James McKenzie to Abraham Lincoln

With James McKenzie letter 9/3/63; 9/4/63; 9/19/63

St. Louis, Missouri

19 Sept. 1863.

To His Excellency

Abraham Lincoln

President of United States

Sir,

I came to this country with some miners from Lancashire & Yorkshire in England, with a view to engage in Coal Mining in Illinois, my purpose however has for the present been frustrated. But during the short time I have been here, I have been strongly impressed with the great need there is for more working Colliers in the State of Illinois.

The public papers have for some time past, exhibited many instances of insubordination and riot on the part of the men, who are combined in a League throughout the state, for

the maintenance of exorbitant wages, and other regulations of an oppressive character. It is not long since I visited La Salle, and learned from Col. Taylor, that some of his Colliers had been earning as much as 6, 8 & even 10 dollars a day - whilst to my own knowledge, the best Colliers in England could not earn more than one dollar per day. The high price of Coal here, is a natural result of this state of things -

Now there are thousands of steady hard working miners & Colliers in England, who would readily come over here, if they knew that by so doing they could effect such a permanent improvement in their condition - as is the case with every industrious and steady man who settles here. But they don't know these things in England -

I propose therefore, as a prac

tical miner, to write a series of easy familiar letters, addressed to the miners & working Colliers in Great Britain, pointing out to them in a plain manner, the great advantages that are here within their reach, and insert them in such papers as have chief circulation amongst them in England, Wales, & Scotland. There are plenty of philanthropic men, as Richard Cobden & others, who would give countenance to such endeavours if needed - as it would be a mutual benefit to the miners themselves, as well as to the State & Country where they settle -

I should be happy to engage in this work, for my sympathies would go with it & it would be both a pleasure and a duty - and I would devote myself to it for the sum of $100 per month besides travelling Expenses

My communications could be made

in duplicate, one copy being handed to any authority in the State you name -

Commending this matter to your consideration,

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient servant

James McKenzie