Abraham Lincoln Autograph Note Signed "A. Lincoln." One page, 4.75" x 6.5" (sight), Washington, D.C.; August 4, 1863. Addressed to an unknown recipient, Lincoln pardons a soldier arrested for desertion. The note reads in its entirety: "Let Abraham Lower, 72nd Regiment Pa vols, now under arrest in Philadelphia for desertion, be pardoned and discharged from the military service of the United States." Matted and framed with a lithograph of Lincoln to the overall size of 18.5" x 14.25". Known as an exceptionally compassionate man, Abraham Lincoln saw a great many requests for pardons over the course of his presidency. In the case of deserters, Lincoln apparently identified them as his "leg cases", explaining that "if Almighty God gives a man a cowardly pair of legs how can he help their running away with him?"* However, Lincoln's use of pardons was also a tactical way for him to boost morale and hopefully bring a swift end to the war. *Ingold, John. "Lincoln Pardons Colorado Soldier: Let Him Fight Instead of Being Shot." The Rap Sheet, 18 July 2013, blogs.denverpost.com/crime/2013/07/18/the-seven-famous-words-that-spared-a-colorado-soldier-150-years-ago/5096/. Condition: Light uneven toning throughout, with flattened folds. There is a split at the vertical center fold, which affects the beginning of the "A" in Lincoln's signature. Else good. HID03101242017