This excerpt is from a letter Abraham Lincoln wrote in 1855 . As a nation , we began by declaring that " all men are created equal . We practically read it " all men are created equal except negroes . " When the Know - Nothings get control it will read " all men are created equal except negroes and foreigners and Catholics . " -Abraham Lincoln , Letter to Joshua Speed , 1855 In this letter , Lincoln refers to the Know - Nothing Party . He changes the wording of the Declaration of Independence to imply that the party — A deserves the support of patriotic Americans

B has improved upon the Declaration of Independence

C does not uphold the values of the Declaration of Independence

D is faithful to the principles of the Federalist Party