158

120. David Davis to William H. Herndon.

Washington D.C. Jany. 14. 1866.

My Dear Friend.

It pains me to refuse you any reasonable request but I have been written to over and over again to furnish my views about Mr Lincoln, & have uniformly declined to give them — I could not give them to you & be consistent. I have no objections in person to talk the whole matter over with you, & hope to do so when I see you. — I have always understood that Mr. Lincoln's Emancipation proclamation, was his own conception; that he announced to his Cabinet, that he intended to issue it, and that he would hear suggestions, about verbal criticism &c — It is mean to try to deprive him of the glory of that —

Your friend
D Davis

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2429; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:318