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HAMLIN MIGHT DO IT.
Several United States Senators urged President Lincoln to muster
Southern slaves into the Union Army. Lincoln replied:
"Gentlemen, I have put thousands of muskets into the hands of loyal
citizens of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Western North Carolina. They have
said they could defend themselves, if they had guns. I have given them
the guns. Now, these men do not believe in mustering-in the negro. If I
do it, these thousands of muskets will be turned against us. We should
lose more than we should gain."
Being still further urged, President Lincoln gave them this answer:
"Gentlemen," he said, "I can't do it. I can't see it as you do. You may
be right, and I may be wrong; but I'll tell you what I can do; I can
resign in favor of Mr. Hamlin. Perhaps Mr. Hamlin could do it."
The matter ended there, for the time being.
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Stories and Anecdotes About the Life of Abraham Lincoln
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