During  the  earlier,  as  well  as  the  later,  elections  of  this  year,
a  prominent  issue  before  the  people  was  the  course  of  the  Ad-
ministration in  regard  to  Emancipation.  Both  at  home  and
abroad,  this  policy  had  proved  an  element  of  great  strength  in
shaping  public  opinion  favorably  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  It  identified
his  Administration,  from  the  day  this  great  step  was  taken,
with  not  only  a  most  effective  means  for  suppressing  the  rebel-
lion, but  also  with  a  measure  in  accordance  with  the  high
behests  of  justice,  and  the  clearest  interests  of  civilization  and
humanity.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the  President  re-
ceived a  gratifying  testimonial  of  sympathy  and  confidence
from  the  workingmen  of  Manchester,  in  England,  and  of  their
warm  appreciation,  especially,  of  his  action  in  issuing  the  Pro-
clamation of  Emancipation.  To  this  address,  Mr.  Lincoln  sent
the  following  reply:

Executive  Mansion,  j

Washington,  January  19,  1863.  j

To  the.  Workingmen  of  Manchester  :  I  have  the  honor
to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  the  address  and  resolutions  which
you  sent  me  on  the  eve  of  the  new  year.
When  I  came,  on  the  4th  of  March,  1861,  through  a  free
and  constitutional  election,  to  preside  in  the  Government  of  the
United  States,  the  country  was  found  at  the  verge  of  civil  war.
Whatever  might  have  been  the  cause,  or  whosesoever  the  fault,
one  duty,  paramount  to  all  others,  was  before  me,  namely,  to
maintain  and  preserve  at  once  the  Constitution  and  the  integ-
rity of  the  Federal  Republic.  A  conscientious  purpose  to  per-
form this  duty  is  the  key  to  all  the  measures  of  administration
which  have  been,  and  to  all  which  will  hereafter  be  pursued.
