Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Davis, David. 'David Davis to William H. Herndon' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: letter]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon158.html

Washington D.C. Jany. 14. 1866.

My Dear Friend.

It pains me to refuse you any reasonable request but I have been written to over and over again to furnish my views about Mr Lincoln, & have uniformly declined to give them — I could not give them to you & be consistent. I have no objections in person to talk the whole matter over with you, & hope to do so when I see you. — I have always understood that Mr. Lincoln's Emancipation proclamation, was his own conception; that he announced to his Cabinet, that he intended to issue it, and that he would hear suggestions, about verbal criticism &c — It is mean to try to deprive him of the glory of that —

Your friend
D Davis

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2429; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:318