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Fake Lincoln Proclamation an attempt to profit in the gold market...
Fake Lincoln Proclamation an attempt to profit in the gold market...
Item # 643992
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May 19, 1864
BOSTON DAILY COURIER, May 19, 1864 Page 2 begins with a fascinating sidebar in American history, the printing of a "fake" Lincoln Proclamation which appeared in two New York newspapers but was ultimately determined to be bogus. The full text is printed here, & signed in type by the President: Abraham Lincoln, but with a cautioning preface: "The document which made its appearance yesterday, purporting to be a proclamation of President Lincoln, is copied for the information of our readers:", then the full text (see).
This was the effort of Joseph Howard, a newspaper journalist and a bit of a prankster throughout his career. Howard and an acquaintance had hoped to make a profit on declining gold prices if news from the front was bad. They acquired the stationery and other items necessary to make it look as if a story had come in on the wires to the headquarters of the Associated Press of New York, the clearing house for official wire stories coming from Washington. They forged the Proclamation from the president, which called for the drafting of an additional 400,000 soldiers, obvious evidence the war wasn't going well. It was delivered to the offices of various New Your newspapers. Only two actually published the story but it caused such that Howard was arrested two days after the story appeared and placed in Prison. He was released on Lincoln’s personal order on August 24, 1864.
Four pages, large folio size, binding slits at the blank spine margin, very nice condition.
Category: Yankee
No Longer Available
