Abraham Lincoln is a near legendary figure in American history, and the dimensions of his legend assure many shapes based on the historical reality of his achievements. He was the quintessential self-made man who rose from humble origins to become the chief executive of his nation. He was a political idealist whose dedication to ensuring liberty and equality for all resulted in his assassination. And, as the documents collected in this volume attest, he was, although largely self-educated, the author of some of the most eloquent and insightful addresses, speeches, and correspondence in American letters of the nineteenth century.