James McKenzie to Abraham Lincoln

St. Louis. Missouri,

3rd Sept. 1863.

P.O. Box 2908.

To His Excellency

Abraham Lincoln,

President of the United States

Sir,

I came to this Country about 3 months since, with some Miners from Yorkshire & Lancashire in England, with a view to engage in Coal Mining in Illinois, which, from private sources, we had heard good accounts of in England. When I reached Chicago, I found that mainly owing to a League amongst the Colliers in the State, I could do no good. However, I was recommended by Mr Phillips Sec " of The I.C.R.R. Com. to Col. Taylor, a Coal Proprietor of La Salle, who was then in Chicago & stood in need of a manager for his works - I accompanied Col. Taylor to La Salle, but after staying with him a week we found that no good could be done on account of the strength of this League and some of the men had I been earning, as Col. Taylor showed me 8.10 and even 12$ a day:- and, at the same time, to my own knowledge, the best Colliers in England, Wales, or Scotland, doing the same kind of work, could not earn more, in the same hours, than a single dollars. I then went to Rock Island, & found the same League affecting the Collieries in that neighbourhood - at Danville, I had already been told by one of the proprietors, that they were

almost stopt. I then came down to St. Louis. the men who came with me, having gone to Belville & Du Quoin. I, However, visited the Iron Mountain & Pilot Knob, & the whole neighbourhood, for I always took an interest in such properties - being familiar with them. I here saw more Iron ore, and of better quality, than is to be found in the whole of Staffordshire, the great centre of the Iron Trade in England, where some hundreds of Furnaces are in full blast & nothing was being done at Pilot Knob. I also examined the almost inexhaustible deposits of lead, in and around the Counties of Washington & Franklin in Missouri - which can scarcely be said to be touched. and I resolved to address you on the following subject.

There are thousands of working Colliers & Miners in Great Britain, who, if they but knew of half the advantages here within the reach of all, would gladly come and take advantage of them - good steady, hard working men, with families growing up round them but who, at times can but barely keep their heads above water, it would be a blessing to these men to know of these things, and a reciprocal benefit to this Country for them to come and share them - and you don't need to be told, how readily the industrious - well - to - do working man, will avail himself of such advantages when plainly put before him - the provident habits which has made him steady and hard working, are the very incentive to his coming with a view to better his permanent condition - But we know nothing of these things in England

I propose therefore, with your approval, to write a series of easy familiar letters to Miners & Colliers in Great Britain, describing such things as will interest them, for I am a practical Collier myself, & shew them what Miners have done - what they can & may do here - and ,- where and get them inserted in such of the English, Irish, Welsh, & Scotch papers, as have chief circulation amongst the Mining population. I know what papers to select, & can undertake the whole subject with ease - I am morally certain, it would be productive of much good to the miners, and be a lasting benefit to the States where they may settle - indeed, the want of it, is now severely felt in Illinois, & in Missouri, (I speak only of what has come under my own knowledge) at the present time, the Colliers at Belville & Du Quoin, are earning from 5. to 6. & even 8 $ a day. this is not only entailing an extra charge on the Community, but tells against the starting or reopening large works, such as Pilots Knob or other undertakings, where the consumption of Coal forms a large portion of the expenses -

I am of middle age, 41, of active habits, & should enter upon this work as a pleasure and a duty, for my heart would be engaged in it. I could procure insertion of the letters in any papers necessary, for there are plenty of philanthropic men like John Bright, Richard Cobden, & others, who would give countenance to such efforts if needed -

It is due to you, Honored Sir, and I state it

frankly, and with diffidence, that during the whole of this tortuous and arduous conflict - the temperate yet firm manner in which you have pursued the even tenor of your own way, has always commanded my highest admiration - & it is but fair to myself perhaps, that I should state as much - My object and proposition however, is apart from politics and strife altogether - my communications could be made, if needs be, in duplicate, one copy being handed to any authority you may appoint - & my attention first given to any District you may name-

As to the remuneration, I should be well content to devote myself to it - for a Salary of one hundred dollars a month - besides traveling Exp's out of pocket & my work would shew, whether I served you diligently and faithfully -

Commending this to your consideration -

I subscribe myself, Sir,

Your most faithful servant

James McKenzie

File M

McKensie James.

St Louis Sept 3d

Sends you a letter addressed to Pres. Lincoln, also one to Col. Taylor of La Salle. Wants to induce the Colliers of Wales and England to Migrate to Ills. The Colliers in this State have a league, make from 8 to 12 $ per Diem, In England they make $1.00 Wishes you to forward the letter to the Pres. if proper