MR. LINCOLN AND THE QUAKERS. [To TILE Berm OF THE
" SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I trust you will find your way to print this letter by Abraham Lincoln It certainly applies as truly to the conditions of this Great War as to our own War for Liberation.—I am, Sir, &a., L. S. W. PERED/3.
Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.A., February 15th.
" BummoTorr, N. J., Feb. 12—William H. Torr, a photographer of this place, has just found among his files a photographic copy of a letter which President Lincoln wrote to Miss Eliza P. Gurney of Burlington. Miss Gurney was a Quaker and headed a peace move- ment in the civil war. Hero is the letter :-
'Executive Mansion,
ELIZA P. GURNEY Washington, Sept. 4, 1864.
MY ESTEEMED FRIEND—I have not forgotten—probably never shall forget—the very impressive occasion when yourself and friend visited me on a Sabbath forenoon two years ago. Nor has your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been forgotten. In all, it has been your purpose to strengthen by reliance in God. I am much indebted to the good Christian people of tho country for their constant prayers and consolations, and to none of them more than to yourself. The purposes of the Almighty are perfect and must prevail, though wo erring mortals may fail to accurately perceive them in advance. We hoped for a happy termination of this terrible war long before this ; but Cod knows best and has ruled otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge His wisdom and our own error therein. Meanwhile we must work earnestly in the boat light He gives us, trusting that so working still conduces to the great end He ordains. Surely Ho intends some great good to follow this mighty convulsion, which no mortal could make and no mortal could stay. Your people, the Friends, have had and aro having a very great trial. On principle and faith opposed to both war and oppression, they can only practically oppose oppression by war. In thia hard dilemma some have chosen one horn and some the other. For those appealing to me on conscientious grounds, I have done and shall do the best I could and can, in my own conscience, under my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not ; and believing it, I shall still receive, for our country and myself, your earnest prayers to our Father in heaven.—Your sincere friend, A. LINCOLN.'
' Eliza Gurney cherished the letter as one of her greatest treasures,' Mr. Torr said to-day. I remember that when she brought it to my studio to be copied, she sat right beside it while I arranged the camera, as if afraid it might suddenly disappear.' "—Sunday Herald, Boston, Masa., February 13th.
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