Lincoln auction at Sotheby's next Wednesday

[RJNorton]

David, thank you very much for your reply. I have always wondered about this.

Here is a part of the Lincoln Lore article cited above:

"Apparently many people thought that Lincoln's signature was necessary to validate the Thirteenth Amendment resolution, and after he had affixed his signature to the document he was honored with a serenade. To this group of admirers he made a brief address. Lincoln stated that, "The occasion was one of congratulation to the country and to the whole world. But there is a task yet before us — to go forward and consummate by the votes of the States that which Congress so nobly began yesterday." Lincoln expressed the belief that "all would bear him witness that he had never shrunk from doing all that he could to eradicate slavery by issuing an emancipation proclamation."