American Historical Ephemera & Photography

The Address of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln, In Vindication of the Policy of the Framers of the Constitution and the Principles of the Republican Party.... New York: George F. Nesbitt & Co., 1860.

The Address of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln, In Vindication of the Policy of the Framers of the Constitution and the Principles of the Republican Party, Delivered at Cooper Institute, February 27th, 1860, Issued by the Young Men's Republican Union. New York: George F. Nesbitt & Co. Printers and Stationers, 1860.

8vo, 32pp, sewn in white wrappers printed in gilt (wear and spotting to cover, front wrapper approx. 1/2 detached, some ink transfer and spotting on title page, elsewhere mostly clean). Modern bookplate on verso of front cover "From the Book Shelf of Russell H. Neilson." Includes list of the officers of the Young Men's Republican Union and preface by Charles C Nott and Ciphas Brainerd dated "New-York, September, 1860."

Issued after Lincoln received the Presidential nomination, Lincoln's Cooper Institute speech was one of his most famous anti-slavery speeches. Harold Holzer, author of the book Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech that Made Abraham Lincoln President, argues that this speech was "the most pivotal public appearance in his career." It was, in may ways, the speech that introduced a western politician to the east, and is perhaps best known for his line: "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." RARE. 

[With:] HAMLIN, Hannibal (1809-1891). Ink clipped signature affixed to pages 1 and 2 of Hamlin's March 1858 speech to Congress regarding the Kansas debate on its Constitution.