Answer:
a. A letter explaining an earlier event
Explanation:
In this letter Lincoln describes how his difficulties and attempts to maintain the constitution, keep government active and keep the nation together. He describes, in his text, various events that took place, such as his oath to rule, how he prohibited military embezzlement, how he did not think it necessary to arm black people, among other situations.
A part of the letter that exemplifies well what I quoted above is the excerpt: <em>" When, early in the war, General Fremont attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not then think it an indispensable necessity. When, a little later, General Cameron, then Secretary of War, suggested the arming of the blacks, I objected, because I did not yet think it an indispensable necessity. When, still later, General Hunter attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not yet think the indispensable necessity had come. When, in March and May and July, 1862, I made earnest and successive appeals to the Border States to favor compensated emancipation, I believed the indispensable necessity for military emancipation and arming the blacks would come, unless averted by that measure. They declined the proposition; and I was, in my best judgment, driven to the alternative of either surrendering the Union, and with it the Constitution, or of laying strong hand upon the colored element. I chose the latter. In choosing it, I hoped for greater gain than loss; but of this I was not entirely confident..."</em>
