The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:41 PM
1862 Letter From Abraham Lincoln Shows Late President Declining Offer Of Elephants From King Of Siam
King Mongkut in 1861 offered to send a pair of elephants to the U.S. as a gift of the friendship between the two countries.
Lincoln, likely bemused and relieved at the distraction from America's then-raging Civil War, respectfully refused, saying his country uses the steam engine and would have no use for the working animals.
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has included
the historic letter in an exhibition highlighting the long ties between
the two countries.
Mongkut offered the elephants after learning they were not native to
America. He also sent along three gifts: a sword and scabbard, a
photograph of the king with one of his daughters, and an impressive pair
of elephant tusks.
He addressed the letters to then-President James Buchanan "or whomever
would become president" with elaborate paragraph-long salutations.
Lincoln was already president by the time the letters arrived a year
later. He penned a reply, addressing the king simply as "Great and Good
Friend."
The offer of elephants did not neglect practical details. Mongkut
stated, "On this account, we desire to procure and send elephants to be
let loose to increase and multiply in the continent of America." But
Thailand — then called Siam — did not have a large enough vessel to
transport them, the letter said.
It continued: "In reference to this opinion of ours if the President of
the United States and Congress who conjointly with him rule the country
see fit to approve, let them provide a large vessel loaded with hay and
other food suitable for elephants on the voyage, with tanks holding a
sufficiency of fresh water, and arranged with stalls so that the
elephants can both stand and lie down in the ship — and send it to
receive them. We on our part will procure young male and female
elephants and forward them one or two pairs at a time."
Mongkut then in his letter directs that the elephants should be kept
away from the cold and under the sun, and to also "let them with all
haste be turned out to run wild in some jungle suitable for them not
confining them any length of time."
"If these means can be done we trust that the elephants will propagate
their species hereafter in the continent of America," the letter said.
Thai monarchy expert Tongthong Chandransu said the offer of elephants
reveals that Mongkut wanted to be part of building the young United
States.
"You have to consider that 200 years ago, elephants were an important
means of transportation and helped a lot with our work, not to mention
warfare, but also the building of homes and cities," Tongthong said.
The ever-practical Lincoln rejected the offer to send wild elephants
running through American forests, saying the country "does not reach a
latitude so low as to favor the multiplication of the elephant." He said
in his 1862 letter that "steam on land, as well as on water, has been
our best and most efficient agent of transportation in internal
commerce."
The exhibition runs until June 30.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
