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Lincoln Letter Sells for $3.4M

Letter contains Lincoln's reply to kids' plea to free slave children

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 4, 2008 10:08 AM CDT

(Newser) – An 1864 letter from Abraham Lincoln to Massachusetts schoolchildren fetched a record $3.4 million at auction yesterday, a record for an American manuscript, CNN reports. In the letter, Lincoln responded to a petition from 195 youngsters asking him to "free all the little slave children of this country" with a heartfelt reply saying it was God's will that they be freed. An anonymous American collector bought the letter.

Lincoln had already freed millions of slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation when the letter was written, but abolition was not complete until the Constitution was amended the following year. Twenty other Lincoln documents were in the collection auctioned at Sotheby's in New York, including pages from George Washington's diary and documents from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

This photo released by Sotheby's Auction House in New York, Thursday, March 6, 2008, shows an 1862 letter penned by President Abraham Lincoln to Major John J, Key. (AP Photo)

This photo released by Sotheby's Auction House in New York, Thursday, March 6, 2008, shows an 1861 letter hand written and signed by former President Abraham Lincoln. (AP Photo)

Letters and memos written by and to Abraham Lincoln are seen at the University of Rochester on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, in Rochester, N.Y. Monday, Feb. 18. (AP Photo/University of Rochester, Richard Baker)

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Lincoln Letter Sells for $3.4M

Letter contains Lincoln's reply to kids' plea to free slave children

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Another Teacher Blasted for Mock Slave Auction

And this time, all the black students told to play slaves

Up for Auction: Rare Copy of Emancipation Proclamation

Signed by Abraham Lincoln, formerly owned by RFK

Robert E. Lee Is No Hero

It's time we honor the ones who were right: Richard Cohen

Stop Denying It: the Civil War Was About Slavery

As anniversary approaches, EJ Dionne says we too often skirt slavery issue

In South, How to Celebrate Secession, Not Slavery?

150th anniversary events include mock swearing-in of Jefferson Davis

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Lincoln Letter Sells for $3.4M

Letter contains Lincoln's reply to kids' plea to free slave children

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Sotheby's • auction • letters • Abraham Lincoln • Civil War • slavery

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Another Teacher Blasted for Mock Slave Auction

And this time, all the black students told to play slaves

Up for Auction: Rare Copy of Emancipation Proclamation

Signed by Abraham Lincoln, formerly owned by RFK

Robert E. Lee Is No Hero

It's time we honor the ones who were right: Richard Cohen

Stop Denying It: the Civil War Was About Slavery

As anniversary approaches, EJ Dionne says we too often skirt slavery issue

In South, How to Celebrate Secession, Not Slavery?

150th anniversary events include mock swearing-in of Jefferson Davis

About Us

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Newser By Users

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What is Newser?