When the Emancipation Proclamation was taken to Mr. Lincoln by Secretary
Seward, for the President’s signature, Mr. Lincoln took a pen, dipped
it in the ink, moved his hand to the place for the signature, held it
a moment, then removed his hand and dropped the pen. After a little
hesitation, he again took up the pen and went through the same movement
as before. Mr. Lincoln then turned to Mr. Seward and said:
“I have been shaking hands since nine o’clock this morning, and my right
arm is almost paralyzed. If my name ever goes into history, it will be
for this act, and my whole soul is in it. If my hand trembles when I
sign the Proclamation, all who examine the document hereafter will say,
‘He hesitated.’”
He then turned to the table, took up the pen again, and slowly, firmly
wrote “Abraham Lincoln,” with which the whole world is now familiar.
He then looked up, smiled, and said, “That will do.”