Resolving to Save Our Founding Principles

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Watershed Moments in History
The Blind Memorandum: Lincoln Shows His Commitment to Founding Ideals Over Political Power
Mere months before the election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln ([link removed]) believed that he was likely to lose the election to George McClellan, a man he fired as general-in-chief in 1862 for possessing what Lincoln called "the slows ([link removed]) ." In other words, McClellan froze up in battle and lacked an aggressive approach to defeating the South.

Lincoln anticipated that once elected, McClellan would abandon the Emancipation Proclamation, allow the South to secede, and leave slavery intact, thereby making the heavy sacrifice and bloodshed of the civil war purposeless.

And on a philosophical level, Lincoln knew that McClellan's election victory would be disastrous to the founding ideals of “the last best hope of earth ([link removed]) .”

On August 23rd, 1864, Lincoln crafted a “blind memorandum ([link removed]) .” Lincoln sealed it in an envelope and asked his cabinet to sign it without revealing the contents. All of them did so without question, indicating to whomever opened it that his cabinet gave Lincoln their unwavering support in continuing the war.
Here is the memorandum in full:
“This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the President elect, as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such ground that he cannot possibly save it afterwards.”

Lincoln was under intense pressure from Republicans, Democrats, and even his friends to make peace, “return to slavery ([link removed].) ” the Black men who fought for the Union army, and negotiate with the South.
To rally voters behind him, Lincoln could have used this memorandum to rescind the Emancipation Proclamation, end the devastating war, and promise to no longer interfere with Southern slavery.

Lincoln, however, refused to entertain such schemes, saying that he would “be damned in time and eternity for doing so ([link removed].) .”

Instead, Lincoln pledged to uphold the election results and vowed to save the Union, which entailed his very ambitious objectives to destroy the entire institution of slavery and free the enslaved.
Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan at Antietam, Maryland, October 3rd, 1862.
To Lincoln's surprise, he won the election of 1864 (ironically, in no small part due to votes from soldiers).

After Lincoln’s re-election he opened the envelope and read the memorandum to his cabinet. Secretary of State William Seward scoffed at Lincoln's suggestion of working with McClellan. Lincoln replied, “At least I should have done my duty and have stood clear before my own conscience ([link removed]) .”

Lincoln's dedication to our country in a time of deep division and sacrifice continues to inspire us today. The "Blind Memorandum" demonstrated his devotion to preserving the Union and resolute commitment to ending slavery, the first major step toward realizing the vision in the Declaration of Independence: equality among all Americans and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Our Defining Moment Today
The “Blind Memorandum” was a defining moment in our country’s history.

Revitalizing civics education in America is our generation’s defining moment. Our founders and our principles are under assault, our teachers need support, and our students deserve a hopeful future. We must rise to the challenge.

Our mission at the JMC is to support students and teachers by providing resources to help them revitalize civics education and foster a deeper appreciation of our nation’s founding principles. In the words of President Ronald Reagan, "Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction."

With your help, we will define this moment in civics education as one of hope.

We, like Lincoln, are dedicated to this purpose and we need your support to win the war. We need you, someone like Grant, who is willing to fight with your donation, rather than someone like McClellan who always found excuses not to fight, to join us in this effort.
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The battle for the soul of our nation will be won or lost in our
classrooms ™ — Jack Miller

At the Jack Miller Center, that battle is our sole mission. We are the boots on the ground, working to bring the American political tradition and history back to the classroom. Please consider a tax-deductible gift ([link removed]) to JMC. Your donation, large or small, is an investment in the future of our country—for you, for your children, for your grandchildren.
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About the Jack Miller Center
The Jack Miller Center is a 501(c)(3) public charity with the mission to reinvigorate education in America's founding principles and history. We work to advance the teaching and study of America's history, its political and economic institutions, and the central principles, ideas and issues arising from the American and Western traditions—all of which continue to animate our national life.

We support professors and educators through programs, resources, fellowships and more to help them teach our nation's students.
www.jackmillercenter.org

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