IVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, February 3, 1864.

GOVERNOR YATES, Springfield, Ill.:

The United States Government lot in Springfield can be used for a
soldiers' home, with the understanding that the Government does not incur
any expense in the case.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR MURPHY.

WASHINGTON, February 6, 1864.

GOVERNOR J. MURPHY:

My order to General Steele about an election was made in ignorance of
the action your convention had taken or would take. A subsequent letter
directs General Steele to aid you on your own plan, and not to thwart or
hinder you. Show this to him.

A. LINCOLN.

THE STORY OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

TOLD BY THE PRESIDENT, TO THE ARTIST F. B. CARPENTER,

FEBRUARY 6, 1864.

"It had got to be," said Mr. Lincoln, "midsummer, 1862. Things had gone on
from bad to worse, until I felt that we had reached the end of our rope on
the plan of operations we had been pursuing; that we had about played our
last card, and must change our tactics, or lose the game. I now determined
upon the adoption of the emancipation policy; and without consultation
with, or the knowledge of, the Cabinet, I prepared the original draft
of the proclamation, and, after much anxious thought, called a Cabinet
meeting upon the subject. This was the last of July or the first part of
the month of August, 1862. [The exact date was July 22, 1862.]... All were
present excepting Mr. Blair, the Postmaster-General, who was absent at the
opening of the discussion, but came in subsequently. I said to the Cabinet
that I had resolved upon this step, and had not called them together to
ask their advice, but to lay the subject-matter of a proclamation before
them, suggestions as to which would be in order after they had heard it
read. Mr. Lovejoy was in error when he informed you that it excited no
comment excepting on the part of Secretary Seward. Various suggestions
were offered. Secretary Chase wished the language stronger in reference to
the arming of the blacks.

"Mr. Blair, after he came in, deprecated the policy on the ground that it
would cost the administration the fall elections. Nothing, however, was
offered that I had not already fully anticipated and settled in my mind,
until Secretary Seward spoke. He said in substance, 'Mr. President, I
approve of the proclamation, but I question the expediency of its issue
at this juncture. The depression of the public mind, consequent upon our
repeated