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Title
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
Date
1917–1919
Medium
bronze
Accession number
M2_MH_S265
Acquisition method
gift from Mr and Mrs Charles Phelps Taft to the City of Manchester
Work type
Statue
Owner
Manchester City Council
Custodian
Manchester City Council
Work status
extant
Listing status
Grade II (England and Wales)
Listing date
03/10/74
Access
at all times
Inscription description
plaque: THE LANCASHIRE COTTON FAMINE 1861 – 1865 / FREE TRADE HALL PUBLIC MEETING 30TH DECEMBER 1862 / CHAIRMAN ABEL HEYWOOD / EXTRACT OF AN ADDRESS FROM THE WORKING PEOPLE OF MANCHESTER TO / HIS EXCELLENCY ABRAHAM LINCOLN / PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / THE VAST PROGRESS WHICH YOU HAVE MADE IN THE SHOORT SPACE OF TWENTY / MONTH FILLS US WITH HOPE THAT EVERY STAIN ON YOUR FREEDOM WILL SHORTLY / BE REMOVED AND THAT ERASURE OF THE FOUL BLOT ON CIVILISATION AND / CHRISTIANITY – CHATTAL SLAVERY- DURING YOUR PRESIDENCY WILL CAUSE THE / NAME OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO BE HONOURED AND REVERED BY POSTERITY, WE / ARE CERATIN THAT SUCH A GLORIOUS CONSULTATION WILL CEMENT GREAT BRITAIN / AND THE UNITED STATES IN CLOSE AND ENDURING REGARDS. / THIS STATUE THE WORK OF SCULPTOR GEORGE GREY BARNARD AND WAS / PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF MANCHESTER BY MR & MRS PHELPS TAFT OF / CINCINNATI, OHIO. IT COMMEMORATES THE SUPPORT THAT THE WORKING / PEOPLE OF MANCHESTER GAVE IN THEIR FIGHT FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY / DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. / BY SUPPORTING THE UNION UNDER PRESIDENT LINCOLN AT A TIME WHEN THERE / WAS AN ECONOMIC BLOCKADE OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. THE LANCASHIRE COTTON / WORKERS WERE DENIED ACCESS TO RAW COTTON WHICH CAUSED CONSIDERABLE / UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE COTTON INDUSTRY.; plaque: ABRAHAM LINCOLN / BORN 12TH FEBRUARY 1809 – ASSASSINATED 15TH APRIL 1865 / PRESIDENT OF THE USA 1861 – 1865 / AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 15TH APRIL 1861 – 9TH APRIL 1865 / TO THE WORKING PEOPLE OF MANCHESTER 19TH JANUARY 1863 / I KNOW AND DEEPLY DEPLORE THE SUFFERINGS WHICH THE WORKING PEOPLE OF / MANCHESTER AND IN ALL EUROPE ARE CALLED TO ENDURE IN THIS CRISIS. IT HAS / BEEN OFETN AND STUDIOUSLY PRESENTED THAT THE ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THIS / GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND / TO SUBSTITUTE FOR IT ONE WHICH SHOULD REST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE BASIS OF / SLAVERT. WAS LIKELY TO OBTAIN THE FAVOUR OF EUROPE, THROUGH THE ACTION / OF DISLOYAL CITIZENS, THE WORKING PEOPLE OF EUROPE HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED / TO SEVERE TRIAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORCING THEIR SANCTION TO THAT ATTEMPT. / UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I CANNOT REGARD YOUR DECISIVE UTTERANCES / UPON THE QUESTION AS AN INSTANCE OF SUBLIME CHRISTIAN HEROISM WHICH / HAS NOT BEEN SURPASSED IN ANY AGE OR IN ANY COUNTRY. IT IS INDEED AN / ENERGETIC AND RE-INSPIRING ASSIRANCE OF THE INHERANT TRUTH AND OF THE / ULTIMATE AND UNIVERAL TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE, HUMANITY AND FREEDOM. I HAIL / THIS INTERCHANGE OF SENTIMENTS THEREFORE, AS AN AUGURY THAT WHATEVER ELSE / MAY HAPPEN, WHATEVER MISFORTUNE MAY BEFALL YOUR COUNTRY OR MY OWN, / THE PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP WHICH NOW EXISTS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS / WILL BE AS IT SHALL BE MY DESIRE TO MAKE THEM PERPETUAL.
