Transcript of page 1: "In presenting the abandonment of armed resistance to the national authority, on the part of the insurgents, as the only indispensable condition to ending the war on the part of the government, I retract nothing heretofore said as to slavery. I repeat the declaration made a year ago that while I remain in my present position, I shall not attempt to retract or modify the Emancipation Proclamation, nor shall I return to slavery any person who is free by the terms of that proclamation, or by any of the acts of congress." Transcript of page 2: "I hereby certify that the written is a portion of the last message of Abraham Lincoln, in his own hand writing. Jno. D. DeFrees, Supt Pub Printing."
