulogy; I have never
studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say, that
if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the
world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it
would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will
close by saying, God bless the women of America!
Still another occasion of a similar character occurred
at Baltimore on the 18th of April, at the opening of a
fair for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission. The
President accepted an invitation to attend the opening
exercises, and made the following remarks:LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-Calling to mind that we are in Baltimore,
we cannot fail to note that the world moves. Looking upon these many
people assembled here to serve, as they best may, the soldiers of the